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Brachymeles minimus BROWN & ALCALA, 1995

IUCN Red List - Brachymeles minimus - Near Threatened, NT
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Higher TaxaScincidae, Scincinae, Scincoidea, Sauria, Squamata (lizards)
Subspecies 
Common Names 
SynonymBrachymeles minimus BROWN & ALCALA 1995
Brachymeles minimus — SILER et al. 2009 
DistributionPhilippines (Catanduanes Island)

Type locality: original forest at 600 m on Mt Tungaw-tungaw (13° 40’ N, 124° 21’ E), about 4 km west of Gigmoto, Catanduanes Prov., Catanduanes Island.  
Reproductionovovivparous 
TypesHolotype: FMNH 247990, male 
Diagnosis 
CommentLimb morphology: Limbless species.

It differs from known species, other than Brachymeles vermis and B. apus, in the absence of external limbs. Brachymeles minimus differs from B. vermis and B. apus in its smaller size, lower dorsal scale row count, and pattern of head shields.

Habitat: semifossorial and typically found in dry, rotting material inside or underneath decaying logs or in loose soil, forest floor detritus, and leaf litter of lowland forest. 
EtymologyNamed after its small size. 
References
  • Brown, W.C. & E.L. Alcala 1995. A new species of Brachymeles (Reptilia: Scincidae) from Catanduanes Island, Philippines [B. minimus]. Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington 108 (3): 392-394. - get paper here
  • Siler, C. D.; D.S. Balete; A. C. Diesmos and R. M. Brown 2010. A New Legless Loam-swimming Lizard (Reptilia: Squamata: Scincidae: Genus Brachymeles) from the Bicol Peninsula, Luzon Island, Philippines. Copeia 2010 (1): 114–122 - get paper here
  • Siler, Cameron D.; Arvin C. Diesmos, Angel C. Alcala and Rafe M. Brown 2011. Phylogeny of Philippine slender skinks (Scincidae: Brachymeles) reveals underestimated species diversity, complex biogeographical relationships, and cryptic patterns of lineage diversification. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 59 (1): 53-65 - get paper here
  • Siler, Cameron D.; Edmond L. Rico, Mariano R. Duya, and Rafe M. Brown 2009. A NEW LIMB-REDUCED, LOAM-SWIMMING SKINK (SQUAMATA: SCINCIDAE: BRACHYMELES) FROM CENTRAL LUZON ISLAND, PHILIPPINES. Herpetologica 65 (4): 449 - get paper here
 
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