| Eremiascincus phantasmus | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Family: | Scincidae |
| Genus: | Eremiascincus |
| Species: | E. phantasmus |
| Binomial name | |
| Eremiascincus phantasmus | |
The ghost skink ( Eremiascincus phantasmus) is a species of skink endemic to Australia. [2]
The Eremiascincus genus of skinks is characterised by their nocturnal and fossorial habit. [3] These adaptations lead to them mostly inhabiting ecosystems consisting of loose substrate such as sand dunes and sandy plains. [4] It is a nocturnal forager, consuming mostly insects. Skinks of this genus are referred to as 'sand-swimmers' referring to their ability to move easily through sand. [5]
Eremiascincus mostly feed on insects such as moths, termites, beetles, grasshoppers, and spiders but they also consume some small reptile species such as geckos or smaller skinks. [5] They are crepuscular or nocturnal foragers, and forage on the surface of loose substrates. [6]
E. phantasmus is oviparous with clutch sizes ranging from 2-7 eggs. [4]
In 2013 Sven Mecke, Paul Doughty and Stephen Charles Donnellan examined variation in morphology of the Eremascincus fasciolatus, providing clarification on four different species, and providing the description and clarification of diagnostic features for E. phantasmus as a distinct species.
Eric Worrell is thought to be the first author to use the colloquial name 'ghost skink' in 1963, in reference to Eremiascincus richardsonii. In 1974, Glenn Milton Storr referred to an extremely pale form of E. faciolatus located in the Lake Eyre region of north-eastern South Australia, followed by Allen Eddy Greer in 1979. [4]
Diagnostic features:
The pale dorsal coloration is usually the easiest and most distinguishable diagnostic feature. The only other skink that has similar faded colouring is the Eremiascincus pallidus which is smaller in size, lives in the western arid zone. [4]
E. phantasmus is endemic to Australia, occurring in New South Wales, the Northern Territory, Queensland and South Australia. It is mostly found in low-elevation areas of the Lake Eyre Basin in north-eastern South Australia but also extending into the southern Northern Territory, south-western Queensland and western New South Wales. [9]
In June 2017, the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) red list assessment classified the Eremiascincus phantasmus to the 'Least Concern' category. The justification for this is that it is a "widespread, common desert species and is subject to no threats". [9]
General threats to reptiles include: habitat loss, habitat modification and habitat degradation, death on roads, and predation from feral animals including dogs, cats, pigs and foxes. [10]
The specific epithet 'phantasmus' is Latin for 'ghost' and in the case of Eremiascincus phantasmus, refers to the faded "ghostly" visibility of its dorsal bands. [4]
Skinks are lizards belonging to the family Scincidae, a family in the infraorder Scincomorpha. With more than 1,500 described species across 100 different taxonomic genera, the family Scincidae is one of the most diverse families of lizards. Skinks are characterized by their smaller legs in comparison to typical lizards and are found in different habitats except arctic and subarctic regions.
Eremiascincus is a genus of skinks, lizards in the family Scincidae. The genus is endemic to Australia, Indonesia, and East Timor.
Menetia greyii, commonly known as the common dwarf skink or Grey's skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is native to mainland Australia and Indonesia.
The curl snake is a species of venomous, heavily built snake in the family Elapidae. The species, which is native to Australia, is also known more commonly in Western Australia as the myall snake. The curl snake is often confused with a similar species named the Ord curl snake.
Lucasium byrnei, also known commonly as the gibber gecko, Byrne's gecko, and the pink-blotched gecko, is a species of small, nocturnal lizard in the family Diplodactylidae. The species is endemic to Australia.
Lucasium stenodactylum, also known as the crowned gecko or pale-snouted ground gecko, is a species of gecko from Australia.
The southern sandslider is a species of skink or Scincidae. The species is endemic to Australia and widespread across the continent, being most commonly found within sandy termite mounds. This is where they take safe refuge from the harsh Australian climate and various ground predators.
The Eyre Basin beaked gecko is a gecko endemic to Australia in the family Diplodactylidae. It is found throughout parts of South Australia, Queensland and the Northern Territory and New South Wales.
Brachyurophis fasciolatus is a species of snake from the family Elapidae, commonly named the narrow-banded shovel-nosed snake, or narrow-banded burrowing snake, and is a species endemic to Australia. Its common names reflect its shovel nose specialization, burrowing behaviour and banded body colour.
The desert egernia, unadorned desert-skink or desert skink is a species of skink, a lizard in the family Scincidae. The desert egernia is endemic to the continent of Australia, and is widespread, with populations recorded in all mainland states and territories except the Australian Capital Territory. The desert egernia is found in dry, desert areas with deep, uncompacted sandy/loamy soils and little significant vegetation cover.
The bull skink, southern sand-skink or southernheath skink is a species of terrestrial skink, a lizard in the family Scincidae. It is one of eleven species within the Liopholis genus.
The pale-rumped ctenotus or regal striped skink is a medium-sized species of skink with an arid distribution restricted to the Australian Mainland, which belongs to the largest group of reptiles in Australia, Ctentotus.
Eremiascincus antoniorum is a species of skink, a lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to Timor in Indonesia.
Eremiascincus brongersmai, also known commonly as Brongersma's tree skink and the brown-sided bar-lipped skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to the state of Western Australia.
Eremiascincus butlerorum is a species of skink, a lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to the island of Sumba in Indonesia.
The orange-sided bar-lipped skink is a species of skink found in the Northern Territory in Australia.
The narrow-banded sand-swimmer or thick-tailed skink is a species of skink found in Queensland in Australia.
The mosaic desert skink is a species of skink found in Western Australia.
The western sand-swimming skink or western narrow-banded skink is a species of skink found in Australia.
The broad-banded sand-swimmer or Richardson's skink is a species of skink found in Australia.
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