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tongue is shot out with amazing velocity and accuracy. It isarboreal
buttheeggs are laid by the female in soil.
The Skinks, family Scincidae are cosmopolitan in distribution
andamong the 18 genera found in the Indian subcontinent, two with
sixspecies are known from Maharashtra. Skinks are distinguished bv
thepresence of symmetrical shields on the head, and of imbricate scalelikepappilae
on the tongue. The body is covered with cycloid,
imbricatescales. They are usually found among grass and soil. Skinks are
insectivorous, The three species occurring in Maharashtra are
oviparous.The common SkinkMabuya carinata(Schneider) is found
throughoutthe country and is the species that is most often seen. Brown or
blackabove with uniform dark brown or black spots or streaks. During
thebreeding season the flanks of the male become scarlet and the
bellyyellow. Another common speciesMabuya maculariais uniform
lightbrown above, occasionally spotted with black,Mabuya
trivittataHardwicke & Gray has been recorded from Nasik, Nagpur and
Poona.Greyish brown above with three broad black-edged yellow
longitudinalstripes, extending the whole length of the body and to the base
of thetail. This species is uncommon.
Skinks of the genusRiopa,of which three speciesRiopa
punctata(Gmelin),Riopa guentheri(Peters) andRiopa lineata(Gray)
occur,are snake-like in appearance with their long slender body and tail
anddiminutive limbs. They arc largely subterrestrial and are not
commonlyseen.
The Lacertid lizards Family Lacertidae, are more common in
theAfrican than the Oriental region. The tongue is deeply forked anteriorly
and scales on the back are much differentiated from the scales onthe belly.
The head has symmetrical shields. Of the 4 genera in Indianregion,
twoCabritaandOphisops,each represented by two species,occur in
Maharashtra. The two generaCabritaandOphisopsaredistinguished from
each other by the eyelids being free in the former andfused together in the
latter. Small lizards living in sandy or rockyground usually in dry
country.Cabrita lechenaulti(Milne-Edwards)Cabrita jerdoniBeddomi,
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