Photographed at Pulau Selingan, Sabah, East Malaysia.
 

Typical coastal habitat, Pulau Selingan, Sabah, East Malaysia. Part of the Turtle Islands National Park.

Family : SCINCIDAE
Species : Emoia caeruleocauda
Size (snout to vent) : 6.5 cm
Size (total length) : 18.2 cm

References : H5

Photo thanks to Dave Mangham

The Pacific Blue-tailed Skink inhabits coastal areas and tropical islands. It is largely terrestrial in habits but will explore the base of tree trunks in search of food prey : its habitat is dominated by back-beach tree species such as the Sea Almond Terminalia catappa, the Sea Poison Tree Barringtonia asiatica and the Coconut Palm Cocos nucifera. It also occurs on man-made structures including dwellings and fences.

Its body shape is elongate, and its blue tail is nearly twice the body length. The head is short and angular, and the neck slender. Alternating dark and light stripes run along the length of the body.

The species occurs on islands off the coast of Sabah, East Malaysia (Borneo), as well as parts of the Southern Philippines, Sulawesi, New Guinea and eastwards to the Solomon Islands and Fiji.