Prasinohaema is a genus

Genus

In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...

 of skink

Skink

Skinks are lizards belonging to the family Scincidae. Together with several other lizard families, including Lacertidae , they comprise the superfamily or infraorder Scincomorpha...

s characterized by having green blood

Blood

Blood is a specialized bodily fluid in animals that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells and transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells....

 (the only vertebrates known to have such). This condition is caused by an excess buildup of the bile

Bile

Bile or gall is a bitter-tasting, dark green to yellowish brown fluid, produced by the liver of most vertebrates, that aids the process of digestion of lipids in the small intestine. In many species, bile is stored in the gallbladder and upon eating is discharged into the duodenum...

 pigment biliverdin

Biliverdin

Biliverdin is a green tetrapyrrolic bile pigment, and is a product of heme catabolism. It is the pigment responsible for a greenish color sometimes seen in bruises.- Metabolism :...

. Unlike all other vertebrates, they have an accumulation of biliverdin so high so as to turn the blood and tissue deadly.

Species in the genus include:

• Prasinohaema flavipes, Yellow-footed green-blooded skink
• Prasinohaema parkeri
• Prasinohaema prehensicauda
• Prasinohaema semoni
• Prasinohaema virens
  Prasinohaema virens
  The Green Green-blooded skink , sometimes known as "green tree skink", is a scincid lizard species native to New Guinea...
  
  , Green green-blooded skink

External links

• Green Blood episode in O'Shea's Big Adventure
  Mark O'Shea
  Mark O'Shea is a herpetologist, photographer, author, lecturer, and television personality.Originally from Wolverhampton, Mark O'Shea moved to Shropshire in 2001...