Florida sand skink
| Florida sand skink | |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Sauria |
| Infraorder: | Scincomorpha |
| Family: | Scincidae |
| Subfamily: | Scincinae |
| Genus: |
Neoseps Stejneger, 1910 |
| Species: | N. reynoldsi |
| Binomial name | |
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Neoseps reynoldsi Stejneger, 1910 |
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| Florida sand skink range | |
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The Florida sand skink (Neoseps reynoldsi ) is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae, the skinks. The sole member of the monotypic genus Neoseps, it is endemic to Florida in the United States.
Neoseps reynoldsi was described as a new genus and new species by Leonhard Stejneger in 1910 and named in honor of a certain Mr. A.G. Reynolds of Gulfport, Florida, who had collected the holotype.
A unique lizard adapted to an underground existence, the Florida sand skink measures 10 to 13 cm (4 to 5 in) in total length and is a gray to tan color. Its forelegs are tiny and bear only one toe each; its hindlegs are small and have two toes. The tail comprises about half of the animal's total length. The sand skink has a wedge-shaped head, a partially countersunk lower jaw, body grooves into which the forelegs can be folded, and small eyes which have transparent windows in the lower lids. These features enable the lizard to move through loose sand.
The diet of N. reynoldsi consists of surface-dwelling invertebrates, including termites, spiders, and the larvae of antlions and beetles.
Florida sand skinks are most active in spring, during their mating season. They reach sexual maturity after one to two years and remain reproductively active for two to three years. About 55 days after mating, the female lays about two eggs, which hatch in June or July.
Neoseps reynoldsi only occurs in Central Florida—115 known sites were recorded in 1999. The species is difficult to detect and may be found elsewhere during more intensive searches. It is present on the Lake Wales Ridge, the Winter Haven Ridge in Polk County, and the Mount Dora Ridge.
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