Pygmy spiny-tailed skink | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Order: | Squamata |
Family: | Scincidae |
Genus: | Egernia |
Species: | E. depressa |
Binomial name | |
Egernia depressa (Günther, 1875) | |
Synonyms | |
Silubosaurus depressusGünther, 1875 |
The pygmy spiny-tailed skink, Egernia depressa, sometimes also known as the small spiny-tailed skink, is a species of skink found in western Australia.
The species is endemic to Australia and is found in the states Western Australia, the Northern Territory and South Australia. [2]
A somewhat social species, pygmy spiny-tailed skinks live in small family groups in the desert. Omnivores, they feed on insects, some flowers, fruits, shoots, and leaves. [3]
Pygmy spiny-tailed skinks grow up to 16 centimetres long, however, they are able to inflate their bodies larger to jam themselves into crevices as a predator evasion tactic. Their spine-covered tails help block the way. [3] [4] They are known to live in crevices, hollows of trees, and termite mounds. [3]
The skinks have very spiny back scales and smooth bellies; however, often their dorsal scales become ground down with rocks. Each dorsal scale has three spines, or keels, unlike some other Egernia species. The central spine is the largest, usually twice as long as the two other spines which flank it. [5] : 77 [6] : 123
Egernia is a genus of skinks that occurs in Australia. These skinks are ecologically diverse omnivores that inhabit a wide range of habitats. However, in the loose delimitation the genus is not monophyletic but an evolutionary grade, as has long been suspected due to its lack of characteristic apomorphies.
Cunningham's spiny-tailed skink, also known commonly as Cunningham's skink, is a species of large skink, a lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is native to southeastern Australia.
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King's skink is a species of skink, a lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to Australia.
White's skink, also known commonly as White's rock skink, is a species of lizard in the skink family. It was first described in 1804 by French naturalist Bernard Germain de Lacépède. It is endemic to Australia.
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The Western Pilbara spiny-tailed skink is a species of large skink, a lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is native to the Pilbara in northwestern Australia.
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Hosmer's spiny-tailed skink, also known commonly as Hosmer's egernia and Hosmer's skink, is a species of large skink, a lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is a diurnal, rock-dwelling species native to Northern Australia.
The black rock skink is a species of large skink native to Eastern and Southern Australia from central New South Wales to Grampians National Park in Victoria. A large, dark colored skink, up to 135 mm from snout to base of the tail, the black rock skink is the first reptile discovered to have a "nuclear family" structure where the parents form a pair and care for their offspring for more than one year. The black rock skink is a viviparous skink meaning females give birth to live offspring instead of laying eggs. They defend their home range and families against conspecifics for up to several years.
Egernia douglasi, also known commonly as the Kimberley crevice-skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to Australia.
The central pygmy spiny-tailed skink is a species of large skink, a lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is native to western Australia.
The bright crevice-skink is a species of large skink, a lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is native to South Australia and Western Australia.
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 southern heath skink is a species of terrestrial skink, a lizard in the family Scincidae. It is one of eleven species within the Liopholis genus.
The ghost skink is a species of skink endemic to Australia.
The Spinifex slender blue-tongue or Samphire slender bluetongue is an endemic species of skink that inhabits the arid areas of central Australia. The Spinifex slender blue-tongue is closely related to the large blue-tongue skinks. However is individually categorised under the Genus Cyclodomorphus and species Cyclodomorphus melanops(C. melanops).