Scincomorpha
Scincomorpha - skinks, wall lizards, and relatives
| Lepidosauria; Squamata; Scincomorpha |
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Blotched Blue-tongued Skink (Tiliqua nigrolutea)
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Common wall lizard (Podarcis muralis)
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Diversity and Lower Taxonomy:
Traditionally,
the Scincomorpha consisted of the following six families:
- Scincidae (skinks) - the most speciose lizard family, with
approximately 1200 species.
- Cordylidae (spiny-tailed lizards)
- Xantusiidae (night lizards) - 29 species of diurnal,
viviparous lizards across three genera: Cricosaura (monospecific;
subfamily Cricosaurinae), Lepidophyma (18 species; subfamily
Xantusiinae), and Xantusia (10 species; subfamily Xantusiinae).
- Lacertidae (wall lizards) - 32 genera.
- Gymnophthalmidae (spectacled lizards)
- Teiidae (whiptails)
While the
Lacertidae, Gymnophthalmidae, and Teiidae have remained closely affiliated in
the monophyletic clade Lacertiformes (as shown on the
Squamata page), the remaining three groups are often placed away from the
Lacertiformes.
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