Bougainville's skink

Bougainville's skink (Lerista bougainvillii) is a species of skink, a lizard in the family Scincidae.^[3] This species is also commonly called the south-eastern slider^[2][4] and Bougainville's lerista.^[4]

Bougainville's skink
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Scinciformata
Infraorder:	Scincomorpha
Family:	Sphenomorphidae
Genus:	Lerista
Species:	L. bougainvillii
Binomial name
Lerista bougainvillii (Gray, 1839)
Synonyms[2]
Riopa Brougainvillii [sic] Gray, 1839 Lygosoma bougainvillii — A.M.C. Duméril & Bibron, 1839 Rhodona bougainvillii — M.A. Smith, 1937 Nodorha bougainvillii — Mittleman, 1952 Lerista bougainvillii — Greer, 1967

Etymology

The specific name, bougainvillii, and the common names, Bougainville's skink and Bougainville's lerista, are in honour of French naval officer Hyacinthe de Bougainville.^[4]

Geographic range

L. bougainvillii is found in south-eastern Australia, including north-eastern Tasmania and many Bass Strait islands.^[3]

Description

Bougainville's skink has very reduced limbs and moves in a snake-like manner.^[3]

Habitat

The preferred natural habitats of L. bougainvillii are forest and shrubland.^[1] However, it is seldom seen, as much of its life is spent beneath leaf-litter, loose sand, and thin stone slabs.^[3][5]

Reproduction

The mode of reproduction of L. bougainvillii varies. Some populations are oviparous, but other populations are viviparous.^[1][2]