''Leiolopisma'' is a
genus
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 nom ...
of
skinks. Most
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 ...
occur in the region of
New Caledonia-
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
, and they are related to other genera from that general area, such as ''
Emoia
''Emoia'' is a genus of skinks, lizards in the subfamily Eugongylinae. The genus ''Emoia'' belongs to a group of genera mainly from the southwestern Pacific-Australian region.
These small skinks are commonly known as emoias or skinks.
Species
...
''; these and others form 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. One living and two
extinct taxa
In biology, a taxon (back-formation from ''taxonomy''; plural taxa) is a group of one or more populations of an organism or organisms seen by taxonomists to form a unit. Although neither is required, a taxon is usually known by a particular nam ...
represent a
clade endemic to the
Mascarenes
The Mascarene Islands (, ) or Mascarenes or Mascarenhas Archipelago is a group of islands in the Indian Ocean east of Madagascar consisting of the islands belonging to the Republic of Mauritius as well as the French department of Réunion. Thei ...
.(Austin & Arnold 2006)
Species
*''
Leiolopisma alazon''
Zug, 1985 - Lauan ground skink, Ono-i-Lau ground skink
*''
Leiolopisma ceciliae''
Arnold & Bour, 2008 -
extinct - Réunion giant skink
*''
Leiolopisma fasciolare''
(Girard, 1858)
*''
Leiolopisma telfairii
''Leiolopisma telfairii'', also known commonly as the Round Island ground skink, the Round Island skink, and Telfair's skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to Round Island, one of the islands of Mauri ...
''
(Desjardin, 1831) - Round Island skink, Telfair's skink
An undescribed extinct taxon from
Réunion was close to ''L. mauritiana'' (Austin & Arnold 2006). These two were formerly separated in ''Didosaurus''. David Day (1979), in Vanished Species, described the Reunion skink as small and fast moving but completely unafraid of humans. Individuals would climb on observer's legs. Efforts to maintain the species in captivity proved futile. The Reunion skink was reported to be completely insectivorous.
References
* (2006): Using ancient and recent DNA to explore relationships of extinct and endangered ''Leiolopisma'' skinks (Reptilia: Scincidae) in the
Mascarene Islands
The Mascarene Islands (, ) or Mascarenes or Mascarenhas Archipelago is a group of islands in the Indian Ocean east of Madagascar consisting of the islands belonging to the Republic of Mauritius as well as the French department of Réunion. Their ...
. ''Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution'' 39(2): 503–511.
(HTML abstract)
* Day, David; 1979. Vanished Species. Gallery Books, London, Great Britain: pp. 254–255.
Lizard genera
Taxa named by André Marie Constant Duméril
Taxa named by Gabriel Bibron
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