Kishinoue's giant skink

Kishinoue's giant skink (Plestiodon kishinouyei), also known as the Japanese skink,^[1] is a species of skink, a lizard in the family Scincidae, endemic to the southern Ryukyu Islands of Japan.

Kishinoue's giant skink
Conservation status
Vulnerable  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Scinciformata
Infraorder:	Scincomorpha
Family:	Scincidae
Genus:	Plestiodon
Species:	P. kishinouyei
Binomial name
Plestiodon kishinouyei Stejneger, 1901
Synonyms
Eumeces kishinouyei

The species name is a tribute to Japanese fisheries biologist Kamakichi Kishinouye (岸上 鎌吉, 1867–1929).

Description

Plestiodon kishinouyei is about 30–40 cm in total length (including tail), with a snout to vent length of 14.0–17.2 cm. It is the largest member of its widely distributed, speciose genus,^[2] and thus appears to be an example of island gigantism.