Ilhas Desertas – The terra typica of the Cape Verde giant skink Organisms that occur in isolated ecosystems such as islands are often adapted to the extreme conditions prevailing there. They exhibit characteristics such as dwarfism or gigantism and often lack defensive mechanisms due to the absence of predators, setting
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Illustration of the Cape Verde Giant Skink by J. Terrier from 1885. Males could reach a body length of around 50 centimeters, and females around 43 centimeters (including the tail). The weight of the animals was almost half a kilogram. (© J. Terrier, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)