Eurylepis taeniolatus
Encyclopedia
Alpine Punjab Skink Eurylepis taeniolatus is a species of skink
found in Central Asia
and West Asia.
Diagnosis of the genus Eurylepis (Griffith et al. 2000): Elongate, 35 or more presacral vertebrae (convergent with many other scincid groups). Limbs relatively slender, lamellae not expanded. Head somewhat conical, dorsal surface convex in lateral view, parietal bone with clear lateral indentations and supratemporal fontanelle open. Sexual dimorphism in head proportions not distinct. Scales shiny, separated by shallow sutures. Two loreals, followed by two presuboculars. Post-nasal scales present. Palpebral scales and superciliaries not separated by groove. Four or five pairs of nuchal scales, followed by several pairs of broadened mid-dorsal scales and broad row of fused mid-dorsal scales. Large medial preanal scales overlie small lateral pair. Ear lobules conspicuous, but not covering ear opening. Color pattern consists of gray-brown background, with pale, broad dorsolateral stripes, more distinct anteriorly, brown rectangular spots dominating posteriorly. Northern extent of range poorly known; southern portion of distribution includes Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and northwestern India.
Type locality: Punjab, India
Skink
Skinks are lizards belonging to the family Scincidae. Together with several other lizard families, including Lacertidae , they comprise the superfamily or infraorder Scincomorpha...
found in Central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
and West Asia.
Description
Eurylepis taeniolatus Blyth 1854 is the type species of the genus Eurylepis.Diagnosis of the genus Eurylepis (Griffith et al. 2000): Elongate, 35 or more presacral vertebrae (convergent with many other scincid groups). Limbs relatively slender, lamellae not expanded. Head somewhat conical, dorsal surface convex in lateral view, parietal bone with clear lateral indentations and supratemporal fontanelle open. Sexual dimorphism in head proportions not distinct. Scales shiny, separated by shallow sutures. Two loreals, followed by two presuboculars. Post-nasal scales present. Palpebral scales and superciliaries not separated by groove. Four or five pairs of nuchal scales, followed by several pairs of broadened mid-dorsal scales and broad row of fused mid-dorsal scales. Large medial preanal scales overlie small lateral pair. Ear lobules conspicuous, but not covering ear opening. Color pattern consists of gray-brown background, with pale, broad dorsolateral stripes, more distinct anteriorly, brown rectangular spots dominating posteriorly. Northern extent of range poorly known; southern portion of distribution includes Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and northwestern India.
Distribution
NW/W Saudi Arabia, S Yemen, NE Iran, Iraq;Afghanistan, Pakistan, (Kashmir);S Turkmenistan- Race arabicus: Arabia
- Race parthianicus: Turkmen-Khorassan (former USSR) area
Type locality: Punjab, India
External links
- http://itgmv1.fzk.de/www/itg/uetz/herp/photos/Eurylepis_taeniolatus.jpg