''Lampropholis'' is a

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 ...

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 ...

s, commonly known as sunskinks, in the

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 ...

subfamily In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus. Standard nomenclature rules end subfamily botanical names with "-oideae", and zoologi ...

Eugongylinae Eugongylinae is a subfamily of skinks within the family Scincidae. The genera in this subfamily were previously found to belong the '' Eugongylus'' group in the large subfamily Lygosominae. Genera The subfamily Eugongylinae contains 469 speci ...

of 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 genus ''Lampropholis'' was previously found to belong to a

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, ...

with the

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 ...

Niveoscincus ''Carinascincus'' is a genus of skinks (family Scincidae), commonly called snow skinks or cool-skinks and residing mainly in Tasmania or Victoria, Australia. Then recognised as the genus ''Niveoscincus'', it was found to belong to a clade with ...

'', ''

Leiolopisma ''Leiolopisma'' is a genus of skinks. Most species occur in the region of New Caledonia-New Zealand, and they are related to other genera from that general area, such as ''Emoia''; these and others form the ''Eugongylus'' group. One living and ...

'' and others of the ''

Eugongylus ''Eugongylus'' is a genus of skinks in the subfamily Eugongylinae. It was previously recognised as namesake of the ''Eugonglyus'' group of genera within Lygosominae, where it occupied a quite basal position. Members of this genus are commonly ca ...

'' group within

Lygosominae Lygosominae is the largest subfamily of skinks in the family Scincidae. The subfamily can be divided into a number of genus groups. If the rarely used taxonomic rank of infrafamily is employed, the genus groups would be designated as such, but s ...

. All

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 ''Lampropholis'' are

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 ...

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 ...

. For similar skinks see genera ''

Bassiana ''Acritoscincus'' is a genus of Australian skinks (family Scincidae). It belongs to the ''Eugongylus'' group; the genus ''Oligosoma ''Oligosoma'' is a genus of small to medium-sized skinks (family Scincidae) found only in New Zealand, Norfol ...

'', ''

Pseudemoia ''Pseudemoia'' is a genus of skinks native to southeastern Australia. For similar skinks see genera ''Bassiana'', ''Lampropholis'', and ''Niveoscincus''. Reproduction At least in ''P. entrecasteauxii'', ''P. pagenstecheri'', and ''P. spenceri'', ...

'', and ''

''.

Diet

Sunskinks feed on invertebrates such as crickets, moths, slaters (

woodlice A woodlouse (plural woodlice) is an isopod crustacean from the polyphyleticThe current consensus is that Oniscidea is actually triphyletic suborder Oniscidea within the order Isopoda. They get their name from often being found in old wood. ...

), earthworms, and cockroaches.

Species

The following 14 species are recognized as being valid. Wells RW (2002)
"Some Taxonomic Changes to the Genus ''Lampropholis'' (Reptilia: Scincidae) from Australia"
. ''Australian Biodiversity Record'' (8): 1-24. *''

Lampropholis adonis ''Lampropholis adonis'', also known commonly as the diamond shielded sunskink and Ingram's litter skink, is a species of skink, a lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to Queensland in Australia. Etymology The specific name, ' ...

'' – diamond-shielded sunskink, Ingram's litter skink *''

Lampropholis amicula The friendly sunskink (''Lampropholis amicula'') is a species of skink, a lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to Queensland and New South Wales in Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a ...

'' – friendly sunskink *'' Lampropholis bellendenkerensis'' *'' Lampropholis caligula'' – montane sunskink *'' Lampropholis coggeri'' – northern rainforest sunskink *''

Lampropholis colossus The Bunya sunskink (''Lampropholis colossus'') is a species of skink, a lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Locatio ...

'' – Bunya sunskink *'' Lampropholis couperi'' – plain-backed sunskink *''

Lampropholis delicata ''Lampropholis delicata'', the delicate skink, dark-flecked garden sun skink, garden skink, delicate garden skink, rainbow skink or plague skink, or the metallic skink is native to Australia and invasive in New Zealand and Hawaii where it is com ...

'' – delicate skink, rainbow skink, garden skink, delicate grass skink *'' Lampropholis elliotensis'' *'' Lampropholis elongata'' – long sunskink, elongate sunskink *''

Lampropholis guichenoti The common garden skink (''Lampropholis guichenoti'') is a small species of lizard in the Family (biology), family Scincidae. The species is Endemism, endemic to Australia. Additional common names for ''L. guichenoti'' include grass skink, Guiche ...

'' –

common garden skink The common garden skink (''Lampropholis guichenoti'') is a small species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to Australia. Additional common names for ''L. guichenoti'' include grass skink, Guichenot's grass skink, pale-fle ...

, pale-flecked garden sunskink, grass skink, Guichenot's grass skink *'' Lampropholis mirabilis'' – saxicoline sunskink *'' Lampropholis robertsi'' – grey-bellied sunskink *'' Lampropholis similis'' – southern rainforest sunskink ''

Nota bene (, or ; plural form ) is a Latin phrase meaning "note well". It is often abbreviated as NB, n.b., or with the ligature and first appeared in English writing . In Modern English, it is used, particularly in legal papers, to draw the atten ...

'': A

binomial authority In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...

in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than ''Lampropholis''.

Diet

Species

References

Further reading