Title: Aquatic life
Identifier: aquaticlife419181919baus (find matches)
Year: 1918-1919 (1910s)
Authors: Bausman, Joseph E
Subjects: Aquariums; Fish culture
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. E. Bausman
Contributing Library: Harvard University, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Ernst Mayr Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Harvard University, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Ernst Mayr Library

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THE BLUE-TAILED SKINK RICHARD DECKERT NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL GARDEM
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RED-HEADED AND BLUE-TAILED PHASES OF PLESTIODON FASCIATUS Painted from life bj) trie autkor The lizard known under the above name belongs in the family of Skinks; lizards having smooth scales, a cylindrical body, tail of moderate length and short limbs. The scientific name of the species has been for many years Bumeces quinque-lineatus, but in adherence to the rules of priority adopted by the Zoologi- cal Congress of Paris, has been changed to Plestiodon fasciatus. (Plestiodon: pleistos—many, odon—tooth ; fasciatus— striped.) Two distinct color phases, with inter- grading forms, are met with. When the young lizard emerges from the egg it is shiny black with five pale yellow longi- tudinal lines on the back and sides, the tail being brilliant blue. Both sexes are alike in this coloring until a length of five inches has been attained, when the male shows reddish tints on the head, which also widens perceptibly at the temporal region in this sex. While the males still retain the brilliant coloring, the females seem to "fade out," that is, the pale stripes become dull, the dark ones paler and the blue of the tail less brilliant, until, at a maximum length of about seven

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