Eyed skink, Gongilo
The Ocellated skink (Chalcides ocellatus) is a species of skink that lives in a wide variety of environments. It has very smooth scales and is capable of "sand-swimming" behavior.
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DiurnalDiurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
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CarnivoreA carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of a...
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InsectivoresAn insectivore is a carnivorous plant or animal that eats insects. An alternative term is entomophage, which also refers to the human practice of e...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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OvoviviparousOvoviviparity, ovovivipary, ovivipary, or aplacental viviparity is a term used as a "bridging" form of reproduction between egg-laying oviparous an...
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PredatorPredators are animals that kill and eat other organisms, their prey. Predators may actively search for or pursue prey or wait for it, often conceal...
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SolitaryNo
Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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starts withThe Ocellated skink has a small head, a cylindrical body, and five toes on each foot. It is notable for the presence of ocelli and for its wide variety of coloration patterns.
Ocellated skinks occur in southern Europe, parts of northeastern Africa, and Western Asia. These lizards live in a wide variety of environments, such as gravel deserts around the Mediterranean coast, coastal dunes, shrubland, savannas, grasslands, and oases. They also frequent farmlands, vineyards, fields, rural gardens, and urban areas.
Ocellated skinks are solitary reptiles. They spend most of their time on the ground and like to hide among stones and in vegetation. They are usually active during the day but in summer may switch to nocturnal activity. Ocellated skinks are very agile. When sensing danger, their main escape tactic is to run behind vegetation. Although Ocellated skinks have very smooth scales and are capable of "sand-swimming" behavior in loose sand or soil, their limbs are not specifically adapted for fossorial movement.
Ocellated skinks are carnivores, primarily insectivores. They eat a wide variety of insects, including locusts, crickets, ants, beetles, isopods, spiders, centipedes, and insect larvae. However, they can also occasionally hunt small lizards, including their own young.
Little is known about the reproductive behavior of Ocellated skinks. Females are ovoviviparous and give birth to 2-6 fully developed live young.
There are no major threats facing this species at present.
According to the IUCN Red List, the Ocellated skink is common throughout its range but no overall population estimate is available. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are stable.
