Yellow-bellied species seen at edge of China forest in first-of-its-kind sighting
At the sunny edge of a forest on Ailao Mountain in southern China, four smooth, yellow-bellied creatures caught the attention of researchers surveying the peak for wildlife.
They belonged to a skink species discovered recently, 250 miles away on Mount Fanispan in northern Vietnam, according to a study published Aug. 12 in the Biodiversity Data Journal.
The sighting marked the first record of Scincella fansipanensis, or the Fansipan ground skink, in China and “a notable range extension” for the species, according to the study.
The small population, found at an elevation of abut 8,000 feet, differs slightly from the Vietnam population due to their “relatively shorter” forelimbs and higher number of scales on their bellies, according to the study.
Researchers said these differences may have evolved over time as the populations became isolated on either side of the Red River Basin and adapted to their microhabitats.
The Fanispan ground skink is “rarely” seen in heavily shaded forests, instead favoring grassy habitats along the forest’s edge where gaps in the tree canopy are present, researchers said.
However, this preference puts the species at risk for habitat loss as these areas are often susceptible to human disturbances, according to the study.
The study says the newly-discovered China population is considered “medium-sized,” reaching just over 5 inches long, including its tail.
They are “olive-brown” with small spots scattered around their bodies, allowing them to blend in with the ground. Their undersides are yellow with dark spots.
The Fanispan ground skink was first described in a study published Nov. 11 in the peer-reviewed journal Zootaxa, according to previous coverage from McClatchy News.
The research team included Yuhao Xu, Chencan Liao, Nikolay Poyarkov, Shiyang Weng, Jundong Deng, Andrei Bragin, Tierui Zhang, Nguyen Van Tan and Lifang Peng.
This story was originally published August 15, 2025 at 10:19 AM with the headline "Yellow-bellied species seen at edge of China forest in first-of-its-kind sighting."
