Madagascar – Critters – Skinks!


hey! sorry it’s been so long since my last update. Had a mad weekend and couldn’t get around to any photo editing. But I am now ready to bring you the second to last installment in the critters section from Madagascar!

Scincidae

Skinks are found quite easily in most of Africa, but in Madagascar some have evolved some really peculiar habits. There are numerous fossorial species (dwelling underground), several leaf-litter swimmers, and even acquatic species. The only ones I was able to photograph, which we found in our bucket traps, were leaf-litter swimmers. Typical of skinks, they show dramatic limb reduction, though unlike species I’ve found before, they have not completely lost any limbs. They also have extremely elongated tails, helping them swim through the undergrowth.

Amphiglossus tanysoma

D300 + 105mm VR + R1 Flash Unit @ 1/125s f/8

D300 + 105mm VR + R1 Flash Unit @ 1/60s f/8

D300 + 105mm VR + R1 Flash Unit @ 1/60s f/6.3

D300 + 105mm VR + R1 Flash Unit @ 1/60s f/11

D300 + 105mm VR + R1 Flash Unit @ 1/60s f/8

D300 + 105mm VR + R1 Flash Unit @ 1/60s f/8

Madascincus intermedius

D300 + 105mm VR + R1 Flash Unit @ 1/60s f/8

D300 + 105mm VR + R1 Flash Unit @ 1/60s f/8

D300 + 105mm VR + R1 Flash Unit @ 1/60s f/8

D300 + 105mm VR + R1 Flash Unit @ 1/60s f/8

D300 + 105mm VR + R1 Flash Unit @ 1/60s f/5

D300 + 105mm VR + R1 Flash Unit @ 1/200s f/8

D300 + 105mm VR + R1 Flash Unit @ 1/60s f/13

D300 + 105mm VR + R1 Flash Unit @ 1/60s f/8

D300 + 105mm VR + R1 Flash Unit @ 1/60s f/8

And that is unfortunately it for the skinks! I apologise for the monotony of it all, it’s very difficult to get photos of skinks in situ, seeing as they do sort of slither through the undergrowth and the only times we really saw them were in buckets and in hands.

Anyways, next time is what I hope to be the most awaited installment, and the final one – Mammals! Lemurs, tenrecs, and all that jazz! stay well tuned, it should be out by Saturday!

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