Gilbert's Skink - Taxonomy

Taxonomy

Plestiodon gilberti was first described by Van Denburgh in 1896. It was named in honor of Van Denburgh's teacher, Dr. Charles H. Gilbert (1859 - 1928), who at the time was a professor of zoology at Stanford University.

There are five subspecies of Plestiodon gilberti:

• Arizona Skink (P. g. arizonensis); Lowe and Shannon, 1954
• Greater Brown Skink (P. g. gilberti); Van Denburgh, 1896
• Northern Brown Skink (P. g. placerensis); Rodgers, 1944
• Variegated Skink (P. g. cancellosus); Rodgers and Fitch, 1947
• Western Red-tailed Skink (P. g. rubricaudatus); Taylor, 1935

(P.g. placerensis got its name from Placer County, California, where it occurs.)

Together with the Western Skink (E. skiltonianus), the San Lucan Skink (E. lagunensis), and the Four-lined Asiatic Skink (P. quadrilineatus), the Western Skink belongs to the so-called "skiltonianus group". The exact taxonomy within this group is being questioned and may need revision following DNA analysis research.