''Anomalopus mackayi'', commonly known as the five-clawed worm skink, long-legged worm skink, and MacKay's burrowing skink, is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

of smooth-scaled burrowing

skink Skinks are lizards belonging to the family Scincidae, a family in the infraorder Scincomorpha. With more than 1,500 described species across 100 different taxonomic genera, the family Scincidae is one of the most diverse families of lizards. Ski ...

, a

lizard Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most oceanic island chains. The group is paraphyletic since it excludes the snakes and Amphisbaenia alt ...

in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Scincidae. The species is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

to eastern

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

Etymology

The specific name, ''mackayi'', is in honor of Australian

herpetologist Herpetology (from Greek ἑρπετόν ''herpetón'', meaning "reptile" or "creeping animal") is the branch of zoology concerned with the study of amphibians (including frogs, toads, salamanders, newts, and caecilians (gymnophiona)) and rept ...

Roy D. MacKay.

Behaviour and habitat

''A. mackayi'' generally burrows in areas with black soil and few trees.

Description

''A. mackayi'' generally grows to the size of about snout-vent length (SVL). It is similar to ''

Anomalopus ''Anomalopus'' is a genus of worm-skinks, smallish smooth-scaled burrowing lizards in the family Scincidae. The genus is endemic to the eastern half of Australia. The genus belongs to a clade in the ''Sphenomorphus'' group which contains such ge ...

leuckartii'' but with distinctly didactyle (having two digits) hindlimbs, a central dark spot within each individual scale, and is yellow-green below with darker flecks (Cogger 2000).

Reproduction

Adult females of ''A. mackayi'' give birth to live young.

Conservation status

''A. mackayi'' is listed as ''Vulnerable'' under the

IUCN Red List The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, also known as the IUCN Red List or Red Data Book, founded in 1964, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biol ...

, and as ''Endangered'' under

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

Nature Conservation Act 1992 The ''Nature Conservation Act 1992'' is an act of the Parliament of Queensland, Australia, that, together with subordinate legislation, provides for the legislative protection of Queensland's threatened biota. As originally published, it prov ...

. Database entry includes a range map and justification for why this species is of least concern.

References

External links

*"''Anomalus mackayi'' ". Australian Government, Department of the Environment
Five-clawed worm skink.
Anomalopus Skinks of Australia Vulnerable fauna of Australia Nature Conservation Act endangered biota Reptiles described in 1985 Taxa named by Allen Eddy Greer Taxa named by Harold Cogger {{sphenomorphinae-stub