Solomon Islands Skink - Biology

Biology

The Solomon Islands skink is the world's largest species of extant skink; adults can reach a length of 32 inches (81 cm) from nose to the tip of their tail when fully grown, with the tail accounting for more than half this length.

The Solomon Islands skink has a long, slender body, strong, short legs, and a triangular shaped head with small round eyes. The skink has a strong crushing jaw but the teeth are small and used for eating plant material. Its prehensile tail helps it maneuver from branch to branch with ease and gives the skink its more common names: monkey-tailed skink, prehensile-tailed skink, or monkey skink. Male Solomon Islands skinks tend to have a broader head and a more slender body shape than do female skinks. Males have a "V"-shaped pattern of scales just aft of the cloacal opening, which is not present in female skinks.

The scales of Solomon Islands skinks are a dark green but are often speckled with light brown or black. The scales on the underside vary from light yellow to different shades of green. The toes on all four legs have thick, curved nails used for climbing and gripping tree limbs.

As a ] animal, it is most active during the dusk and dawn hours, feeding primarily at dusk. it also is active and eats during the hours of dawn, though to a lesser extent. it has quite good eyesight and relies upon it to identify threats, as well as potential food.. it relies heavily on its sense of smell, and uses it to identify its territory and other members of its group, called a circulus. Like snakes, the skink "smells" by flicking its tongue to gather scents and when the tongue is retracted it touches it to the opening of a Jacobson's organ at the roof of its mouth.