Subfamily see text Higher classification Skink Rank Genus | Family Scincidae Scientific name Eumeces Phylum Chordata Order Scaled reptiles | |
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Lower classifications Eumeces schneideri, Plestiodon inexpectatus, Plestiodon egregius, Great Plains skink, Eumeces algeriensis | ||
Berber skink like morio worm eumeces schniederi
The genus Eumeces (family Scincidae) comprises four African to Middle-Eastern skink species.
Contents
Berber skinks mating eumeces schneideri
Systematics
Recently two taxonomic revisions have been made regarding the 19th century 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 the Eumeces schneideri group belong to the genus Eumeces.
Within Eumeces the following species are recognized:
Some species that were formerly considered Eumeces have now been assigned to new genera:
Now in Plestiodon:
Now in Eurylepis:
Now in Mesoscincus:
