This moderately large skink is terrestrial in habits, and occurs in lowland primary and secondary rainforests up to 700 metres in elevation (possibly higher in Borneo). It can also adapt to drier, heavily disturbed secondary habitats. As with other 'sun skinks' it may be found basking in the sun in forest clearings.

The species is best identified by its robust body form, the broad pale-edged dark brown stripe along the top of each flank, and the pale belly. The dorsal scales each have three keels, or raised ridges, which give the skink its rough-skinned appearance.

It feeds on a wide variety of forest floor invertebrates including various insects.   

The Rough-scaled Brown Skink ranges from Sumatra, Borneo and adjacent smaller islands to Sulawesi and parts of the southern Philippines.


 

Family : SCINCIDAE
Species : Mabuya rudis
Size (snout to vent) : 12 cm
Size (total length) : 34 cm

References : H3, H4

Top left and second left : Full-grown adult searching for prey amongst leaf litter.  Tangkoko National Park, North Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Third left : young adult, measuring around 6 cm snout-to-vent.  This specimen has a series of dark and pale stripes along the dorsum.

Bottom left : adult sunning itself whilst gripping onto the fissured bark of a large tree.  Danum Valley, Sabah, Borneo.