Eumeces

Taxobox
name = "Eumeces"

---

image_caption = "Eumeces schneideri"
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Reptilia
unranked_ordo = Sauria
ordo = Squamata
infraordo = Scincomorpha
familia = Scincidae
subfamilia = see text
genus = "Eumeces"
genus_authority = Wiegmann, 1834
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision =

The genus "Eumeces" skinks (family Scincidae) comprises four African to Middle-Eastern species.

ystematics

Two Taxonomic revisions have been made in the 19th century regarding genus "Eumeces". They both resulted in similar results; the genus is paraphyletic and must be sliced up into several different genera. Griffith "et al." (2000) proposed that the type species for "Eumeces", "E. pavimentatus", which is considered by many to be a subspecies of "Eumeces schneideri", should be changed to "Lacerta fasciata", so that the genus name "Eumeces" would stay with the most species rich clade. However this petition has not been verified by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature. Schimtz "et al." argued that Griffith "et al." violated the Code and rejected the proposal on good grounds. Thus only the African species of "Eumeces schneideri"-group belong to the genus "Eumeces".

Within "Eumeces" the following species are recognized:
*"Eumeces algeriensis"
*"Eumeces blythianus"
*"Eumeces schneideri"

Some species that were formerly considered "Eumeces" have now been assigned to new genera:

Now in "Plestiodon"
*"Plestiodon anthracinus", Coal Skink
*"Plestiodon barbouri", Barbour's Skink (Japan)
*"Plestiodon brevirostris", Short-nose Skink (Mexico)
*"Plestiodon callicephalus", North American Mountain Skink
*"Plestiodon capito"
*"Plestiodon chinensis", Chinese Skink (East Asia: China, Korea, Japan)
*"Plestiodon colimensis" (Mexico)
*"Plestiodon copei" (Mexico)
*"Plestiodon coreensis", Korean Skink (Korea)
*"Plestiodon dugesii" (Mexico) - rare
*"Plestiodon egregius", Mole Skink
*"Plestiodon elegans", Five-striped Blue-tailed Skink or Shanghai Skink (East Asia)
*"Plestiodon fasciatus", Common Five-lined Skink
*"Plestiodon gilberti", Gilbert's Skink (North America)
*"Plestiodon inexpectatus", Southeastern Five-lined Skink
*"Plestiodon kishinouyei", Kishinoue's Giant Skink
*"Plestiodon lagunensis", San Lucan Skink
*"Plestiodon laticeps", Broad-headed Skink
*"Plestiodon latiscutatus", Japanese Skink (Japan)
*"Plestiodon liui" (Asia)
*"Plestiodon longirostris", Bermuda Rock Skink
*"Plestiodon lynxe", Oak Forest Skink (Mexico)
*"Plestiodon marginatus", Ryūkyū Five-lined Skink (Okinawa and Amami Islands)
*"Plestiodon multilineatus"
*"Plestiodon multivirgatus", Many-lined Skink
** "Plestiodon (multivirgatus) gaigeae", Variable Skink (North America) - sometimes "Eumeces (multivirgatus) epipleurotus"
*"Plestiodon obsoletus", Great Plains Skink
*"Plestiodon ochoterenae"
*"Plestiodon okadae", Okada's Five-lined Skink (Japan)
*"Plestiodon parviauriculatus", Northern Pygmy Skink (Mexico)
*"Plestiodon parvulus", Southern Pygmy Skink (Mexico)
*"Plestiodon popei" (Asia)
*"Plestiodon quadrilineatus", Four-lined Asian Skink
*"Plestiodon septentrionalis", Prairie Skink - includes "Eumeces obtusirostris"
*"Plestiodon skiltonianus", Western Skink
*"Plestiodon stimpsonii", Yaeyama Seven-lined Skink (Japan)
*"Plestiodon sumichrasti" (Mexico)
*"Plestiodon tamdaoensis"
*"Plestiodon tetragrammus", Four-lined Skink
*"Plestiodon tunganus"

Now in "Eurylepis":
*"Eumeces indothalensis" - now "Eurylepis indothalensis"
*"Eumeces poonaensis" - now "Eurylepis poonaensis"
*"Eumeces taeniolatus" - now "Eurylepis taeniolatus"

Now in "Mesoscincus":
*"Eumeces altamirani" - now "Mesoscincus altamirani"
*"Eumeces managuae" - now "Mesoscincus managuae"
*"Eumeces schwartzei" - now "Mesoscincus schwartzei"

References

* (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. doi|10.1016/j.ympev.2005.12.011 (HTML abstract)
* Griffith, H., A. Ngo & R. W. Murphy 2000 A cladistic evaluation of the cosmopolitan genus Eumeces Wiegmann (Reptilia, Squamata, Scincidae). Russ. J. Herpetol. 7 (1): 1-16
* Schmitz, Andreas; Patrick Mausfeld and Dirk Embert. 2004. Molecular studies on the genus Eumeces Wiegmann, 1834: phylogenetic relationships and taxonomic implications. Hamadryad 28 (1-2): 73 – 89
* Smith Hobart M. 2005. Plestiodon: a Replacement Name for Most Members of the Genus Eumeces in North America. Journal of Kansas Herpetology. Number 14.

External links