SCINCOMORPHA
SKINK-LIKE LIZARDS

The Scincomorpha (or Scinciformata depending on the phylogeny followed), contains seven families of lizards which exhibit the typical lizards blueprint. Most have four well developed limbs (although the move towards digit-loss and limb-reduction is apparent in most of the member families), scale-covered bodies, clawed undilated toes, and lack adornments such as frills, crests, spines or nasal-horns. The seven families are split between two groups which might be termed super-families by some authorities: Lacertoidea (Lacertidae, Xantusidae, Teiidae and Gymnophthamidae) and the Scincoidea (Scincidae, Cordylidae and Gerrhosauridae). The former accounts for some 81 genera and 610 species while the latter is much larger with over 125 genera and approaching 1,500 species. All seven families are represented in the photo library, some much better than others due to a disparity in the distribution of the families and the expedition locations visited by MOS.

Legend:
Photographic locality. Wherever possible precidence is given to wild specimens from known localitions, wherein the 'photographic locality' relates to the origin of the photographed specimens, rather than the taxon's entire range. The only exceptions are indicated by (captive) or (preserved specimen). These are either specimens photographed in captivity, where the locality given is a general distribution for the taxon, or preserved specimens photographed as biological voucher specimens.

Column D1. Digitized images - the bulk of the library consists of 35mm transparencies (mostly Kodachrome or Velvia) which are gradually being digitized [using Nikon CoolScan 4000 or Plustek OpticFilm 7600i] and stored on hard disc. 'X' indicates that digitized images are available, '[]' indicates that the transparencies of this taxon have yet to be digitized.

Column D2. Digital images - since 2005 digital images have also been taken [using Canon EOS 30D, 40D or 7D]. 'X' indicates that digital images are available in addition to digitized images for this taxon.

CORDYLIDAE
GIRDLED LIZARDS (ZONURES) & THEIR ALLIES

The Cordylidae is an African family containing approximately 55 species of spiny zonures or girdled lizards, unadorned flat lizards and virtually limbless grass lizards, in ten genera. The photo library contains five genera, represented by nine species (ten taxa).

Cordylidae Girdled lizards & their allies

SUNGAZER Cordylus giganteus S.Africa

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GERRHOSAURIDAE
PLATED LIZARDS

The Gerrhosauridae is an Afro-Malagasy family containing approximately 34 species of large-scaled plated lizards in five genera. The photo library contains five species (six taxa) from two of these genera.

Gerrhosauridae Plated lizards

EASTERN GIANT PLATED LIZARD Gerrhosaurus validus validus Kantalamba, Lake Tanganyika, Tanzania

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GYMNOPHTHALMIDAE
MICROTEIIDS

The diminutive microteiids of the Gymnophthalmidae comprise over 220 species in 45 genera, all from the Neotropics. The library currently only contains six species in five genera. Many species demonstrate limb-reduction and eyelid fusion resulting in spectacles (brilles) like those possessed by snakes.

Gymnophthalmidae Microteiids

UNDERWOOD'S SPECTACLED MICROTEIID Gymnophthalmus underwoodi Ilha Maraca, Roraima, Brazil

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LACERTIDAE
WALL LIZARDS & THEIR ALLIES

The Lacertidae is primarily a Euro-African family which spreads south to southern Africa and east into Asia. Most are fast running, highly alert and active diurnal lizards of grasslands and rock outcrops. Since most expeditions have been to the tropics, only a few southern African and British taxa are represented in the library so although the family contains 41 genera and over 300 species, these are represented in the library by only nine genera and 12 species, one with two and one with three subspecies.

Lacertidae Wall lizards & their allies

BUSHVELD LIZARD Heliobolus lugubris Ongava Game Reserve, Namibia

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SCINCIDAE
SKINKS

The Scincidae, the largest family in the Scincomorpha, comprises 1,475 species spread between 131 genera, in four subfamilies. Three of these subfamilies are represented in the photo library which includes approximately 180 taxa (species and subspecies) in 51 genera. Although this figure accounts for only 13% of living skink species, the species included are distributed across the entire range of the Scincidae, with Australasia and Africa particularly well represented, and are representative of 51 genera - 39% of all skink genera.

Acontinae Dart skinks	Lygosominae New skinks	Scincinae Old skinks
BOULENGER'S BLIND LEGLESS SKINK Typhlosaurus vermis Geogap Nature Reserve, Northern Cape Prov., S.Africa	BRONZE RAINBOW SKINK Carlia longipes Hey-Emblem road, Weipa, Qld., Australia	OCELLATED BARREL SKINK Chalcides ocellatus North Africa
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SOLOMONS MONKEY-TAIL SKINK Corucia zebrata zebrata Solomon Islands	SOUTHERN PAPUAN SNAKE-EYED SKINK Cryptoblepharus yulensis Sapphire Mine, Central Prov., Papua New Guinea	WESTERN SPINIFEX SLENDER BLUE-TONGUE SKINK Cyclodomorphus melanops melanops Marble Bar, Pilbara, Western Australia
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KEEL-SCALED SKINK Emoia tropidolepis Girigarande, Western Prov., Papua New Guinea	COMMON MANY-STRIPED SKINK Eutropis multifasciata multifasciata Bakhita, Eraulo, Ermera, Timor-Leste	EMERALD TREE SKINK Lamprolepis smaragdina Karkar Island, Madang Prov., Papua New Guinea
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PREHENSILE GREEN-BLOODED SKINK Prasinohaema prehensicauda Keglsugl, Simbu Prov., Papua New Guinea	GRACILE CROCODILE SKINK Tribolonotus gracilis Karkar Island, Madang Prov., Papua New Guinea	GRAY'S WATER SKINK Tropidophorus grayii Hidden Valley, Luzon, Philippines
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TEIIDAE
MACROTEIIDS & TEGUS

The Teiidae is a New World family containing two subfamilies: the Teiinae which contains seven genera and 117 species of ameivas, racerunners and whiptails, and the Tupinambinae, which contains the New World equivalent of the monitor lizards, the tegus and their relatives, four genera and twelve species. The photo librarycontains four genera and 15 species (16 taxa) from the Teiinae and two genera and species from the Tupinambinae.

Teiinae Ameivas & whiptails	Tupinambinae Tegus
WESTERN FOREST WHIPTAIL LIZARD Kentropyx pelviceps Alianza Cristina, Rio Huasaga, Loreto, Peru	CAIMAN LIZARD Dracaena guianensis Amazon Basin
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XANTUSIDAE
NIGHT LIZARDS

The Xantusidae, the night lizards, is an American family containing three genera and 31 species. The only species included in the photo library is a Honduran specimen photographed in 1985.

Xantusidae Night lizards

YELLOW-SPOTTED NIGHT LIZARD Lepidophyma flavimaculata Quebrada Limonceto, Gracios a Dios, Honduras

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