
Fig 1

Fig 2

Fig 3

Fig 4
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Family : SCINCIDAE
Species : Eutropis rudis
Size (snout to vent) : 12 cm
Size (total length) : 34 cm
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 (which can sometimes be stippled rather than a
thick band) ,and the pale belly. Adult male specimens can have highly varied
throat colours ranging from blue with black spots, to reddish or yellowish.
The dorsal scales bear 3 markedly-raised 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.
Fig 1 : Adult consuming a spider at Niah Caves National Park, Sarawak,
Borneo.
Figs 2 and 3 : Two more examples from Niah Caves National Park, Sarawak,
Borneo - one with a yellow throat speckled with black and the other with
a bluish throat. In both these examples the broad, dark stripe on the
flanks is muted.
Fig 4 : Adult sunning itself whilst gripping onto the fissured bark of
a large tree. Danum Valley, Sabah, Borneo.
References :
Inger R. F., Lian T.F., 1996. The Natural History of Amphibians and
Reptiles in Sabah. Natural History Publications (Borneo) Sdn. Bhd.
Manthey U., Grossmann W., 1997. Amphibien und Reptilien Sudostasiens.
Natur und Tier - Verlag.
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