Madagascar Legless Lizard (1 Viewer)

[Charles Harper]

I have just done, I think, a rather thorough but completely fruitless google search for information on a new Madagascar legless lizard (originally discovered in 1999 by some Japanese investigators, but published more recently in 'an academic magazine'), placed in a genus (?) Silenoskinks.

That's all I the information I have. I found a plethora of links to Australian, European, and North American 'glass snakes' and legless lizards, but do any of you closet herpetologists have a reference to the Madagascar species?

 

[cuckooroller]

I have just done, I think, a rather thorough but completely fruitless google search for information on a new Madagascar legless lizard (originally discovered in 1999 by some Japanese investigators, but published more recently in 'an academic magazine'), placed in a genus (?) Silenoskinks.

That's all I the information I have. I found a plethora of links to Australian, European, and North American 'glass snakes' and legless lizards, but do any of you closet herpetologists have a reference to the Madagascar species?

Charles,

By chance, are you talking about a fossorial skink with an elongated body, with the eyes covered by scales, non-pigmented, no ear openings, no hindlimbs, but equipped with forelimbs each having four digits, moving by undulation and the forelimbs non-functional for digging, collected in Terra typica: Ampijoroa, Ankarafantsika Strict Nature Reserve, northwestern Madagascar (16° 20' S, 46° 48' E); elevation 100 m. Holotype: KUZ R 50922? Well, NEVER HEARD OF IT!

 

[Charles Harper]

What, no photo in the database, Steve?

 

[pete woodall]

Hi Charles

I've just done a search on the Zoological Record database for Silenoskinks
and got nil. nix and nothing. I then "wildcarded" it down to Sileno* and still
got nothing, any further truncation and you get "silent"

So I don't know how to find it

Pete

 

[cuckooroller]

Hi Charles

I've just done a search on the Zoological Record database for Silenoskinks
and got nil. nix and nothing. I then "wildcarded" it down to Sileno* and still
got nothing, any further truncation and you get "silent"

So I don't know how to find it

Pete

Pete,

Try this: Sirenoscincus yamagishii

I found it by giving up on the original name proferred by Charles and widening my search to - new madagascar skink - and started clicking links until I figured out which skink he was talking about.

 

[Charles Harper]

.. and as you can see, the mix-up was in the communication. The topic was brought up by a Japanese student of mine, who pronounced the /r/ of Sirenoscincus as /l/, at the same time reducing the final 'u' (another Japanese language feature) and it came out as 'Silenoskinks'. Elementary, my dear Whatson...

Thanks again, Steve; and Pete, thanks for trying, and confirming that I was at least not perfunctory in my search.

 

[pete woodall]

Hi Steve and Charles

Yes, the new spelling worked, and I found the following reference:

Sakata,-Shuichi & Hikida,-Tsutomu 2003 (June)

A fossorial lizard with forelimbs only: Description of a new genus and species of Malagasy skink (Reptilia: Squamata: Scincidae).

Current-Herpetology. 22(1): 9-15.

Abstract: A new genus and species of fossorial scincine lizard is described from northeastern Madagascar. This species, having an elongated body and eyes covered by scales, lacking external ear openings and pigmentation throughout the body, resembles Cryptoscincus and Voeltzkowia. However it differs from these or any other scincid genera known to the present in having small but distinct forelimbs, each with four stout claws, and complete lack of hind limbs.

It sounds fascinating.

Pete

 

[cuckooroller]

Hi Steve and Charles

Yes, the new spelling worked, and I found the following reference:

Sakata,-Shuichi & Hikida,-Tsutomu 2003 (June)

A fossorial lizard with forelimbs only: Description of a new genus and species of Malagasy skink (Reptilia: Squamata: Scincidae).

Current-Herpetology. 22(1): 9-15.

Abstract: A new genus and species of fossorial scincine lizard is described from northeastern Madagascar. This species, having an elongated body and eyes covered by scales, lacking external ear openings and pigmentation throughout the body, resembles Cryptoscincus and Voeltzkowia. However it differs from these or any other scincid genera known to the present in having small but distinct forelimbs, each with four stout claws, and complete lack of hind limbs.

It sounds fascinating.

Pete

Pete,

If you look long enough through the links on the google search for this you can find a quick-time movie on one of the japanese sites showing this skink as it moves around, even it's little forelimbs.