Eutropis longicaudata (Hallowell, 1856)
Long-tailed Skink 長尾南蜥
Suborder
Lacertilia 蜥蜴亞目
Both juveniles and adults may have faint black spotting or striping dorsally.
Underside greenish yellow or yellow. Head rather long. Labials yellow with black barring.
Lower flanks whitish, tinged with green, thickly speckled with brown.
Legs brown. Tail very long and whip-like; with keeled scales. Mid-dorsal scales keeled.
Occurs in many areas of the territory, up to at least 500 m.
Prefers dry hilly areas with tall grass or shrubland and many large boulders.
Occasionally wanders about on warm nights. An extremely swift lizard; very alert and nervous.
When alarmed, scurries rapidly over rocks into a crevice or thick undergrowth. Often bites when restrained.
Eggs oval in shape, about 1.8 cm long. They hatch in 1.5 months. Hactchlings about 8-10.5 cm in total length.
Huang (2006) studied the population in Orchid Island, Taiwan and shows that female attends her eggs and defends them from predator such as snake.
No evidence of parental care in the populations of Hong Kong.
Reference: Huang W.S. 2006. Parental care in the long-tailed skink, Mabuya longicaudata, on a tropical Asian island. Animal Behaviour. 72(4): 791-795.
