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| Neoseps reynoldsi Stejneger, 1910 |
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 Sand Skink range
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There is only one species known of the genus Neoseps, the Neoseps reynoldsi, commonly known as the (Florida) Sand Skink. Leonhard Hess Stejneger ( October 30, 1851 - February 28, 1943) was a Zoologist. The species has been described by Leonhard Hess Stejneger in 1910 and named in honor of one A. Leonhard Hess Stejneger ( October 30, 1851 - February 28, 1943) was a Zoologist. Year 1910 ( MCMX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting G. Reynolds, who had collected the holotype. A holotype is one of several possible Biological types A type is what fixes a name to a Taxon.
A unique lizard adapted to an underground existence, the Sand Skink measures 10 to 13 cm (4 to 5 inches) in length and has a gray to tan color. Lizards are a large and widespread group of Reptiles of the order Squamata, with nearly 5000 species and ranging across all continents except A centimetre ( American spelling: centimeter, symbol cm) is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one hundredth Inches redirects here To see the Les Savy Fav album see Inches. Its forelegs are tiny and bear only one toe; its hindlegs are small and have two toes. The tail comprises about half of the animal's total length. The Sand Skink has a wedge-shaped head, a partially countersunk lower jaw, body grooves into which the forelegs can be folded, and small eyes which have transparent windows in the lower lids. These features enable the lizard to swim beneath the surface of loose sand. The diet of this species consists of surface-dwelling invertebrates, including beetle larvae, termites, spiders, and larval antlions. A larva ( Latin; plural larvae) is a juvenile form of Animal with indirect development, undergoing Metamorphosis (for example The termites are a group of Social Insects usually classified at the taxonomic rank of order Isoptera (but see also taxonomy Spiders are Predatory Invertebrate Animals that have two body segments, eight legs no chewing mouth parts and no wings Antlions are a family of Insects in the order Neuroptera with the Scientific name Myrmeleontidae (sometimes misspelled as
Sand Skinks are most active in spring, their mating season. They reach sexual maturity after 1 to 2 years and remain reproductively active for two to three years. About 55 days after mating, the female lays on the average two eggs, which hatch in June or July.
Distribution and Habitat
The Sand Skink was classified as an endangered species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1987. An endangered species is a population of an organism which is at risk of becoming Extinct because it is either few in numbers or threatened by changing environmental or predation Year 1987 ( MCMLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar) They only occur in central Florida — 115 known sites were recorded in 1999. Florida ( is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the Year 1999 ( MCMXCIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar) However, researchers acknowledge that Sand Skinks are difficult to detect and might be found in more places with a suitable habitat if searched for sufficiently. Known habitat occurs in the Lake Wales Ridge but is also found on the Winter Haven Ridge in Polk County, Florida and the Mount Dora Ridge. Polk County is a County located in the US state of Florida. As of 2000 the population was 483924
The Sand Skink exists in areas vegetated with Sand pine–Florida-rosemary scrub or a Longleaf pine–American turkey oak association, including Florida Scrub habitat. The Sand Pine ( Pinus clausa) is a small often Shrubby Tree from 5-10m exceptionally to 21m tall found in two separate locations one across central The Sandhill-rosemary, Florida-rosemary or Sand heath, Ceratiola ericoides, is a Shrub usually included in the plant family The 'Longleaf Pine' ( Pinus palustris) is a Pine native to the southeast United States, found along the coastal plain from eastern Texas to southeast The American Turkey Oak ( Quercus laevis) is a member of the red oak group of Oaks It is native to the southeastern United States Florida Scrub is an endangered Ecosystem of the state of Florida, USA. Food supply and moisture are important factors in the species' selection of habitat. Sand Skinks are most frequently found in the ecotone between Florida-rosemary scrub and palmetto-pine flatwoods where moisture is present beneath the surface litter, e. An ecotone is a transition area between two adjacent ecological communities ( Ecosystems. g. , bark, and in sand. The species usually remains underground and burrows 5 to 10 cm beneath the soil to find its nourishment.
References
- Gimenez Dixon (1996). Neoseps reynoldsi. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (also known as the IUCN Red List or Red Data List) created in 1963 is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Listed as Vulnerable (VU A2ce v2. 3)
- Sand Skink description at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
- Comprehensive overview with extensive literature list.
Selected literature
- Sutton, P. E. (1996), A mark and recapture study of the Florida sand skink Neoseps reynoldsi and a comparison of sand skink sampling methods. Master’s thesis, University of South Florida; Tampa, Florida.
- Telford, S. R. Jr. (1959), A study of the sand skink, Neoseps reynoldsi. Copeia 1959 (2):100-119.
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