Brachymeles talinis is a moderately widespread, common species found throughout the western Visayan (central) Philippine islands as well as the islands of Romblon Province. For years this species was recognized to occur from the southern extremes of the Philippines to the islands off the north coast of Luzon in the extreme north. After close investigation of genetic and morphological data revealed this species to actually be a complex of morphologically similar, but unique species, the distribution of B. talinis was restricted to several islands in the central Philippines. It is considered one of the larger species in the genus, and is quite common throughout its range. B. talinis has five fingers and five toes. The genus Brachymeles represents a unique group of semi-burrowing (semi-fossorial) lizards in that the group possesses species with a full spectrum of body forms, from limbed species with five fingers and five toes, to fully limbless species. Researchers are interested in the process and patterns behind the evolution of these drastic changes in body form. With the exception of two species from Borneo (B. apus) and Thailand (B. miriamae), all species of Brachymeles are endemic to the Philippines. This means they are found among the more than 7,000 Philippine islands and nowhere else in the world.
We have evaluated this species against the IUCN criteria for classification, and find that it does not qualify for Critically Endangered, Endangered, Vulnerable, or Near Threatened status. Brachymeles talinis has been documented to have a broad geographic distribution and is quite abundant at all sampled localities. We therefore classify this species as Least Concern, LC (IUCN, 2010).
Brachymeles talinis can be distinguished from congeners by the following combination of characters: (1) body size large (SVL 103.8–123.1 mm); (2) pentadactyl; (3) Finger-III lamellae five or six; (4) Toe-IV lamellae eight to ten; (5) limbs relatively long; (6) paravertebral scale rows 67–72; (7) supralabials seven; (8) infralabials seven; (9) pineal eye spot present; (10) supranasals in contact; (11) prefrontals not contacting on midline; (12) enlarged chin shields in two pairs; (13) nuchal scales undifferentiated; (14) fifth and sixth supralabial below eye; (15) auricular opening present; (16) dark lateral stripes present; (17) venter devoid of dark pigmentation.
Dorsal ground color medium-brown; when present, longitudinal rows of spots dark-brown to black; dorsolateral stripes light- to medium-brown, bordered mid-dorsally by rows of dark spots; lateral surface ground color light-brown to tan; ventral surfaces of body light-brown to tan. Dorsal surfaces of limbs dark- to medium-brown, ventral surfaces light-brown. Dorsal head scales blotched dark and medium-brown.
Brachymeles talinis is known from Negros, Panay, Romblon, Sibuyan, and Tablas islands in the Philippines. It is also likely to occur on Guimaras Island.
The species is moderately common throughout its range (CDS personal observation), and occurs sympatrically with three other species (B. bonitae, B. talinis, and B. tridactylus [Brown, 1956; Brown and Rabor, 1967; Brown and Alcala, 1980]). Individuals were often encountered in pitfall traps, indicating some level of activity outside of fossorial microhabitats. Similar to B. boulengeri, B. talinis appears to have a wider geographic distribution that spans multiple Philippine islands. This is in contrast to the island endemic species, B. boholensis, B. tungaoi, and B. mindorensis, which are known from just Bohol, Masbate, and Mindoro Islands respectively. As do all members of the genus, when disturbed, individuals attempt to escape by moving in a rapid serpentine manner and attempting to burrow back into loose soil or humus.
Luzon Pleistocene Aggregate Island Complex (PAIC; Brown and Diesmos, 2002).
Brachymeles talinis occurs in a variety of habitats from agricultural areas, to disturbed and secondary growth forest. Little or no original, lowland forest remains in the Visayas, but we assume the species originally occurred in primary forest. Individuals have been observed under piles of rotting coconut husks, in the humus material within rotting logs, and in loose soil and leaf litter surrounding the root networks of trees.
Brachymeles talinis most closely resembles B. kadwa, B. makusog, B. tungaoi, and B. vindumi, but differs from these four taxa by having the range of paravertebral scale rows reaching greater than 70 but fewer than 74, and seven infralabials. Brachymeles talinis can further be distinguished from B. kadwa by having eight to ten Toe-IV lamellae, the first enlarged chin shield wider than the second, frontoparietals in contact, and by the absence of dark ventral pigmentation; from B. makusog by having seven supralabials the fifth and sixth supralabial below the eye, supranasals in contact, and by the presence of dark lateral stripes; from B. tungaoi by having a larger body size, shorter relative tail length, eight to ten Toe-IV lamellae, and the first enlarged chin shield wider than the second; and from B. vindumi by having fewer axilla–groin scale rows, fewer paravertebral scale rows, and by the absence of dark ventral pigmentation.
SVL 103.1–126.7 mm
Duméril's short-legged skink (Brachymeles talinis) is a species of skink endemic to the Philippines.[2]
Duméril's short-legged skink (Brachymeles talinis) is a species of skink endemic to the Philippines.
