Identifying Characteristics:
This skink species is small in size. Body length ranges from 45.15 to 47.53 mm, with a tail length of 29.54 to 45.40 mm. It possesses two frontoparietal scales. The interparietal scale is situated between the two parietal scales and the two frontal scales. There are two cheek scales, the first of which is taller and flatter than the second. The nostril is located between the single nasal scale. 28–30 smooth scale rows encircle the body. Each side features 7 infralabial scales and 8 supralabial scales. It has 3 pairs of postmental scales, with the first two pairs touching and the third pair separated by a small scale. There are 10 lamellae under the first digit of the forelimb, and 15–16 lamellae under the fourth digit of the hindlimb.
The dorsal body surface is brown. On either side of the upper body, there are two narrow black stripes running from behind the supraocular scales to the base of the tail. Two broader, darker black stripes are present on the flanks. The areas from behind the eye to the shoulder, the flanks, the base of the tail, and the tail itself exhibit interspersed shades of pink or orange-yellow. The chin and throat are opaque white with tiny black dots on either side of the scales. The flanks and belly are yellowish-brown.
Biology and Ecology:
The primary diet of this species consists of insects and larvae found in its habitat. They burrow in loose soil with abundant leaf litter in forests, shallow stream beds, gardens, and other natural environments, ranging from coastal areas up to an altitude of 1,500 meters. Females lay 2–4 eggs.
Distribution:
- Vietnam: Thừa Thiên Huế (Bạch Mã), Đồng Nai, Bình Phước, Tây Ninh, and Bảy núi in An Giang.
- Worldwide: This small skink species is distributed in many parts of Southeast Asia.