Type of Lizards: Skinks

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The skinks (Scincidae family) are one of the most likely reptiles to be seen in wooded habitat. Among their chief characteristics is their cylindrical and smooth-scaled body. They differ from Agamid lizards and gliding lizards by lacking crests or gular pouch outside their body.

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A skink on the rainforest floor.

Many types of skink exist, from those with four short limbs, each with five digits, to the limbless ones that lead a burrowing lifestyle. In the rainforest, skinks inhabit the forest floor, where they are usually seen sunning in patches of sunlight or scurrying for cover. Some species are also arboreal, living on tree trunks and branches. When disturbed, they may hide inside crevices or underneath leave of climbers.

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Some skinks are arboreal.

Like snakes, skinks use chemoreception to find food, mate, and to avoid predator. They do so by flicking their tongue to collect chemical in the air and bring it to the Jacobson’s organ, a sense organ on the roof of the mouth that enables them to smell and taste. They also use their well-developed eyes, nose as well as ear to scan their environment.

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