Eutropis macularia

Eutropis macularia
at Pocharam, Andhra Pradesh
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Reptilia
Order:Squamata
Family:Scincidae
Genus:Eutropis
Species: E. macularia
Binomial name
Eutropis macularia
(Blyth, 1853)
Synonyms

Mabuya macularia (Blyth, 1853)

The bronze grass skink or bronze mabuya (Eutropis macularia) is a species of skink found in South and Southeast Asia.[1] (Bengali names: তামাটে অঞ্জন, ব্রোঞ্জ অঞ্জন, আরজিনা, আঞ্জন, আঞ্চন, আনজিলা, আঁচিলা).


Description

Physical structure: Body cylindrical, dorsal scales with 5-8 keels, ventral scales smooth; 28-30 scales round the body. A pair of dorso-lateral bands starts from above the eye till the base of the tail. As with other Eutropis species the scales are keeled.[2]

Color pattern: Deep-brown, olive or bronze-brown in color; dorso-lateral bands light or yellow; sometimes with black spots on the base of the tail. Breeding males have orange color on the lateral side of the body. Juveniles are grey with a bronze head.[2]

Length: Maximum: 23 cm, common: 16 cm (SVL 7 cm).[3]

Distribution

This skink is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Laos, Malaysia (northwestern), Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand & Vietnam. Type locality is Rangpur, Bengal [Bangladesh].[1]

Impact on humans & ecology

No known human uses. Plays a role in ecosystem by eating various types of insects and otherwise.

Threat to humans

Non-venomous and harmless to humans. May bite when handled, but is not dangerous.

IUCN threat status

Not Evaluated (NE).

Interesting notes

Can break off its own tail when grabbed by predators; the tail regenerative and will grow back over time.

References

  1. 1 2 Eutropis macularia at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 19 July 2014.
  2. 1 2 "Eutropis macularia (Blyth, 1853)". Reptiles of Madhya Pradesh. Snake Research Organization Ujjain. 2014. Retrieved 12 October 2015.
  3. ↑ "Speckled Forest Skink". Ecology Asia. 2015. Retrieved 12 October 2015.

Further reading

  • Annandale, N. 1909 Rec. Ind. Mus. 3: 257
  • Blanford, W.T. 1879 Notes on a collection of reptiles and frogs from the neighbourhood of Ellore and Dumagudem. J. Asiat. Soc. Bengal xlviii: 109-116
  • Blyth, E. 1854 Notices and descriptions of various reptiles, new or little-known. Part I. J. Asiat. Soc. Bengal 22 [1853]: 639-655
  • Das I. 1991 A new species of Mabuya from Tamil Nadu State, Southern India (Squamata: Scincidae). Journal of Herpetology 25 (3): 342-344.
  • Mausfeld, P.; Vences, M. Schmitz, A. & Veith, M. 2000 First data on the molecular phylogeography of scincid lizards of the genus Mabuya. Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 17 (1): 11-14
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