Lygosominae Explained

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 such a move would require a formal description according to the ICZN standards.^[1]

Genera

Several Lygosominae genera were notorious "wastebin taxa" in the past, with scientists assigning more or less closely related species to them in a haphazard fashion and without verifying that the new species were close relatives of the genera's type species. What was once placed in Lygosoma, for example, is now divided among some 15 genera, not all in this subfamily. Similarly, Mabuya and Sphenomorphus are having species moved elsewhere.^[2]

Haackgreerius (monotypic: endemic to coastal Somalia)
Lamprolepis – tree skinks
Lygosoma – writhing skinks
Mochlus - African spp. (synonym Lepidothyris)
Riopa
Subdoluseps
Dravidoseps

Now placed elsewhere

Egernia group: now Subfamily Egerniinae

Corucia – Solomon Islands skink
Cyclodomorphus
Egernia – (paraphyletic: including Bellatorias, Liopholis and Lissolepis, which are better regarded as distinct)
Tiliqua – blue-tongued skinks
Tribolonotus – crocodile skinks

Eugongylus group: now Subfamily Eugongylinae

Bassiana (= Acritoscincus) – "cool-skins"
Carlia – four-fingered skinks
Cryptoblepharus – snake-eyed skinks, shining-skinks
Emoia – emoias
Eugongylus – mastiff skinks, short-legged giant skinks
Lampropholis – Indo-Australian ground skinks
Leiolopisma
Lobulia
Niveoscincus – snow skinks, "cool-skins"
Oligosoma
Saproscincus – shade skinks

Mabuya group: now Subfamily Mabuyinae

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 ^[3]
Eutropis – Asian (formerly in Mabuya)
Heremites — Mediterranean (North Africa and Middle Eastern species)
Mabuya – American mabuyas
Toenayar — composed of a single species in India/Indochina
Trachylepis – Afro-Malagasy mabuyas (formerly in Mabuya)

Sphenomorphus group: now in subfamily Sphenomorphinae

Anomalopus – worm-skinks
Ctenotus – comb-eared skinks
Eulamprus – water skinks
Eremiascincus
Glaphyromorphus ^[4]
Gnypetoscincus – Prickly Skink
Insulasaurus
Lerista
Lipinia – lipinias
Otosaurus
Parvoscincus
Pinoyscincus
Scincella – ground skinks
Sphenomorphus – common skinks (paraphyletic)
Tytthoscincus

Incertae sedis and obsolete genera

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

Notes and References

Austin JJ, Arnold EN. 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. 10.1016/j.ympev.2005.12.011. 16473026.
Shea GM, Michels JP. 2008. A replacement name for Sphenomorphus keiensis (Kopstein, 1926) from the southeastern Moluccas, Indonesia (Reptilia: Squamata: Scincidae) with a redescription of the species. Zoologische Mededelingen. 82. 52. 737–747. PDF.
Karin. Benjamin R.. Metallinou. Margarita. Weinell. Jeffrey L.. Jackman. Todd R.. Bauer. Aaron M..
fr:Aaron Matthew Bauer
. 2016-09-01. Resolving the higher-order phylogenetic relationships of the circumtropical Mabuya group (Squamata: Scincidae): An out-of-Asia diversification. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 102. 220–232. 10.1016/j.ympev.2016.05.033. 27246101.
Linkem. Charles W.. Diesmos. Arvin C..
fr:Arvin Cantor Diesmos
. Brown. Rafe M..
fr:Rafe Marion Brown
. 2011-12-01. Molecular systematics of the Philippine forest skinks (Squamata: Scincidae: Sphenomorphus): testing morphological hypotheses of interspecific relationships. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. en. 163. 4. 1217–1243. 7165859. 10.1111/j.1096-3642.2011.00747.x. 1096-3642. free.