Ornithuroscincus
# Ornithuroscincus

Ornithuroscincus is a genus of skinks, lizards in the family Scincidae. All but one species are endemic to New Guinea: in addition to northern New Guinea, Ornithuroscincus noctua occurs on many Pacific islands.

## Taxonomy

The genus Ornithuroscincus was erected in 2021 in the revision of the then-polyphyletic genus Lobulia. Its closest relative in Alpinoscincus.

## Description

Ornithuroscincus are small to medium-sized skinks with adult snout–vent length of 29–69 mm (1.1–2.7 in). The limbs are short. They are ovoviviparous with 1–3 offspring in each litter.

## Habitat

They are terrestrial to semi-arboreal. Most species have restricted ranges in mountainous areas, but some species are widespread and occur in lowland areas.

## Species

The following species are recognized as being valid:

* Ornithuroscincus albodorsalis (T. Vogt, 1932)
* Ornithuroscincus bengaun Slavenko, Tamar, Tallowin, Kraus, Allison, Carranza, & Meiri, 2021
* Ornithuroscincus inornatus Slavenko, Tamar, Tallowin, Kraus, Allison, Carranza, & Meiri, 2021
* Ornithuroscincus noctua (Lesson, 1830) – moth skink
* Ornithuroscincus nototaenia (Boulenger, 1914)
* Ornithuroscincus pterophilus Slavenko, Tamar, Tallowin, Kraus, Allison, Carranza, & Meiri, 2021
* Ornithuroscincus sabini (Kraus, 2020)
* Ornithuroscincus shearmani Slavenko, Tamar, Tallowin, Kraus, Allison, Carranza, & Meiri, 2021
* Ornithuroscincus viridis Slavenko, Tamar, Tallowin, Kraus, Allison, Carranza, & Meiri, 2021

Nota bene: A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Ornithuroscincus.

