title: Ornithuroscincus
text: # Ornithuroscincus
  
  Ornithuroscincus is a genus of skinks, lizards in the family Scincidae. All but one species are endemic to New Guinea: in addition to northern New Guinea, Ornithuroscincus noctua occurs on many Pacific islands.
  
  ## Taxonomy
  
  The genus Ornithuroscincus was erected in 2021 in the revision of the then-polyphyletic genus Lobulia. Its closest relative in Alpinoscincus.
  
  ## Description
  
  Ornithuroscincus are small to medium-sized skinks with adult snout–vent length of 29–69 mm (1.1–2.7 in). The limbs are short. They are ovoviviparous with 1–3 offspring in each litter.
  
  ## Habitat
  
  They are terrestrial to semi-arboreal. Most species have restricted ranges in mountainous areas, but some species are widespread and occur in lowland areas.
  
  ## Species
  
  The following species are recognized as being valid:
  
  * Ornithuroscincus albodorsalis (T. Vogt, 1932)
  * Ornithuroscincus bengaun Slavenko, Tamar, Tallowin, Kraus, Allison, Carranza, & Meiri, 2021
  * Ornithuroscincus inornatus Slavenko, Tamar, Tallowin, Kraus, Allison, Carranza, & Meiri, 2021
  * Ornithuroscincus noctua (Lesson, 1830) – moth skink
  * Ornithuroscincus nototaenia (Boulenger, 1914)
  * Ornithuroscincus pterophilus Slavenko, Tamar, Tallowin, Kraus, Allison, Carranza, & Meiri, 2021
  * Ornithuroscincus sabini (Kraus, 2020)
  * Ornithuroscincus shearmani Slavenko, Tamar, Tallowin, Kraus, Allison, Carranza, & Meiri, 2021
  * Ornithuroscincus viridis Slavenko, Tamar, Tallowin, Kraus, Allison, Carranza, & Meiri, 2021
  
  Nota bene: A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Ornithuroscincus.
  
  