Scientific name Lerista Higher classification Skink Order Scaled reptiles | Family Scincidae Phylum Chordata Rank Genus | |
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Lower classifications Bougainville's skink, Mount Cooper striped lerista, Allan's lerista, Western worm lerista | ||
Lerista bougainvilli
Lerista is a diverse (~ 90 species) genus of skinks endemic to Australia, commonly known as sliders. The genus is especially notable for the variation in the amount of limb reduction. The variation ranges from short-bodied forms with large legs bearing five toes, to elongate forms completely lacking legs. The body length of the lizards is 33–103 millimetres (1.3–4.1 in). Their locomotion is linked to their body shape. The shorter skinks with prominent limbs travel on the surface; the longer skinks with reduced legs tend to burrow more. A phylogenetic tree of Lerista, derived from DNA analysis, reveals that limb loss has happened multiple times within this group. Limb loss has occurred relatively recently, in the past 3.6 million years or so.
Contents
Two toed lerista yellow bellied sand swimmer
Species
The following 94 species are recognized as being valid.
