Scincus

Scincus
Sandfish, Scincus scincus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia (paraphyletic)
(unranked):	Sauria
Order:	Squamata (paraphyletic)
Infraorder:	Scincomorpha
Family:	Scincidae
Subfamily:	Scincinae
Genus:	Scincus Laurenti, 1768
Species
3, see text

Scincus is a genus of skinks (family Scincidae). All three species are typical desert inhabitants, living in sandy and dune-like areas with a hot and dry climate. They can be found from Arabia to the Sahara desert.

This is the type genus of the subfamily Scincinae. As that group appears to be paraphyletic and is in need of revision, it is as yet undetermined which skink genera are closely enough related to Scincus to be retained in the Scincinae.(Austin & Arnold 2006).

Species

• Scincus hemprichii
• Scincus mitranus, eastern skink
• Scincus scincus, sandfish

References

• Austin, J.J. & Arnold, E.N. (2006): Using ancient and recent DNA to explore relationships of extinct and endangered Leiolopisma skinks (Reptilia: Scincidae) in the Mascarene islands. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 39(2): 503–511. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2005.12.011 (HTML abstract)