Designed by Paul Smith 2006. This website is copyrighted by law.
Material contained herewith may not be used without the prior written permission of FAUNA Paraguay.
Photographs on this web-site were taken by Paul Smith, Hemme Batjes, Regis Nossent,
Alberto Esquivel, Arne Lesterhuis, José Luis Cartes, Rebecca Zarza and Hugo del Castillo and are used with their permission.
SUPERFAMILY SCINCOIDEA
This Superfamily is represented by a single family in Paraguay, the Scincidae. The Scincoidea have the nasals and prefrontals separated by a frontal process. Dermal rugosities are present and there are flat, imbricate scales on the tongue. The anterior tongue is mushroom-shaped in cross-section, keratinised and non-glandular.
FAMILY SCINCIDAE - SKINKS
Three Paraguayan species in all belonging to the subfamily Lygosominae. Skinks are ground-dwelling lizards with poorly-developed limbs and a cylindrical body. The head is barely distinguished from the rest of the body - the neck is poorly defined. They have ossifications present on the eyelids and osteoderms present dorsally, ventrally amd on the head. The upper arcade is complete or nearly so with jugal and squamosal near or in contact. The upper temporal fossa is roofed by the postfrontal. There are no femoral or pre-anal pores. Dorsal scales flat and imbricate.
SUBFAMILY LYGOSOMINAE - SKINKS
Three Paraguayan species in a single genus Mabuya. Members of this subfamily have single, fused frontals. Nasals are paired and separate and the palatines are usually in contact medially. Upper temporal arcade complete. Jugal present. External naris indiscrete, there is a single nasal scale. Teeth are present on part of the premaxilla, maxilla, dentrary and in some species on the pterygoid. Palatines are usually in contact and there is a simple secondary palate. Tail usually over 50% of total length and always over 30% - tail can be lost as a means of defence. External ear open or covered by skin. Oviparous and viviparous species exist.
REFERENCES
Fouquette MJ (unpublished) - Synopsis of Recent Reptiles to Genus - Arizona University
Whitfield P Ed.1984 - Longman Illustrated Animal Encyclopedia - Guild Publishing, London.
