Indonesian?

[Logancrook]

I recently got my skink from a breeder at Repticon Baltimore. When I got her though the breeder said she was an Indonesian. Through research I've done though she seems to look more like a Meruke. Is a meruke just a subspecies of the Indonesians or should I be worried that the guy I bought the skink from is a skammer?

[Dakota]

He is a Merauke..

[Logancrook]

Her is another picture of her.

[Dakota]

The Merauke (Gigas Evanescens) is a sub-species of the Indonesian (Gigas Gigas), correct.

[Sarikazam]

'Tis a Merauke.
The man who sold her to you may have not been a scammer, but just misinformed. Although did he say he bred her?

[Ophidiophile]

'Tis a Merauke.
The man who sold her to you may have not been a scammer, but just misinformed.

I'll second that but also repeat something I said in another post, which is that Merauke (the geographic area) is part of Irian Jaya (a/k/a West Papua) which is also part of Indonesia. Therefore if someone calls a Merauke BTS an Irian Jaya BTS or an Indonesian BTS, they are technically correct (geographically). What you have is T. gigas evanescens (which colloquially has come to be called in the hobby "Merauke BTS").

I've also noticed lately that a lot of imports (some of which are Meraukes, some of which are Indonesians, and some of which are intergrades) are being sold as "New Guinea BTS" which is also technically correct since Merauke and the State of Irian Jaya (West Papua) are located on the western side of the island of New Guinea.

[Chris.J]

'Tis a Merauke.
The man who sold her to you may have not been a scammer, but just misinformed.

I'll second that but also repeat something I said in another post, which is that Merauke (the geographic area) is part of Irian Jaya (a/k/a West Papua) which is also part of Indonesia. Therefore if someone calls a Merauke BTS an Irian Jaya BTS or an Indonesian BTS, they are technically correct (geographically). What you have is T. gigas evanescens (which colloquially has come to be called in the hobby "Merauke BTS").

I've also noticed lately that a lot of imports (some of which are Meraukes, some of which are Indonesians, and some of which are intergrades) are being sold as "New Guinea BTS" which is also technically correct since Merauke and the State of Iran Jaya (West Papua) are located on the western side of the island of New Guinea.

Love posts like this - thanks Ophidiophile - Really great info.

[Logancrook]

He said he did breeds them himself. The skink is about 17 inches and 11 months old. We have the same birthday which is July 14th too. He also said he had a degree in Herptology. Maybe he was just unaware that a Indonesions had subspecies.

[Sarikazam]

Agreed, very interesting and insightful Ophidiophile!

There isn't many people who do breed Meraukes in the US currently, do you remember the name of the breeder? There is a chance she may be wild-caught.
If he was unaware of there being different subspecies of Indonesians and he is breeding them, that is kind of concerning.

[Logancrook]

I have his card in my wallet. To bad I can't find my wallet. He had an older male in the same cage as her when I bought her. I don't think they are related though.