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Skinks

Overview

Skinks (Scincidae) are one of five groups of lizards found in the area - the others are dragons, legless-lizards, geckos and monitors.

Generally skinks have smooth scales (in some species scales may be somewhat iridescent), often lack necks, and legs may be relatively small, reduced or lacking. Several genera have fewer than five toes (digits) on each foot. As a general rule, the longer the digits, the more arboreal the species is likely to be. In species with reduced limbs, their locomotion resembles that of snakes.

Most species of skinks have long, tapering tails, which can be shed if predators grab onto them and which can generally be regenerated, though imperfectly. Species with stumpy tails have no special regenerative abilities.

Skinks are generally carnivorous and in particular insectivorous. Typical prey includes flies, crickets, grasshoppers, beetles and caterpillar and for some species may include earthworms, millipedes, snails, slugs, isopods. other lizards, and small rodents. Skinks use their tongues to sniff the air and track their prey. They can chase down prey until they corner it or manage to land a bite and then swallow it whole.

Most spend their time underground where they are mostly safe from predators, and a common characteristic is digging and burrowing. Often they dig out tunnels for easy navigation.

Currently there are about 1500 species of skink worldwide, and in Australia about 33 genera and 320 species. However taxonomic research is constantly revising the classification of species.

There is some agreement that skinks consist of three broad branches (clads): Egernia Group (including local genera Cyclodomorphus, Egernia, Liopholis and Tiliqua), Eugongylus Group (including Acritoscincus, Carlia, Menetia, Morethia, Niveoscincus, Nannoscincus, Pseudemoia and Saproscincus), and Sphenomorphus Group (Ctenotus, Eulamprus and Hemiergis).

27 species

Acritoscincus duperreyi (Eastern Three-lined Skink)

Acritoscincus duperreyi
Acritoscincus duperreyi
Acritoscincus duperreyi
Acritoscincus duperreyi
Acritoscincus duperreyi
Acritoscincus duperreyi

Acritoscincus platynotus (Red-throated Skink)

Acritoscincus platynotus
Acritoscincus platynotus
Acritoscincus platynotus
Acritoscincus platynotus
Acritoscincus platynotus
Acritoscincus platynotus

Anepischetosia maccoyi (MacCoy's Skink)

Anepischetosia maccoyi
Anepischetosia maccoyi
Anepischetosia maccoyi
Anepischetosia maccoyi
Anepischetosia maccoyi
Anepischetosia maccoyi

Concinnia tenuis (Bar-sided Skink)

Concinnia tenuis
Concinnia tenuis
Concinnia tenuis
Concinnia tenuis
Concinnia tenuis
Concinnia tenuis

Cryptoblepharus pulcher (Fence Skink)

Cryptoblepharus pulcher two white stripes and large fixed spectacles
Cryptoblepharus pulcher able to move quickly on vertical
Cryptoblepharus pulcher eye covered by transparent, immoveable scale
Cryptoblepharus pulcher
Cryptoblepharus pulcher
Cryptoblepharus pulcher

Ctenotus robustus (Robust Striped-skink)

Ctenotus robustus
Ctenotus robustus
Ctenotus robustus
Ctenotus robustus
Ctenotus robustus
Ctenotus robustus

Ctenotus taeniolatus (Copper-tailed Skink)

Ctenotus taeniolatus
Ctenotus taeniolatus
Ctenotus taeniolatus
Ctenotus taeniolatus
Ctenotus taeniolatus
Ctenotus taeniolatus

Cyclodomorphus michaeli (Mainland She-oak Skink)

Cyclodomorphus michaeli
Cyclodomorphus michaeli

Egernia cunninghami (Cunningham's Skink)

Egernia cunninghami
Egernia cunninghami
Egernia cunninghami
Egernia cunninghami
Egernia cunninghami
Egernia cunninghami

Egernia saxatilis (Black Rock Skink)

Egernia saxatilis
Egernia saxatilis
Egernia saxatilis
Egernia saxatilis
Egernia saxatilis
Egernia saxatilis

Egernia saxatilis intermedia (Black Rock Skink)

Egernia saxatilis intermedia Jackie Miles, Nadgee Beach
Egernia saxatilis intermedia Max Campbell, Mimosa Rocks NP
Egernia saxatilis intermedia
Egernia saxatilis intermedia
Egernia saxatilis intermedia
Egernia saxatilis intermedia

Eulamprus heatwolei (Yellow-bellied Water Skink)

Eulamprus heatwolei
Eulamprus heatwolei
Eulamprus heatwolei
Eulamprus heatwolei
Eulamprus heatwolei
Eulamprus heatwolei

Eulamprus quoyii (Eastern Water Skink)

Eulamprus quoyii pale anterior, dorsolateral stripe
Eulamprus quoyii
Eulamprus quoyii
Eulamprus quoyii
Eulamprus quoyii
Eulamprus quoyii

Eulamprus sp. (genus) (Water Skink)

Eulamprus sp. (genus)
Eulamprus sp. (genus)
Eulamprus sp. (genus)
Eulamprus sp. (genus)
Eulamprus sp. (genus)
Eulamprus sp. (genus)

Eulamprus tympanum (Southern Water Skink)

Eulamprus tympanum
Eulamprus tympanum
Eulamprus tympanum
Eulamprus tympanum
Eulamprus tympanum
Eulamprus tympanum

Hemiergis decresiensis (Three-toed Skink)

Hemiergis decresiensis
Hemiergis decresiensis
Hemiergis decresiensis
Hemiergis decresiensis
Hemiergis decresiensis
Hemiergis decresiensis

Lampropholis delicata (Delicate Skink)

Lampropholis delicata
Lampropholis delicata
Lampropholis delicata
Lampropholis delicata
Lampropholis delicata
Lampropholis delicata

Lampropholis guichenoti (Common Garden Skink)

Lampropholis guichenoti
Lampropholis guichenoti
Lampropholis guichenoti
Lampropholis guichenoti
Lampropholis guichenoti
Lampropholis guichenoti

Lampropholis sp. (Grass Skink)

Lampropholis sp.
Lampropholis sp.
Lampropholis sp.
Lampropholis sp.
Lampropholis sp.
Lampropholis sp.

Liopholis whitii (White's Skink)

Liopholis whitii
Liopholis whitii
Liopholis whitii
Liopholis whitii
Liopholis whitii
Liopholis whitii

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Conservation Level

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Invasiveness

  • All invasiveness levels (change?)

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