Kingdom Animalia Subfamily Lygosominae Phylum Chordata Rank Genus | Family Scincidae Scientific name Leiolopisma Higher classification Skink Order Scaled reptiles | |
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Similar Skink, Reptile, Oligosoma, Leiolopisma telfairii, Scaled reptiles | ||
Leiolopisma is a genus of skinks. Most species occur in the region of New Caledonia-New Zealand, and they are related to other genera from that general area, such as Emoia; these and others form the Eugongylus group. One living and two extinct taxa represent a clade endemic to the Mascarenes.(Austin & Arnold 2006)
Species
An undescribed extinct taxon from Réunion was close to L. mauritiana (Austin & Arnold 2006). These two were formerly separated in Didosaurus. David Day (1979), in Vanished Species, described the Reunion skink as small and fast moving but completely unafraid of humans. Individuals would climb on observer's legs. Efforts to maintain the species in captivity proved futile. The Reunion skink was reported to be completely insectivorous.