Kyrgyz Skink, or Nikolsky's Skink
A medium-sized lizard with a body length of up to 80 mm. It is characterized by a slender, elongated body, with the tail making up at least 2/3 of its length. Brightly colored, especially in young individuals. In adult skinks, the main background color of the upper body gradually turns gray, sandy, or olive-gray, with dark longitudinal stripes breaking into spots, and the light spots with dark edging located on the sides of the body at chest level turning blue. The belly is white or yellowish. The underside of the tail and thighs is yellowish-ochre. The coloration of the lizards varies with altitude and microclimatic conditions of isolated populations.
Distribution. Inner Tien Shan (Central Naryn), further south this lizard is more common. It is a mountain lizard. Its main habitats are located at altitudes from 1000 to 2500 m above sea level.
Habitats. It is mainly found in the valleys and gorges of mountain rivers, inhabiting gravelly and clayey soils with sparse herbaceous and shrub vegetation, often on rocky screes, among rock debris, and on pebble beds. In some places, it also penetrates the zone of tree-like juniper and walnut-fruit sparse forests. The main habitats lie at altitudes of 950-3000 m above sea level. The population is uneven, with some areas being quite significant. There are reports of counting 27 individuals in Kyrgyzstan over an area of 100 x 40 sq. m. In another location, a density of 6-7 individuals was observed over a 150 m route. They hide in burrows of rodents and voids under stones and plant roots. They are capable of digging shallow burrows in sandy soil, not exceeding 10-15 cm in length.
Reproduction. After hibernation, depending on the altitude of their habitat, they appear in late March to early April. In Kyrgyzstan, mating occurs from late March to June, and the only clutch is laid from the second half of May to the end of June. The clutch consists of 3-5 eggs measuring 6-8 x 12-16 mm. There are reports that the development of embryos begins while still in the female's oviducts, long before the eggs are laid. Young lizards, about 25 mm in body length, appear in July-August.
Their diet consists of snails, insects and their larvae, spiders, and small arthropods.
Sexual maturity apparently occurs in the second year of life.
In spring, males fight among themselves. During the breeding season, they have a peculiar way of "courting" females: they grasp them by the pelvic area with their jaws and, lifting them, carry them for a while.
Young skinks appear at the end of July, and then in mid-August to September. Newly hatched skinks reach 34-35 mm in length.
Distribution: throughout the valleys of Kyrgyzstan.
