Terror skink
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Terror skink | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Order: | Squamata |
Family: | Scincidae |
Genus: | Phoboscincus |
Species: | P. bocourti
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Binomial name | |
Phoboscincus bocourti (Brocchi, 1876)
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Synonyms[2] | |
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The terror skink (Phoboscincus bocourti), also called
Etymology
The specific name, bocourti, is in honor of French zoologist Marie Firmin Bocourt.[3]
Distribution
Phoboscincus bocourti is
This rare species was considered extinct until being rediscovered in 1993, and in December 2003, a specimen was found by some specialists from the French
Diet
The teeth of P. bocourti are long, curved and sharp, suggesting
A 2022 study found P. bocourti to largely be a dietary specialist on Geograpsus land crabs, namely the species Geograpsus grayi, with it using its large teeth and incredibly high bite force to penetrate the crabs' tough exoskeleton. This makes it the only known species of skink with a diet consisting of land crabs. However, it was also found to prey on another giant lizard sharing its habitat, the New Caledonian giant gecko (Rhacodactylus leachianus),[4] making P. bocourti an apex predator.[5]
Description
P. bocourti is about 50 centimetres (20 in) in total length (including tail),[5] and 28 cm (11 in) in SVL[6][2] making it the third largest reptilian predator on the island, the others being an extinct terrestrial crocodile, Mekosuchus, and a goanna.[citation needed]
Behavior
P. bocourti is presumed to be diurnal and mainly terrestrial, but may be partially arboreal.[1]
Threats
With such a small area of occupation, P. bocourti is subject to threats such as habitat loss through a typhoon or wildfire, and the possibility of predatory animals being introduced to the island. The
References
- ^ a b c d e Sadlier RA, Bauer AM, Jourdan H, Astrongatt S, Deuss M, Duval T, Bourguet E, McCoy S, Bouteiller A, Lagrange A (2021). "Phoboscincus bocourti ". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2021: e.T17008A123246644. Retrieved 18 October 2021.
{{cite journal}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b c d Phoboscincus bocourti at ReptileDatabase.cz
- ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Phoboscincus bocourti, p. 28).
- PMID 35301350.
- ^ a b "Terror skinks, social skinks, crocodile skinks, monkey-tailed skinks… it's about skinks (skinks part II)". blogs.scientificamerican.com. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
- ISBN 978-1-78240-957-1.
Further reading
- Brocchi [P] (1876). "Sur un Scincoïdien nouveau appartenant au genre Eumèces ". Bulletin de la Société philomathique de Paris, Series 6, 12: 95-97. (Eumeces bocourti, new species). (in French).
- Greer AE (1974). "The genetic relationships of the Scincid lizard genus Leiolopisma and its relatives". Australian Journal of Zoology Supplementary Series 22 (31): 1-67. (Phoboscincus, new genus).
External links
Media related to Phoboscincus bocourti at Wikimedia Commons
- Description page, including photographs
- "Molecular phylogeny of the scincid lizards of New Caledonia and adjacent areas"
- Caut, Stéphane; Holden, Magaly; .