Common Striped Skink (Lipinia vittigera)

OTHER NAMES: Banded Lipinia, Yellow-striped Tree Skink
Latin Etymology: Lipinia vittigera

Adult Common Striped Skink (subspecies L. v. vittigera) at Angkor Thom, Cambodia - February 2019

Featured Subspecies: Lipinia vittigera vittigera
Weight: ?  /  Length: 10cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

While we headed towards the ruins of Banteay Kdei, a slight dash of colour caught my eye on a nearby tree; this beautiful little skink.  Skinks are one of the more distinctive genuses of lizards; generally characterised by smooth features, comparatively short limbs and rounded faces.  This species was my first skink I'd seen and also the most colourful reptile I'd seen to date - I only got a few moments to enjoy it though as it very rapidly retreated to a tiny hole in the bark of the tree.

Related Species:
Order: Squamata
Family: Scincidae
Genus: Lipinia
SUBSPECIES: L. v. vittigera, L. v. microcercum 

 - Sighting Locations -

CAMBODIA - Khmer - ?
A fairly common resident.

 - CAMBODIA/SINGAPORE 2019 TRIP: One near Angkor Thom

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Common Sun Skink (Eutropis multifasciata)

OTHER NAMES: East Indian Brown Mabuya, Many-lined Sun Skink, Golden Skink
Latin Etymology: Eutropis ("good keel") multifasciata ("multi-bundled")

Adult Common Sun Skink (subspecies E. m. multifasciata) at Siem Reap, Cambodia - February 2019

Featured Subspecies: Eutropis multifasciata multifasciata
Weight: ?  /  Length: 35cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

This species was seen as we walked the open-air War Musuem of Cambodia; a simple little lizard slinking througgh the leaf litter, surrounded by the remnants of tools of death.  They're a fairly common species with a substantial range, but it's appearance in this particular somber place was welcome; a little dash of life in a place created so we never forget the death.

Related Species:
Order: Squamata
Family: Scincidae
Genus: Eutropis
SUBSPECIES: E. m. balinensis, E. m. multifasciata, E. m tjendikianensis

 - Sighting Locations -

CAMBODIA - Khmer - ?
A fairly common resident.

 - CAMBODIA/SINGAPORE 2019 TRIP: One seen at Siem Reap

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .