Suborder Sauria Family Scincidae Rank Genus | Subphylum Vertebrata Infraorder Scincomorpha Phylum Chordata Order Scaled reptiles | |
Class Reptilia (paraphyletic) Similar Brasiliscincus, Varzea, Copeoglossum, Scaled reptiles | ||
Spondylurus is a genus of lizards in the family Scincidae. The genus Spondylurus, vernacularly known as the Antillean four-lined skinks, is a neotropical skink taxon including many species.
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Description
Species in the genus Spondylurus are characterized by four (occasionally three to six) dark dorsolateral stripes. This characteristic is known to fade in older individuals, and colors when preserved shift from tans and browns to greens and blues, often causing confusion as to the true color in life.
Conservation status
Many of the species of Spondylurus are extinct or endangered, resulting from invasive predators such as the mongoose.
Geographic range
The genus Spondylurus is distributed throughout the West Indies including the Caicos Islands, Jamaica, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, and the Lesser Antilles.
Species list
Seventeen species are recognized as being valid.
Nota bene: A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Spondylurus.