Added February 2007.

The Scincidae

Mesoscincus


A new genus comprising three species formerly forming part of Eumeces. The species are characterised by two longitudinal rows of large vertebral scales.

  QUICK INDEX  
M. altamirani, Tepalcatepec Skink M. managuae, Managua Skink M. schwartzei, Schwartze's Skink 

Scientific Name Common Name Distribution Size Notes
Mesoscincus
M. altamirani Tepalcatepec Skink Mexico (Michoacán) SVL 10 cm Scalation details: rostral much broader than high; supranasals moderate; frontonasal moderately large, narrowly touching frontal, broadly contacting anterior loreal; frontal relatively narrow; frontoparietals quadrangular, in contact medially by a narrow margin; interparietal of roughly same area as single frontoparietal; parietals narrow, diagonal, about twice as long as wide, enclosing the interparietal; nuchals five-four, all very broad; nasal small, at least partially divided; ventral suture from nostril reaches rostral; postnasal relatively very large, at least half area of entire nasal; anterior loreal much higher than wide, touching 2nd & 3rd labials, as large as posterior loreal; posterior loreal not twice as long as high; 3 presuboculars; 5 suboculars, the 3 lower very small; 8 superciliaries, the first somewhat larger than the last; upper palpebral scales in contact with supraoculars except one or two at the front, these being separated by 1-2 granular scales; lower eyelid has 3 enlarged scutes separated from the subocular by 2-3 rows of granules; primary temporal rather small, in contact with lower secondary; lower secondary very large; upper secondary temporal elongate, narrow, wider osteriorly; tertiary temporal small, narrow, separated from 1st nuchal by single scale; 8 supralabials, of which 5th smallest and 8th largest, latter separated from auricaular lobules by 2 superimposed pairs of postlabials; 3 auricular lobules, of which upper largest, all rather low; auricular opening high and narrow, surrounded by about 22 scales; mental with labial border longer than rostral; postmental undivided; 1st pair of chinshields narrowly separated anteriorly; 2nd pair largest, narrowly separated, but first two pairs enclose quadrangular scale; 3rd pair separated by 3 scales; pair of postgenial, of which inner narrow and larger than outer; 7 sublabials. Dorsal scalation: 23 scale rows around narrow part of neck, 19 at midbody, 11 around tail at base. Subcaudals: 85, of which 1st separated from anus by 3 rows of small scales. Coloration: overall brownish-yellow: see Taylor for details of coloration in alcohol. Reproduction: no details available. [SOURCE: Taylor 1936]
M. managuae Managua Skink  Nicaragua, Honduras ?? SVL Scalation details: ??. Coloration: ??. Reproduction: no details available.
M. schwartzei Schwartze's Skink Mexico (Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatán, Chiapas), Guatemala, Belize SVL 12 cm Largest skink in Yucatan Peninsula, but not a common inhabitant. Habitat is dry deciduous and mesic forests, where it is found beneath surface debris, basking on trunks or amid stones of ruins. Can be distinguished from the similar-looking P. sumichrasti by its enlarged vertebral scale row. Scalation details: ??. Coloration: broad dark brown stripe runs from snout across upper surface of head on to body, bordered by 2 light tan or cream stripes beginning at snout, broadening posteriorly passing over the eyes, extending on to body and largely replacing the darker median stripe on posterior third of body; dark brown stripe runs laterally from nostril through eye and on to body where it breaks up into series of dark and light spots; posterior third of body and sides of tail covered with numerous quadrangular spots on tan or yellowish background; chin, throat and ventral surfaces of body and tail cream or light tan. Reproduction: no details available. [SOURCE: Lee]

Bibliography

"Skinks of Mexico", Uri Garcia-Vázquez & Manuel Feria-Ortiz, Reptilia 49.

"The Rediscovery of the Lizard Eumeces altamirami (Dugès) with notes on two other Mexican species of the genus", Edward H Taylor, Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington, Vol 49, May 1 1936.

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