Lygosominae is the largest

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 botanical subfamily names with "-oideae", and zo ...

skink Skinks are a type of lizard belonging to the family (biology), family Scincidae, a family in the Taxonomic rank, infraorder Scincomorpha. With more than 1,500 described species across 100 different taxonomic genera, the family Scincidae is one o ...

s in the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Scincidae. The subfamily can be divided into a number of

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

groups. If the rarely used

taxonomic rank In biology, taxonomic rank (which some authors prefer to call nomenclatural rank because ranking is part of nomenclature rather than taxonomy proper, according to some definitions of these terms) is the relative or absolute level of a group of or ...

of infrafamily is employed, the genus groups would be designated as such, but such a move would require a formal description according to the

ICZN The International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN) is a widely accepted convention in zoology that rules the formal scientific naming of organisms treated as animals. It is also informally known as the ICZN Code, for its formal author, t ...

standards.

Genera

Several Lygosominae genera were notorious " wastebin taxa" in the past, with scientists assigning more or less closely related

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

to them in a haphazard fashion and without verifying that the new species were close relatives of the genera's

type species In International_Code_of_Zoological_Nomenclature, 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 spe ...

. What was once placed in '' Lygosoma'', for example, is now divided among some 15 genera, not all in this subfamily. Similarly, ''

Mabuya ''Mabuya'' is a genus of long-tailed skinks, lizards in the family Scincidae. The genus is restricted to species from various Caribbean islands. Out of 26 recognized species, six species are only found in Caribbean islands. Species in the genus ...

'' and ''

Sphenomorphus The genus ''Sphenomorphus'' – vernacularly also known as the common skinks – currently serves as a "wastebin taxon" for numerous skinks. While most or all species presently placed here are probably rather close relatives, the genus ...

'' are having species moved elsewhere. *'' Haackgreerius'' (monotypic: endemic to coastal Somalia) *'' Lamprolepis'' – tree skinks *'' Lygosoma'' – writhing skinks *''

Mochlus ''Mochlus'' is a genus of skinks, lizards in the family Scincidae. The genus is endemic to Africa. Description Skinks of the genus ''Mochlus'' are cylindrical in shape and robust. They get the common name "writhing skinks" from the side-to-sid ...

'' - African spp. (synonym ''Lepidothyris'') *''

Riopa ''Riopa'' is a genus of skinks. It is easy to tell the species apart from most other skinks by bright red coloring on their sides from which they get their name. They also have a bule that runs down the side of their tail. Diet The riopas are om ...

'' *'' Subdoluseps'' *'' Dravidoseps''

Now placed elsewhere

;''Egernia'' group: now Subfamily

Egerniinae Egerniinae is the subfamily of social skinks within the family Scincidae. The genera in this subfamily were previously found to belong the ''Egernia'' group in the large subfamily Lygosominae. Genera The subfamily Egerniinae contains 63 species ...

*'' Corucia'' – Solomon Islands skink *'' Cyclodomorphus'' *''

Egernia ''Egernia'' is a genus of skinks (family (biology), family Scincidae) that occurs in Australia. These skinks are ecologically diverse omnivores that inhabit a wide range of habitats. However, in the loose delimitation (which incorporates about 3 ...

'' – (

paraphyletic Paraphyly is a taxonomic term describing a grouping that consists of the grouping's last common ancestor and some but not all of its descendant lineages. The grouping is said to be paraphyletic ''with respect to'' the excluded subgroups. In co ...

: including ''Bellatorias'', ''Liopholis'' and ''Lissolepis'', which are better regarded as distinct) *'' Tiliqua'' – blue-tongued skinks *'' Tribolonotus'' – crocodile skinks ;''Eugongylus'' group: now Subfamily

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 ...

*'' Bassiana'' (= ''Acritoscincus'') – "cool-skins" *''

Carlia ''Carlia'' is a genus of skinks, commonly known as four-fingered skinks or rainbow skinks, in the subfamily Eugongylinae. Before being placed in this new subfamily, ''Carlia'' was recovered in a clade with the genera '' Niveoscincus'', '' Lamp ...

'' – four-fingered skinks *'' Cryptoblepharus'' – snake-eyed skinks, shining-skinks *'' Emoia'' – emoias *'' Eugongylus'' – mastiff skinks, short-legged giant skinks *''

Lampropholis ''Lampropholis'' is a genus of skinks, commonly known as sunskinks, in the lizard subfamily Eugongylinae of the family Scincidae. The genus ''Lampropholis'' was previously found to belong to a clade with the genera ''Niveoscincus'', '' Leiolop ...

'' – Indo-Australian ground skinks *''

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 t ...

'' *'' Lobulia'' *''

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 ...

'' – snow skinks, "cool-skins" *''

Oligosoma ''Oligosoma'' is a genus of small to medium-sized skinks (family Scincidae) found only in New Zealand, Norfolk Island and Lord Howe Island. ''Oligosoma'' had previously been found to belong to the ''Eugongylus'' group of genera in the subfami ...

'' *''

Saproscincus ''Saproscincus'' is a genus of lizards, Common name, commonly referred to as shadeskinks or shade-skinks, in the subfamily Eugongylinae of the Family (biology), family Scincidae. The genus is Endemism, endemic to Australia. Species The genus ' ...

'' – shade skinks ;''Mabuya'' group: now Subfamily

Mabuyinae Mabuyinae is a subfamily of lizards, commonly known as skinks, within the family Scincidae. The genera in this subfamily were previously found to belong the '' Mabuya'' group in the large subfamily Lygosominae. They have a pantropical distri ...

*'' Chioninia'' – Cape Verde mabuyas (formerly in ''Mabuya'') *'' Dasia'' — Southeast Asian tree skinks, including '' Apterygodon'' (now considered to be part of ''Dasia'') *'' Eumecia'' — Central African elongated skinks *''

Eutropis ''Eutropis'' is a genus of skinks belonging to the subfamily Mabuyinae. For long, this genus was included in the " wastebin taxon" '' Mabuya''; it contains the Asian mabuyas. They often share their habitat with the related common skinks (''Sph ...

'' – Asian (formerly in ''Mabuya'') *'' Heremites'' — Mediterranean (North Africa and Middle Eastern species) *''

'' – American mabuyas *'' Toenayar'' — composed of a single species in India/Indochina *''

Trachylepis ''Trachylepis'' is a skink genus in the subfamily Mabuyinae found mainly in Africa. Its members were formerly included in the " wastebin taxon" '' Mabuya'', and for some time in '' Euprepis''. As defined today, ''Trachylepis'' contains the clad ...

'' – Afro-Malagasy mabuyas (formerly in ''Mabuya'') Ctenotus pantherinus ocellifer

;''Sphenomorphus'' group: now in subfamily

Sphenomorphinae Sphenomorphinae is a large subfamily of skinks, lizards within the family Scincidae. The genera in this subfamily were previously found to belong to the ''Sphenomorphus'' group in the large subfamily Lygosominae. Genera The subfamily Sphenomo ...

*'' Anomalopus'' – worm-skinks *''

Ctenotus ''Ctenotus'' is a genus of skinks, lizards in the family Scincidae. The genus is endemic to Australia. The genus ''Ctenotus'' belongs to a clade in the ''Sphenomorphus'' group which contains such genera as '' Anomalopus'' and the close relatives ...

'' – comb-eared skinks *'' Eulamprus'' – water skinks *''

Eremiascincus ''Eremiascincus'' is a genus of skinks, lizards in the family Scincidae. The genus is endemic to Australia, Indonesia, and East Timor. Species The genus contains the following 15 valid species, listed alphabetically by specific name.

'' *''

Glaphyromorphus ''Glaphyromorphus'' is a genus of lizards in the skink Family (biology), family (Scincidae)."''Glaphyromorphus'' ". Wikispecies. species.wikimedia.org. Geographic range Species in the genus ''Glaphyromorphus'' are found in Australia and New Gu ...

'' *'' Gnypetoscincus'' – Prickly Skink *'' Insulasaurus'' *''

Lerista ''Lerista'' is a diverse (~ 90 species) genus of skinks endemic to Australia, commonly known as sliders. Description The genus is especially notable for the variation in the amount of limb reduction. The variation ranges from short-bodied ...

'' *''

Lipinia ''Lipinia'' is a genus of skinks, lizards in the Family (biology), family Scincidae. Species in the genus ''Lipinia'' are commonly called lipinias. Taxonomy The genus ''Lipinia'' belongs to the ''Sphenomorphus'' group of genus, genera in which ...

'' – lipinias *'' Otosaurus'' *'' Parvoscincus'' *'' Pinoyscincus'' *''

Scincella ''Scincella'' is a genus of lizards in the skink family, Scincidae, commonly referred to as ground skinks. The exact number of species in the genus is unclear, as taxonomic reclassification is ongoing, and sources vary widely. ''Scincella'' sp ...

'' – ground skinks *''

'' – common skinks (paraphyletic) *'' Tytthoscincus''

''
Incertae sedis or is a term used for a taxonomy (biology), taxonomic group where its broader relationships are unknown or undefined. Alternatively, such groups are frequently referred to as "enigmatic taxa". In the system of open nomenclature, uncertainty ...
'' and obsolete genera

*'' Euprepis'' - obsolete genus *'' Hemisphaeriodon'' – pink-tongued skinks *"''Hinulia elegans''", described by Grey in 1838, is unidentified, but may be '' Eulamprus tenuis''.

References

{{Lygosominae-stub

Genera

Now placed elsewhere

''Incertae sedis or is a term used for a taxonomy (biology), taxonomic group where its broader relationships are unknown or undefined. Alternatively, such groups are frequently referred to as "enigmatic taxa". In the system of open nomenclature, uncertainty ...'' and obsolete genera

References

''
Incertae sedis or is a term used for a taxonomy (biology), taxonomic group where its broader relationships are unknown or undefined. Alternatively, such groups are frequently referred to as "enigmatic taxa". In the system of open nomenclature, uncertainty ...
'' and obsolete genera