Life History and Ecology of the Five-Lined Skink, Eumeces fasciatusFitch, Henry S. (Henry Sheldon)
Science
Life History and Ecology of the Five-Lined Skink, Eumeces fasciatus
Fitch, Henry S. (Henry Sheldon)
Eumeces fasciatus
No. 2. At hilltop ledge, under flat rock 13 × 10 × 1 inches, with
one edge sunken in soil; exposed to sunshine for most of day.
June 24, 1951. Female, snout-vent length 70 mm., tail 27-51, weight 5 gms.
Nine eggs, one of which measured 14 × 8 mm.
July 18, 1951. Nine eggs still in their original nest cavity, attended by the
female; she escaped into crevice behind the rock. The eggs were in slightly
damp soil, and in contact with the undersurface of the rock on their upper
sides; one egg was 17 × 10 mm.
July 26, 1951. Eggs caked with dried mud; still attended by female.
July 30, 1951. Dry and empty eggshells in nest cavity, evidently all the eggs
had hatched; no other trace of female nor of young; July 28th seems most
probable hatching date--if, on the 27th, some of eggs almost certainly
would have shown signs of hatching on the 26th when they were examined,
and if on the 29th some stragglers almost surely would have remained at
the nest on July 30.
No. 3. In small gully, on lower slope in hickory woods, beneath rock
9 × 9 × 1 inches, shaded by trees on south side for much of the day,
especially during latter part of morning.
June 24, 1951. The gravid female was deep in nest burrow.
June 29, 1951. When rock was lifted no trace of nest was visible except
for slightly disturbed loose soil at the point where it had been. When
some of this loose soil was cleared away, nest was revealed, with
11 eggs, mud-stained, approximately 12.5 × 8 mm. The female was cold
and sluggish, and did not attempt to escape, but cowered in the back
of the nest burrow, with jaws gaping; she was caught and marked.
July 20, 1951. Eight eggs remaining in the nest--two were accidentally
destroyed in moving them. These two were fertile and contained live
embryos, one of which measured 29 mm. in over-all length. One of the
remaining eggs was 16.5 × 10 mm. Female was present with the eggs.
July 25, 1951. Eggs still present in the nest cavity; female not in
evidence, but might have been concealed in corner of nest chamber as
it was not disturbed.
July 28, 1951. Female was again found with the eggs. One or more of the
seven remaining eggs were punctured in moving them during their
examination. Eggs about 16 × 10 mm.
August 3, 1951. Female was in nest with the eggs some of which are
slightly indented from drying.
August 6, 1951. When rock was turned, female darted out and ran to cover
about ten feet away. The eggs had hatched but two young remained in
the nest cavity, still rather slow and feeble in their movements and
not yet fully active. When routed from cover a second time, the female
ran back to the nest rock and took shelter beneath it.
No. 4. On upper slope above ledge, under a rock 18 × 9 inches, in
site shaded most of day; burrow nearly concealed beneath rock.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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