Elusive creature with ‘window’ in its eyelid found in China city. It’s a new species
In a megacity of southern China lived an elusive creature with a “window” in its eyelid. The “stout” animal largely avoided attention, but when scientists finally found it, it turned out to be a new species.
Researchers visited several parks in Chengdu in 2017 and 2018 as part of an “ongoing biodiversity survey,” according to a study published Jan. 16 in the peer-reviewed journal Animals. The megacity has undergone “rapid urbanization and economic growth” yet “emerged as a noteworthy area for biodiversity.”
During their visits, researchers noticed three unfamiliar-looking lizards. They captured the animals and, after taking a closer look, soon realized they’d discovered a new species: Scincella chengduensis, or the Chengdu ground skink.
Chengdu ground skinks are considered “medium-sized,” reaching just under 4 inches in length, the study said. They have “stout” bodies with “relatively long” tails and “slender” fingers and toes. Their lower eyelids have a “transparent disc,” or “window,” in them.
A photo shows the “reddish‑brown” coloring of the new species. Seen from above, it has a copper hue with speckled brown markings on its sides. Seen from below, its stomach is cream “with large, irregular black spots.”
Chengdu ground skinks were “most frequently seen on rocky areas, on leaf-littered cave floors, and in rocky crevices,” the study said. Such habitats were “challenging” and “inaccessible” for researchers, “making specimen collection difficult.” A photo shows one such habitat at a city park.
The new species is most active during the day and found at elevations of about 4,300 to 6,000 feet, the study said. Much of its lifestyle remains unknown.
Researchers said they named the new species after the city where it was first discovered and, so far, the only area where it has been found. Chengdu is the capital of Sichuan Province in southwestern China and one of the largest cities in the country.
The discovery of the Chengdu ground skink helps “highlight the cryptic diversity within Chengdu and emphasize the need for detailed assessments of urban environments,” researchers said.
The new species was identified by its scale pattern, stomach coloring and other subtle physical features, the study said. DNA analysis found the new species had at least 3% genetic divergence from other related species.
The research team included Ru‑Wan Jia, Zong‑Yuan Gao, Di‑Hao Wu, Guan‑Qi Wang, Gang Liu, Min Liu, Ke Jiang, De‑Chun Jiang, Jin‑Long Ren and Jia‑Tang Li.
This story was originally published January 17, 2025 at 6:24 AM with the headline "Elusive creature with ‘window’ in its eyelid found in China city. It’s a new species."
