| Ctenotus regius | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Family: | Scincidae |
| Genus: | Ctenotus |
| Species: | C. regius |
| Binomial name | |
| Ctenotus regius Storr, 1971 | |
Belonging to the largest group of reptiles in Australia, Ctentotus (containing close to 100 species) [2] , the pale-rumped ctenotus or regal striped skink (Ctenotus regius) is a medium-sized species of skink with an arid distribution restricted to the Australia n Mainland. [3]
Ctentotus regius is a medium-sized skink, characterised by its longitudinally striped back and white spotted sides. [3] The species has a reddish-brown tail and its body is patterned by a blackish brown colour with a white-cream lateral stripe that runs from over the ear to below the eye, and white side spots in between the longitudinal lines that span the length of its body. [3] The average snout-to-vent length of the species is 7.2 cm [4] with females being recorded as slightly larger, on average, than their male counterparts. [5]
Ctenotus regius was first described by Glen Milton Store in 1970, [6] and has not since had a name revision.
The Pale-rumped Ctenotus is a member of the skink family (Scincidae), and the genus Ctenotus, often described as 'comb-eared' for its row of small scales on the anterior edge of its ears. [7] Many of the species within this genus are exceedingly similar in shape, build and appearance, with many differences only identifiable in their size and foraging and sheltering behaviours. [7]
Ctentotus regius is endemic to Australia, with a distribution isolated to the in north-west of New South Wales, the south-west of Queensland, the south-east of Northern Territory, the north-east of South Australia and the north-west of Victoria. [3] Atlas of Living Australia currently holds 7,697 records for the species across Australia, although some of these may be misidentifications. [3] Records for the species exist in a number of National Parks and Nature Reserves within New South Wales, including Mallee Cliffs NP, Tarawi NR, Mungo NP, Sturt NP, Kinchega NP, Nocoleche NR and Yathong NR. [8]
The Pale-rumped Ctentotus inhabits sandy and loamy deserts in central Australia, seeking refuge in low shrubs including saltbush ( Atriplex spp.), bluebush ( Maireana spp.) and nitre bush ( Nitraria billardierei ). [3]
Although much is still unknown about the species' ecological ties to its predators and prey, Grey Butcherbirds ( Cracticus torquatus ) have been observed preying upon the species in Murray-Sunset National Park in Victoria. [2]
The species has been observed to occupy a home range, with estimates ranging from 40-60 metres. [5]
The Pale-rumped Ctentotus is an oviparous (egg-laying) species. [11] Females are on average larger than their male counterparts and lay a clutch of approximately two eggs early in summer, although reproductive efforts have been noted to vary considerably with environmental conditions. [5] The Pale-rumped Ctenotus has a relatively short lifespan of approximately 3 years, in contrast to other Ctenotus species such as C. leonhardii with specimens recorded as living for as long as 7 years. [5]
Ctentotus regius is largely an unspecialised insectivore, although it may occasionally consume plant material. [5]
Ctenotus regius is listed as a species of least concern on the IUCN Red List. [1] However, many pressures impact desert reptile populations within Australia, including habitat loss from land clearing, habitat degradation and modification as a result of introduced pest species and anthropogenic climate change, vehicle collisions and emerging diseases. [4]
Ctenotus is a genus of skinks. The genus belongs to a clade in the Sphenomorphus group which contains such genera as Anomalopus and the close relatives Eulamprus and Gnypetoscincus.
The copper-tailed ctenotus or copper-tailed skink, is a species of medium-sized skink found commonly along the eastern seaboard of Australia and throughout the country generally. Striped skinks are found in open bushland and heathland. They can grow to be 30 cm long.
The spiny-cheeked honeyeater is the only species in the genus Acanthagenys. It is large, for a honeyeater, ranging from 22 to 27 centimeters and weighing around 52 grams. The birds are sociable, aggressive, and often observed foraging in large flocks.
Cryptoblepharus virgatus, also commonly known as striped snake-eyed skink, cream-striped shinning-skink, wall skink, fence skink or snake-eyed skink is a skink commonly found in southern and eastern Australia. It is an active little lizard, and if threatened will often play dead to confuse the attacker.
The African striped skink, commonly called the striped skink, is a species of lizard in the skink family (Scincidae). The species is widespread in East Africa and Southern Africa. It is not a close relation to the Australian striped skink, Ctenotus taeniolatus.
Saproscincus mustelinus, commonly known as the southern weasel skink or weasel shadeskink, is a small species of skink which is endemic to Australia.
The robust ctenotus or striped skink is a species of skink found in a wide variety of habitats in Australia. A robust lizard with complex markings and patterns. The snout to vent length is around 123 mm.
The northern spiny-tailed gecko is a species of lizard in the family Diplodactylidae. The species is endemic to Australia.
Cryptoblepharus australis, commonly called the inland snake-eyed skink, is a species of skink in the genus Cryptoblepharus.
Richard Sternfeld was a German-Jewish herpetologist, who was responsible for describing over forty species of amphibians and reptiles, particularly from Germany's African and Pacific colonies.
Ctenotus strauchii, also known commonly as the eastern barred wedge-snout ctenotus or Strauch's ctenotus, is a small species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to Australia and is found throughout semi-arid and arid regions in most of Australia's mainland states except Western Australia, although one record does exist for Western Australia in 1975.
Strophurus intermedius, also known commonly as the eastern spiny-tailed gecko or the southern spiny-tailed gecko, is a species of lizard in the family Diplodactylidae. The species is endemic to semi-arid regions of Australia in New South Wales, Northern Territory, South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia, in mallee shrubland and woodland habitats.
The Quinkan ctenotus is a species of Australian skink, a lizard in the family Scincidae.
Gehyra pulingka is a species of gecko endemic to Australia. It occurs in north-west South Australia, the mid Northern Territory, and Western Australia to the eastern Rawlinson Ranges.
The tree-crevice skink or tree skink (Egernia striolata) is a species of skink, a lizard in the family Scincidae.
Carlia tetradactyla, the southern rainbow-skink, is a small species of colourful lizard found in Australia.
The saltbush Morethia skink, or more commonly referred to as saltbush skink, is a species of skink found in Australia. They are part of an 8 species genus of Morethia, which are all endemic to Australia. Akin to other members of the Morethia genus, saltbush skinks feature transparent disks as eye covers and eyelids which are stationary, along with specialised limbs which enable quick traversal of sand dunes. Taxonomically, the species was first classified by German explorer Wilhelm Karl Hartwig in 1871.
The Shark Bay south-west ctenotus, also known commonly as Youngson's ctenotus, is a species of skink, a lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to Australia.
The dwarf three-toed slider or wood mulch-slider is a species of skink found in Australia. Other common names for the species include timid slider and dwarf burrowing skink. The skink is a member of the Lerista genus which are confined to continental Australia and are mostly a burrowing species of skink. The genus consists of consists elongated, smooth-scaled, Fossorial lizards that are specialized for life in the upper soils and dry leaf litter through which they slide using Lateral undulation as a form of locomotive action, giving rise to their nickname as sliders. They normally emerge of a night-time to hunt for small Invertebrates such as ants, termites and insects. If disturbed, they dive immediately into any loose substrate to avoid predation, this behavior leaves behind a distinctive disrupted wavy track that often found on sandy flats or dunes, roads and tracks.
The Shark Bay broad-blazed slider is a species of skink found in Western Australia. It was described by Storr in 1986.
