Brachymeles lukbani is a species of skink endemic to the Philippines.[1] The skink species Brachymeles lukbani has a unique pattern of limb reduction; as an adult, it seems to be limbless on the outside but has a concealed limb rudiment, which is called cryptomelia. This phenomenon sheds light on the evolutionary processes responsible for the recurring reduction and loss of limbs in this species, suggesting the existence of temporary growing limbs during embryonic stages.
| Brachymeles lukbani | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Family: | Scincidae |
| Genus: | Brachymeles |
| Species: | B. lukbani
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| Binomial name | |
| Brachymeles lukbani Siler, Balete, Diesmos, & Brown, 2010
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References edit
- ^ Brachymeles lukbani at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 13 October 2020.
- ^ Smith-Paredes, D., Griffith, O., Fabbri, M., Yohe, L., Blackburn, D. G., Siler, C. D., Bhullar, B. S., & Wagner, G. P. (2021). Hidden limbs in the “limbless skink” brachymeles lukbani: Developmental observations. Journal of Anatomy, 239(3), 693-703. https://doi.org/10.1111/joa.13447
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