Acontias

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Supergroup: Opisthokonta
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Cladus: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Classis: Reptilia
Subclassis: Diapsida
Infraclassis: Lepidosauromorpha
Superordo: Lepidosauria
Ordo: Squamata
Subordo: Sauria
Infraordo: Scincomorpha
Familia: Scincidae
Genus: Acontias
Species: A. breviceps - A. gracilicauda - A. lineatus - A. litoralis - A. meleagris - A. percivali - A. plumbeus - A. poecilus

Name

Acontias

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Acontias, the lance skinks, is a genus of limbless skinks (family Scincidae) from Africa. Most are small animals, but the largest member of the genus is Acontias plumbeus at approximately 40 cm. All members of this genus are live-bearing, sandswimmers with fused eyelids.

The subfamily Acontinae presently holds only this genus[verification needed]. As the Scincinae are apparently paraphyletic, this might eventually change.(Austin & Arnold 2006)

Species

* Acontias breviceps, Shorthead Lance Skink
* Acontias gracilicauda
* Acontias lineatus
* Acontias litoralis
* Acontias meleagris, Cape Legless Skink
* Acontias percivali, Percival's Lance Skink
* Acontias plumbeus
* Acontias poecilus