The

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

''Eumeces'' (

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) comprises four

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

n to

Middle-Eastern The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Province), East Thrace (Europea ...

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 ...

species.

Systematics

Recently two taxonomic revisions have been made regarding the 19th century

''Eumeces''. They both resulted in similar results; the

paraphyletic In taxonomy (general), taxonomy, a group is paraphyletic if it consists of the group's most recent common ancestor, last common ancestor and most of its descendants, excluding a few Monophyly, monophyletic subgroups. The group is said to be pa ...

and must be "sliced up" into several different

genera Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nomenclat ...

. Griffith ''et al.'' (2000) proposed that the

type species In zoological nomenclature, a type species (''species typica'') is the species name with which the name of a genus or subgenus is considered to be permanently taxonomically associated, i.e., the species that contains the biological type specimen ...

for ''Eumeces'', ''E. pavimentatus'', which is considered by many to be a

subspecies In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...

of ''

Eumeces schneiderii ''Eumeces schneiderii'', commonly known as Schneider's skink or the Berber skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to Central Asia, Western Asia, and North Africa. There are five recognized subspecies. Ety ...

'', should be changed to ''Lacerta fasciata'', so that the

name ''Eumeces'' would stay with the most species-rich

clade A clade (), also known as a monophyletic group or natural group, is a group of organisms that are monophyletic – that is, composed of a common ancestor and all its lineal descendants – on a phylogenetic tree. Rather than the English term, ...

. However, this petition has not been verified by the

International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature The International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN) is an organization dedicated to "achieving stability and sense in the scientific naming of animals". Founded in 1895, it currently comprises 26 commissioners from 20 countries. Orga ...

. Schimtz ''et al.'' argued that Griffith ''et al.'' violated the Code and rejected the proposal on good grounds. Thus only the African

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 the ''

'' group belong to the

''Eumeces''. Within ''Eumeces'' the following species are recognized: *'' Eumeces algeriensis'' – Algerian skink *''

Eumeces blythianus ''Eumeces blythianus'', commonly known as Blyth's skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is native to South Asia. Etymology The specific name, ''blythianus'', is in honor of English zoologist Edward Blyth (1810– ...

'' – Blyth's skink *'' Eumeces cholistanensis'' *'' Eumeces indothalensis'' – striped mole skink *'' Eumeces persicus'' – Persian striped skink *''

'' – Schneider's skink Some species that were formerly considered ''Eumeces'' have now been assigned to new genera: Now in ''

Plestiodon ''Plestiodon'' is a genus of lizards in the family Scincidae (skinks). The genus contains many species formerly classified under the genus ''Eumeces'', except those now placed in ''Mesoscincus''. They are secretive, agile animals with a cylindr ...

'': *'' Plestiodon anthracinus'', coal skink *'' Plestiodon barbouri'', Barbour's skink (

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

) *'' Plestiodon brevirostris'', short-nosed skink (

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

) *'' Plestiodon callicephalus'', North American mountain skink *'' Plestiodon capito'' *'' Plestiodon chinensis'', Chinese skink (East Asia:

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

Korea Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...

, Japan) *'' Plestiodon colimensis'' (Mexico) *'' Plestiodon copei'' (Mexico) *'' Plestiodon coreensis'', Korean big skink (Korea) *''

Plestiodon dugesii ''Plestiodon dugesii'', also known commonly as Dugès' skink, Duges's skink, and ''eslabon'' in Mexican Spanish, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to Mexico. Etymology The specific name, ''dugesii'', is i ...

'' (Mexico) - rare *'' Plestiodon egregius'', mole skink *'' Plestiodon elegans'', elegant skink, five-striped blue-tailed skink (juvenile), or Shanghai skink (East Asia) *''

Plestiodon fasciatus The (American) five-lined skink (''Plestiodon fasciatus'') is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to North America. It is one of the most common lizards in the eastern U.S. and one of the seven native specie ...

'', common five-lined skink *'' Plestiodon gilberti'', Gilbert's skink (North America) *'' Plestiodon inexpectatus'', southeastern five-lined skink *'' Plestiodon kishinouyei'', Kishinoue's giant skink *'' Plestiodon lagunensis'', San Lucan skink *'' Plestiodon laticeps'', broad-headed skink *'' Plestiodon latiscutatus'', Okada's Five-lined Skink (Japan) *'' Plestiodon liui'' (Asia) *'' Plestiodon longirostris'', Bermuda rock skink *'' Plestiodon lynxe'', oak forest skink (Mexico) *''

Plestiodon marginatus ''Plestiodon marginatus'', the Ousima skink or Okinawa blue-tailed skink, is a species of lizard which is Endemism, endemic to Japan. References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q5120190 Plestiodon, marginatus Reptiles of Japan Reptiles described in 1861 ...

'', Ryūkyū five-lined skink (

Okinawa is a prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 km2 (880 sq mi). Naha is the capital and largest city ...

and

Amami Islands The The name ''Amami-guntō'' was standardized on February 15, 2010. Prior to that, another name, ''Amami shotō'' (奄美諸島), was also used. is an archipelago in the Satsunan Islands, which is part of the Ryukyu Islands, and is southwest o ...

) *'' Plestiodon multilineatus'' *''

Plestiodon multivirgatus ''Plestiodon multivirgatus'', commonly known as the many-lined skink, the northern many-lined skink, or the variable skink, is a medium-sized species of lizard, a member of the North American skink genus '' Plestiodon'' in the family Scincida ...

'', many-lined skink **'' Plestiodon (multivirgatus) gaigeae'', variable skink (North America) - sometimes ''Eumeces (multivirgatus) epipleurotus'' *'' Plestiodon obsoletus'', Great Plains skink *'' Plestiodon ochoterenae'' *'' Plestiodon okadae'', Okada's five-lined skink (Japan) *'' Plestiodon parviauriculatus'', northern pygmy skink (Mexico) *'' Plestiodon parvulus'', southern pygmy skink (Mexico) *'' Plestiodon popei'' (Asia) *'' Plestiodon quadrilineatus'', four-lined Asian skink *''

Plestiodon septentrionalis The prairie skink (''Plestiodon septentrionalis'') is a species of skink Endemism, endemic to the prairies east of the Rocky Mountains in North America. It is one of only seven species of lizards that occur in Lizards in Canada, Canada. Taxonomy ...

'', prairie skink - includes ''Eumeces obtusirostris'' *''

Plestiodon skiltonianus The western skink ''(Plestiodon skiltonianus)'' is a species of small, smooth- scaled lizard with relatively small limbs. It measures about 100 to 210 mm (about 4 to 8.25 inches) in total length (body + tail). It is one of seven species of ...

'', western skink *''

Plestiodon stimpsonii ''Plestiodon stimpsonii'', Stimpson's skink, is a species of lizard which is Endemism, endemic to Japan. References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q3007782 Plestiodon, marginatus Reptiles of Japan Reptiles described in 1912 Taxa named by Joseph Cheesma ...

'', Yaeyama seven-lined skink (Japan) *'' Plestiodon sumichrasti'' (Mexico) *'' Plestiodon tamdaoensis'' *'' Plestiodon tetragrammus'', four-lined skink *'' Plestiodon tunganus'' Now in ''

Eurylepis ''Eurylepis'' is a genus of skinks found in Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental land ...

'': *''Eumeces indothalensis'' - now '' Eurylepis indothalensis'' *''Eumeces poonaensis'' - now ''

Eurylepis poonaensis ''Eurylepis poonaensis'', the Poona skink, is a species of skink found only in Maharashtra, India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh ...

'' *''Eumeces taeniolatus'' - now ''

Eurylepis taeniolata ''Eurylepis taeniolata'', the ribbon-sided skink, alpine Punjab skink, or yellow-bellied mole skink, is a species of skink found in Central Asia, South Asia, and West Asia. It is the type species of the genus ''Eurylepis''. Description Diagno ...

'' Now in ''

Mesoscincus ''Mesoscincus'' is a genus of lizards, comprising three species of skinks native to Mexico and Central America. The species were formerly included in the genus ''Eumeces''. Species *''Mesoscincus altamirani'' – Tepalcatepec skink – Mexico * ...

'': *''Eumeces altamirani'' - now ''

Mesoscincus altamirani The Tepalcatepec skink (''Mesoscincus altamirani'') is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to Mexico. Etymology The specific name, ''altamirani'', is in honor of Federico Altamirano who collected the holotype. B ...

'' *''Eumeces managuae'' - now ''

Mesoscincus managuae The Managua skink (''Mesoscincus managuae'') is an extant species of skink, a lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is found in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras Honduras, officially the Republic of Honduras, is a country in Central ...

'' *''Eumeces schwartzei'' - now ''

Mesoscincus schwartzei The Mayan black-headed skink or Schwartze's skink (''Mesoscincus schwartzei'') is an extant species of skink, a lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is found in Mexico, Belize, and Guatemala Guatemala ( ; ), officially the Republi ...

References

* (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. (HTML abstract) * Griffith, H., A. Ngo & R.W. Murphy. 2000. A cladistic evaluation of the cosmopolitan genus ''Eumeces'' Wiegmann (Reptilia, Squamata, Scincidae). ''Russ. J. Herpetol.'' 7 (1): 1-16. ("''Novoeumeces gen nov.''", p. 11). * Schmitz, Andreas; Patrick Mausfeld and Dirk Embert. 2004. Molecular studies on the genus ''Eumeces'' Wiegmann, 1834: phylogenetic relationships and taxonomic implications. ''Hamadryad'' 28 (1-2): 73–89. * Smith, Hobart M. 2005. ''Plestiodon'': a Replacement Name for Most Members of the Genus ''Eumeces'' in North America. ''Journal of Kansas Herpetology'' (14): 15-16.

External links

{{Taxonbar, from=Q992551 Eumeces Skinks of Africa Lizards of Asia Lizard genera Taxa named by Arend Friedrich August Wiegmann