Ablepharus

Template:Short description Template:Automatic taxobox

Ablepharus is a genus of skinks that contains the common snake-eyed skinks.<ref name=RDB>Template:NRDB genus</ref> Both their scientific and common names refer to the fact that their eyelids have fused to a translucent capsule; as in snakes, they thus are physically incapable of blinking.<ref>Orbital Lubrication Hypothesis at the Canadian Journal of Zoology</ref> They are small lizards and prefer to live in the leaf litter of dry fields and hills.<ref>Ablepharus kitaibelii at the IUCN Red List</ref> Their scales give them a very shiny, bronze appearance with a characteristically dark stripe down the sides of their bodies. They prey on small insects and other small mollusks.<ref name="Snake-eyed Skink">Snake-eyed Skink Template:Webarchive at the Wildlife Archipelago Template:Webarchive</ref>

CharacteristicsEdit

AppearanceEdit

The scales on all Ablepharus species are shiny and bronze in appearance. Also, a very characteristic bronze stripe runs the length of the dorsal surface of the body. They have short, weak front legs, which contribute to their moving in a serpentine-like manner. In general, females are longer and weigh more than their male counterparts. Ablepharus species have thick tails relative to their body sizes and lengths.<ref name="Snake-eyed Skink"/> Fully mature Ablepharus species can reach a total length (including tail) of up to Template:Convert. On average, both males and females reach a total length of up to about Template:Convert.<ref name="European Copper Skink">European Copper Skink at the INaturalist</ref>

Mannerisms and habitatEdit

As a whole, Ablepharus skinks are generally shy creatures. They tend to bask in the sunlight during the daytime and become more active as dusk and darkness approach.<ref name="European Copper Skink"/> They make their homes in rocky areas with leaf litter and little soil.<ref name="Ablepharus Microhabitat">Ablepharus Microhabitat at the Springer Link</ref>

DistributionEdit

The geographic range of the common snake-eyed skink spans from southern European countries to northern African countries; also, some species are native to southeast Asia.<ref name="European Copper Skink"/> While most of the species in the genus prefer remaining low to the ground and in drier environments, some species may be found in damper habitats up to 2,000 m above sea level.<ref name="Snake-eyed Skink"/>

DietEdit

Analysis of the stomach contents of certain Ablepharus species has led to the conclusion that common snake-eyed skinks are typically generalist predators.<ref name="Ablepharus Microhabitat"/> They mainly feed on small arthropods, mollusks, and small snails.<ref name="Snake-eyed Skink"/>

LifecycleEdit

In captivity, common snake-eyed skinks are known to survive up to three and a half years; in the wild, where they are preyed upon, they live about two and a half years.<ref name="Snake-eyed Skink"/> Upon reaching reproductive maturity, the female snake-eyed skink lays between two and four eggs at a time; these eggs will then take at least 9 weeks to hatch. Hatchlings typically measure around 3.5 cm long. About two years are needed for the hatchlings to reach reproductive maturity.<ref name="Snake-eyed Skink"/>

SpeciesEdit

There are 19 species in the genus Ablepharus which are recognized as being valid:<ref name=RDB/>

A. alaicus Template:Small

Found in China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kazakhstan

A. bivittatus Template:Small — twin-striped skink

Found in Azerbaijan, Turkey, south-eastern and central Armenia, Iran, and Turkmenistan

Typically found in thorny shrubbery, grasslands, and rocky slopes<ref>Ablepharus bivittatus at the IUCN Redlist</ref>

A. budaki Template:Small — Budak's snake-eyed skink

Found in Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, and Cyprus

Typically inhabits leaf litter, woodlands, shrubbery, and forests in humid areas<ref>Ablepharus budaki at the IUCN Redlist</ref>

A. chernovi Template:Small — Chernov's skink

Found in Syria, Turkey, and Armenia

Typically, they are found hiding under leaf litter and small stones in open areas with little shrubbery or forestation. Some may also be found on some of the gentler slopes on some mountain ranges.<ref>Ablepharus chernovi at the IUCN Redlist</ref>

A. darvazi Template:Small — Darvaz Range skink

Found in Tajikistan, India, Afghanistan, and Pakistan<ref> Ablepharus darvazi Template:Webarchive at the Study Room Template:Webarchive</ref>

A. deserti Template:Small — desert lidless skink

Found in Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan

Generally observed in desert lands and dry slopes with several different types of angiosperms around 2,000 m above sea level<ref>Ablepharus desert at the IUCN Redlist</ref>

A. eremchenkoi Template:Small

Found in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan

A. grayanus Template:Small — minor snake-eyed skink

Found in Pakistan, India, Nepal, and Turkmenistan

A. himalayanus Template:Small

Found in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, Pakistan, India, Nepal

A. kitaibelii Template:Small— European snake-eyed skink

Found in southern Slovakia, Serbia, Hungary, Eastern Croatia, Albania, Greece, southern Romania, Macedonia, and Turkey

Inhabits arid regions containing meadows, scrubland, and woodland clearings, as well as hilly areas<ref>European copper skink at the IUCN Redlist</ref>

A. ladacensis Template:Small

Found in Tibet (China), North India, western Nepal, and northern Pakistan.

A. lindbergi Template:Small — Lindberg’s snake-eyed skink (sometimes A. bivittatus lindbergi )

Found in western Afghanistan<ref>Ablepharus lindbergi at the Reptile Database</ref>

A. mahabharatus Template:Small

Found in Nepal.

A. nepalensis Template:Small

Found in Nepal.

A. pannonicus Template:Small — Asian snake-eyed skink

Found in the United Arab Emirates, eastern Georgia, Iraq, Iran, Oman, Pakistan, Syria, Jordan, Afghanistan, Caucasus, northwestern India, southwestern Tajikistan, southern Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and western Azerbaijan<ref>Ablepharus pannonicus at the Reptile Database</ref>

A. rueppellii Template:Small — Rüppell's snake-eyed skink

Found in central and northern Israel, the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt, southern Lebanon, western and northern Jordan, and possible reported sightings in Syria and Jordan

Inhabits more heavily forested areas with dense vegetation, prefer humid areas, especially the oases in Egypt<ref>Ablepharus rueppellii at the Reptile Database</ref>