Scincus mitranus

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The eastern skink (Scincus mitranus), also known commonly as the Arabian sand skink and the eastern sandfish, is a species of lizard in the subfamily Scincinae of the family Scincidae (skinks). The species is native to the deserts and arid lands of the Arabian Peninsula north to Western Iran. Truly at home within fine, loosely-grained desert sand, this skink is known for resting while completely buried, keeping only its nostrils, and possibly part of its face, above ground for oxygen. In addition to ambushing passing invertebrate prey (likewise with only its nose or face exposed), S. mitranus will readily "dive" into the sand at the first sign of danger, appearing to "swim" through the dunes as it hastily buries itself deeper to hide. Its naturally glossy, shiny and smooth scales – typical of the skink family, in general – enable quick digging and rapid movement within the fine, often very hot, substrate, with no external injury or irritation to its body. This behavior has earned S. mitranus its common names of "sandfish" and "sand skink".