E. latiscutatus okadae (and sometimes oshimensis and elegans) differ in reduced number of scale rows; all but tunganus differ in having a lateral postanal scale differentiated, and usually keeled; tunganus, xanthi and elegans differ in having a patch of enlarged scales on the posterior side of the thigh; and in all, the primary temporals and upper and lower secondary temporals differ in size and proportions. Although some of the Asiatic forms seem to be directly derived from others, fasciatus is somewhat intermediate between the more divergent forms, and fulfills most of the conditions to be looked for in an ancestral type.
Table 1. Distribution, Pattern, Size, and Lepidosis of the “Five-lined” Skinks (Fasciatus Group of the Genus Eumeces)
| fasciatus | laticeps | inexpectatus | tunganus | xanthi | elegans | tamadoensis | oshimensis | stimsonii | barbouri | marginatus | latiscutatus | |
| Distribution | E U. S., except Fla. and N New England | Most of E U. S., except N tier of states | SE U. S. | W Szechwan (in N China) | SE China | SW China, Formosa, Pesca- dores I. | Indo- China | Amami- gunto I. | Ishigaki- jima, Riu Kiu I. | Amami- shima | Okinawa | Japan, (main I.) |
| Juvenal Pattern | 5 lined | 5 or 7 lined | 5 or 7 lined | 5 lined | 5 lined | 5 lined | 5 lined | 5 lined | 7 lined | … … | 5 lined | 5 lined |
| Max. snout-vent length in mm. | 80 | 130 | 89 | 81 | 76 | 96 | … … | 99 | 63 | 66 | 93 | 80 |
| Postnasal | present | present | present | present | present | absent | present | absent | absent | present | absent | present |
| Postmental | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| No. scale rows | 28–30 | 30–32 | 30–32 | 28 | 22–24 | 26–28 | … … | 26–28 | 26 | 22 | 26 | 26 (or 24) |
| Lateral postanal scales | undiffer- entiated | undiffer- entiated | undiffer- entiated | undiffer- entiated | differ- entiated | keeled | … … | keeled |
|