View source for Chalcides chalcides

{{short description|Species of reptile}}
{{italic title}}
{{speciesbox
| name = Italian three-toed skink
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 19 November 2021">{{cite iucn |first1=Jose Antonio Mateo|last1=Miras|first2=Marc|last2=Cheylan|first3=M. Saïd|last3=Nouira|first4=Ulrich|last4=Joger|first5=Paulo|last5=Sá-Sousa|first6=Valentin |last6=Pérez-Mellado|first7=Iñigo|last7=Martínez-Solano|first8=Roberto|last8=Sindaco|first9=Antonio|last9=Romano |date=2009 |title=''Chalcides chalcides'' |volume=2009 |page=e.T61473A12473373 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2009.RLTS.T61473A12473373.en |access-date=19 November 2021}}</ref>
| image = Chalcides chalcides.jpg
| genus = Chalcides
| species = chalcides
| authority = ([[Carl Linnaeus|Linnaeus]], [[10th edition of Systema Naturae|1758]])
| range_map = Chalcides chalcides distribution.png
}}
The '''Italian three-toed skink''' or the '''cylindrical skink''' ('''''Chalcides chalcides''''') is a species of [[lizard]] found from [[Italy]] (including [[Sicily]], [[Sardinia]] and [[Elba]]), to northern [[Algeria]], [[Libya]], [[Morocco]] and [[Tunisia]] and in india. It is common in some locations and is usually found in sunny areas with dense vegetation (usually [[grass]] up to {{cvt|40|cm|disp=or}} of height) but can also be found in arid areas. They reach about {{cvt|48|cm}} in length, out of which the tail constitutes more than half. Its body is long and [[snake]]-like, coloured usually between brown and olive and may have dark stripes on the back. Each of the highly reduced legs has three fingers. These skinks are active during daytime and prey mainly on insects. Females of the species give birth to [[ovoviviparity|live young]]. The population of this skink is slowly declining, but it has some tolerance to habitat modification.
==Description==
This skink superficially looks like a snake except for the possession of tiny limbs with three-toed feet, the middle toe of the hind foot being longer than the other two, a fact that differentiates it from the [[Western three-toed skink]] (''Chalcides striatus''). It has a small head and thick neck and grows to a length of about {{convert|48|cm|0|abbr=on}}, more than half of which is tail. There are three different colour variants; Some animals are plain silvery-grey; some have four to six narrow lengthwise lines running along the body; some have these lines but additionally a pale longitudinal, lateral band.<ref name=Collins>{{cite book |title=Field Guide: Reptiles & Amphibians of Britain & Europe |last=Arnold |first=E. Nicholas |last2=Ovenden |first2= Denys W. |year=2002 |publisher=Collins & Co. |isbn=0-00-219964-5 |page=189 }}</ref>
==Distribution and habitat==
The Italian three-toed skink is native to Italy, where it is common south of the [[River Po]], and including Sardinia, Elba and Sicily, and North Africa, where its range includes Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Libya. Its typical habitat is damp but sunny areas with dense low vegetation such as meadows, stream verges, marshes, grassy slopes and hedgerows. In upland areas it may inhabit drier, more arid areas with low scrub and degraded slopes.<ref name=Collins/> Its altitudinal range is from sea level to {{convert|2077|m|0|abbr=on}}.<ref name = "De Vivo">{{cite journal | last1=De Vivo |first1=M. |last2=Posillico |first2=M. |last3=Lerda |first3=L. |last4=Cavallo |first4=M. R. |last5=Amitrano |first5=W. | year = 2021 | title = Highest elevation record for the Italian three-toed skink ''Chalcides chalcides'' (Linnaeus, 1758 (Squamata: Scincidae) | journal = Herpetology Notes | volume = 14 | pages = 813–814 | url = https://www.biotaxa.org/hn/article/download/68686/66866}}</ref>
==Status==
The Italian three-toed skink is common in suitable habitats over much of its wide range. It is threatened by urbanization and the degradation of its habitat by coastal development, but it is tolerant of some degree of habitat modification. The [[IUCN]] has listed it as being of "[[Least Concern]]" because, although the population is probably declining, this is not at a fast enough rate to warrant listing it in a more threatened category.<ref name="iucn status 19 November 2021" />
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q1092124}}
[[Category:Chalcides]]
[[Category:Reptiles described in 1758]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus]]