Anomalopus
Encyclopedia
Anomalopus is the genus
of worm-skinks, smallish smooth-scaled burrowing skink
s (family
Scincidae) from the eastern half of Australia
. It belongs to a clade
in the Sphenomorphus
group which contains such genera as Ctenotus
and the close relatives Eulamprus
and Gnypetoscincus
(Austin & Arnold 2006).
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of worm-skinks, smallish smooth-scaled burrowing skink
Skink
Skinks are lizards belonging to the family Scincidae. Together with several other lizard families, including Lacertidae , they comprise the superfamily or infraorder Scincomorpha...
s (family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Scincidae) from the eastern half of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It belongs to a clade
Clade
A clade is a group consisting of a species and all its descendants. In the terms of biological systematics, a clade is a single "branch" on the "tree of life". The idea that such a "natural group" of organisms should be grouped together and given a taxonomic name is central to biological...
in the Sphenomorphus
Sphenomorphus
The genus Sphenomorphus – vernacularly known as the common skinks – currently serves as a "wastebin taxon" for a large number of skinks...
group which contains such genera as Ctenotus
Ctenotus
Ctenotus is a genus of skinks . It belongs to a clade in the Sphenomorphus group which contains such genera as Anomalopus and the close relatives Eulamprus and Gnypetoscincus....
and the close relatives Eulamprus
Eulamprus
Eulamprus, the water skinks, are a genus of skinks in the subfamily Lygosominae. It belongs to a clade in the Sphenomorphus group that contains such genera as Ctenotus and Anomalopus...
and Gnypetoscincus
Gnypetoscincus
Gnypetoscincus is a monotypic genus of skinks . It contains a single species, the Prickly Skink, ....
(Austin & Arnold 2006).
Species
- Anomalopus brevicollis, Short-necked Worm-skink (NE Australia)
- Anomalopus gowi, Speckled Worm-skink (NE Australia)
- Anomalopus lentiginosus, Common Worm-skink
- Anomalopus leuckartii, Two-clawed Worm-skink (eastern Australia)
- Anomalopus mackayi, Five-clawed worm-skink (eastern Australia)
- Anomalopus pluto, Cape York Worm-skink (NE Australia)
- Anomalopus swansoniAnomalopus swansoniAnomalopus swansoni is a burrowing skink found between the Hawkesbury River and the Hunter River in eastern New South Wales. It is pinkish-brown on top, with fine dark speckles, and a creamy-pink belly. It shelters in soil, wood and rocks, and is rarely seen unless disturbed....
, Punctate Worm-skink (east coastal Australia) - Anomalopus verreauxi, Three-clawed Worm-skink