Brachymeles Explained

Brachymeles is a genus of skinks (lizards in the family Scincidae). The majority of the species within the genus are endemic to certain island ecosystems in the Philippines. In 2018, the Zoological Society of London through its EDGE of Existence Program listed the Cebu small worm skink (Brachymeles cebuensis) as the 80th most evolutionarily distinct and globally endangered reptile species in the world, making it the most endangered member of the genus Brachymeles.

Taxonomy

Brachymeles is usually placed in the subfamily Scincinae, which seems to be paraphyletic however. Apparently part of a clade which does not seem to include the type genus Scincus, it will probably be eventually assigned to a new, yet-to-be-named subfamily (Austin & Arnold 2006).

Species

The following species are accepted at The Reptile Database:^[1]

• Brachymeles apus – Hikida's short-legged skink
• Brachymeles bicolandia – Bicol slender skink
• Brachymeles bicolor – two-colored short-legged skink
• Brachymeles boholensis – Bohol short-legged skink
• Brachymeles bonitae – stub-limbed burrowing skink, pretty short-legged skink
• Brachymeles boulengeri – Boulenger's short-legged skink
• Brachymeles brevidactylus – Southern Bicol slender skink
• Brachymeles burksi – Burks's burrowing skink
• Brachymeles cebuensis – listed as an EDGE species by the Zoological Society of London^[2] – Rabor's short-legged skink
• Brachymeles cobos – Catanduañes slender skink
• Brachymeles dalawangdaliri – Tablas slender skink
• Brachymeles elerae – common short-legged skink
• Brachymeles gracilis – graceful short-legged skink
• Brachymeles hilong – graceful short-legged skink
• Brachymeles ilocandia – Ilokano slender skink
• Brachymeles isangdaliri – Aurora slender skink
• Brachymeles kadwa – Jessi's slender skink
• Brachymeles libayani – Lapinig Islands slender skink
• Brachymeles ligtas – Lubang slender skink
• Brachymeles lukbani
• Brachymeles makusog
• Brachymeles mapalanggaon – Masbate slender skink
• Brachymeles mindorensis – Mindoro short-legged skink
• Brachymeles minimus
• Brachymeles miriamae – Miriam's skink
• Brachymeles muntingkamay – Caraballo Mountains loam-swimming skink
• Brachymeles orientalis – southern burrowing skink
• Brachymeles paeforum – PAEF slender skink
• Brachymeles pathfinderi – pathfinder short-legged skink
• Brachymeles samad – Eastern Visayas slender skink
• Brachymeles samarensis – Brown's short-legged skink
• Brachymeles schadenbergi – Schadenberg's burrowing skink
• Brachymeles suluensis – graceful short-legged skink
• Brachymeles talinis – Duméril's short-legged skink
• Brachymeles taylori – Taylor's short-legged skink
• Brachymeles tiboliorum – Western Mindanao slender skink
• Brachymeles tridactylus – three-fingered short-legged skink
• Brachymeles tungaoi – Tungao's slender skink
• Brachymeles vermis – Taylor's short-legged skink
• Brachymeles vindumi – Jens's slender skink
• Brachymeles vulcani – Camiguin Sur slender skink
• Brachymeles wrighti – Wright's short-legged skink

Nota bene

A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Brachymeles.

Further reading

• (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).
• (1887). Catalogue of the Lizards in the British Museum (Natural History). Second Edition. Volume III. ... Scincidæ ... London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xii + 575 pp. + Plates I-XL. (Genus Brachymeles, p. 386).
• (1839). Erpétologie générale ou Histoire naturelle complète des Reptiles. Tome cinquième [Volume 5]. Paris: Roret. viii + 854 pp. (Brachymeles, new genus, p. 776). (in French).

Notes and References

1. www.reptile-database.org.
2. Web site: Cebu Small Worm Skink. 11 April 2018 .