The below photo was sent to me by Vinu
who has kindly allowed me to use it on my website. Vinu found the Eastern Skink
Scincus mitranus near Al Kharj and it
is a lizard from the skink family that grows to a length of 20 centimetres. The
Arabic and local name for this lizard is Sqnkor. They have an orange-brown or
sand-coloured back, and a white underside and on the side they have a line or
spots in a light colour, and the back and legs have vague dark bands. The snout
is shaped like a bill, and the legs and tail are short. The Eastern Skink can
run quickly, or slide over the sand and dig itself in quickly when it is in
danger. Its food consists of several kinds of arthropods, especially Centipedes
and beetles and although the ear openings are small, these skinks have
excellent hearing, which enables them to detect insect prey moving below the
surface. This species is found in the Arabian Peninsula, including Saudi Arabia
and western Iran and they live in dry and warm open areas, particularly in sand
deserts. It is widely distributed in the Arabian Peninsula, east of the Asir
Mountains and is found from sea level up to around 1000 metres above sea level.
Its habitat consists of loose sand dune habitats and hilly landscapes with
occasional dense bushes and rocky patches to hide in. Owing to their remarkable
ability to seemingly ‘swim’ through sand, they are often known as sandfish. The
physical adaptations that allow these lizards to move with speed below the sand
surface include a streamlined body, highly polished skin, strongly developed
limbs, a chisel-shaped snout, and reduced ear openings.
