''Mochlus'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

skink Skinks are a type of lizard belonging to the family (biology), family Scincidae, a family in the Taxonomic rank, infraorder Scincomorpha. With more than 1,500 described species across 100 different taxonomic genera, the family Scincidae is one o ...

s, lizards in the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Scincidae. The genus is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...

Description

Skinks of the genus ''Mochlus'' are cylindrical in shape and robust. They get the common name "writhing skinks" from the side-to-side movement that they make when held in the hand.

Diet

Skinks in the genus ''Mochlus'' feed on insects and millipedes.Alexander, Graham; Marais, Johan (2008). ''A Guide to the Reptiles of Southern Africa''. Cape Town, South Africa: Struik Publishers. 408 pp. . ("Writhing Skinks", pp. 247-248).

Species

The following 19

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

are recognized as being valid. *'' Mochlus brevicaudis'' *''

Mochlus fernandi The fire skink (''Lepidothyris fernandi)'', also known commonly as Fernand's skink, the Togo fire skink, and the true fire skink, is a fairly large skink, a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is known for its bright and viv ...

'' – fire skink *'' Mochlus grandisonianus'' – Lanza's writhing skink *'' Mochlus guineensis'' – Guinean forest skink *''

Mochlus hinkeli ''Mochlus hinkeli'', also known commonly as Hinkel's red-flanked skink and Hinkel's red-sided skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is native to eastern Central Africa and East Africa. There are two recognized subs ...

'' – Hinkel's red-sided skink, Hinkel's red-flanked skink *'' Mochlus laeviceps'' (W. Peters, 1874) – common writhing skink *'' Mochlus lanceolatus'' Broadley, 1990 – Broadley's writhing skink *'' Mochlus mabuiiformis'' – Mabuya-like writhing skink *'' Mochlus mafianus'' – mafia writhing skink *'' Mochlus mocquardi'' – Mocquard's writhing skinkBeolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). ''The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles''. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. . (''Lygosoma mocquardi'', p. 181). *'' Mochlus paedocarinatus'' – Lanza's writhing skink, Abyssinian writhing skink *'' Mochlus pembanus'' Boettger, 1913 –

Pemba Island Pemba Island (; ''al-Jazīra al-khadrāʔ''; ; ) is a Tanzanian island forming part of the Zanzibar Archipelago, lying within the Swahili Coast in the Indian Ocean. Geography file:Map of Zanzibar Archipelago-en.svg, left, The main islands of the ...

writhing skink *'' Mochlus productus'' – Boulenger's writhing skink *'' Mochlus simonettai'' – Simonetta's writhing skink *'' Mochlus somalicus'' – Somali writhing skink *''

Mochlus striatus ''Mochlus striatus'' is a species of skink. It is endemic to Central Africa and found in Gabon, Cameroon, the Republic of Congo, and the Central African Republic. It inhabits rainforest areas, swamps, and coastal forests. ''Mochlus striatus'' me ...

'' *'' Mochlus sundevallii'' – Sundevall's writhing skink *'' Mochlus tanae'' – Loveridge's writhing skink, Tana River writhing skink *'' Mochlus vinciguerrae'' – Vinciguerra's writhing skink ''

Nota bene ( ; plural: ) is the Latin language, Latin phrase meaning ''note well''. In manuscripts, ''nota bene'' is abbreviated in upper-case as NB and N.B., and in lower-case as n.b. and nb; the editorial usages of ''nota bene'' and ''notate bene'' fi ...

'': A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than ''Mochlus''.

Description

Diet

Species

References

Further reading