Kingdom Animalia Order Squamata Genus Sphenops Higher classification Sphenops | Phylum Chordata Family Scincidae Scientific name Chalcides sepsoides Rank Species | |
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Similar Skink, Reptile, Scaled reptiles, Chalcides guentheri, Chalcides | ||
wedge snouted skink sphenops sepsoides dives into the sand
The wedge-snouted skink (Sphenops sepsoides) is a common and widespread species of skink in the Scincidae family. It is found in Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Libya, and the Palestinian territories. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland, freshwater springs, hot deserts, and sandy shores. S. sepsoides is a viviparous species, and it is nocturnal during the summer and diurnal during the winter.
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S. sepsoides is subarenaceous, and it moves very efficiently by "swimming" under the sand. In fact, it is rarely seen about the ground, and a common method of capturing specimens is to dig through sand dunes near the bases of bushes; this is because its main escape tactic is to dive into the sand. Its limbs are greatly reduced as an adaptation to this fossorial movement. As a result, it is often considered to be a sand specialist.
The species is threatened by habitat loss, overgrazing, and commercial collection, although none of these threats are considered to be very serious, and the species population is stable.