Ornithuroscincus sabini (KRAUS, 2020)
Can you confirm these amateur observations of Ornithuroscincus sabini?
Ornithuroscincus sabini
We have no photos, try to find some by Google images search: 
| Higher Taxa | Scincidae, Sphenomorphinae (Sphenomorphini), Scincoidea, Sauria, Squamata (lizards) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | |
| Synonym | Lobulia sabini KRAUS 2020 Ornithuroscincus sabini — SLAVENKO et al. 2021 |
| Distribution | Papua New Guinea (Milne Bay Province) Type locality: Camp 4” on N side Mt. Simpson, 10.0364° S, 149.5749° E, 2480 m a.s.l., Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea |
| Reproduction | |
| Types | Holotype. BPBM 16766 (field tag FK 7408), collected by F. Kraus, 16 February 2003. Paratypes (n = 20). Papua New Guinea: Milne Bay Province: same locality as holotype (BPBM 16765, 16768, 16770, 16775, 16777, 16780); Mt. Simpson summit, 10.0362° S, 149.5677° E, 2740 m a.s.l. (BPBM 16772, 16779); “Camp 5” on N side Mt. Simpson, 10.0209° S, 149.5947° E, 1490 m a.s.l. (BPBM 16781–83); Bunisi village, 10.0171° S, 149.6002° E, 1420 m a.s.l. (BPBM 16761–64); Siyomu Village, 10.0105° S, 149.6014° E, 1200 m a.s.l. (BPBM 16784–88). |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis (genus): Small to medium-sized (adult SVL 29.4– 69.2 mm) terrestrial to semi-arboreal skinks with short limbs (forelimbs 25.7–36.3% of SVL, hindlimbs 29–47.3% of SVL); lobules absent from anterior edge of ear opening; a single pair of chin shields in medial contact; two supralabials posterior to subocular supralabial; chin shields abutting infralabials; lower eyelid with semi- transparent window; standard three-scale temporal region; nasal scale undivided; frontoparietals either fused or unfused; viviparous; litter size 1–3. Ornithuroscincus differs from all other genera apart from Nubeoscincus by the absence of lobules from the anterior edge of the ear (vs. lobules present)—a character which in Nuboescincus only occurs in one species, N. stellaris. It further differs from Alpinoscincus, Lobulia, Nubeoscincus and Prasinohaema by having one pair of chin shields in medial contact (vs. two pairs). It further differs from Alpinoscincus, Nubeoscincus and Prasinohaema by the chin shields abutting the infralabials (vs. chin shields separated from infralabials by a row of genials) and by having the standard three-scale temporal region (vs. fragmented temporal region). It further differs from Alpinsocincus by having two (vs. three) supralabials posterior to the subocular supralabial. It further differs from Prasinohaema by lacking green blood serum and tissues, a prehensile tail with a glandular tip and basally expanded subdigital lamellae. It further differs from Palaia and Papuascincus by its viviparous (vs. oviparous) reproductive mode. It further differs from Palaia by lacking basally slightly expanded subidigtal lamellae. It further differs from Papuascincus by having an undivided (vs. divided) nasal scale. It further differs from Alpinoscincus by having the lower eyelid with a semi-transparent window (vs. scaly) (Slavenko et al. 2021). |
| Comment | Type species: Lobulia sabini KRAUS 2020 is the type species of the genus Ornithuroscincus SLAVENKO et al. 2021. |
| Etymology | The species is named in honor of Mr. Andy Sabin for his generous financial support of the author’s work in New Guinea. Andrew Sabin made a fortune from a precious-metals recycling business and is an ardent Trump supporter. The genus name is a combined noun formed from the Latinized Greek nouns ornis, bird, and oura, tail, appended to the Latin noun scincus, a type of lizard, referring to the centre of distribution of the genus, as most species occur in the Papuan Peninsula, also known as the Bird’s Tail in reference to the general shape of New Guinea resembling a bird-of-paradise. |
| References |
|
| External links |