Tiliqua scincoides

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Tiliqua scincoides
Tiliqua scincoides tongue.jpg

Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Scincidae
Genus: Tiliqua
Species:
T. scincoides
Binomial name
Tiliqua scincoides
(White, 1790)
Subspecies

3, see text

Tiliqua scincoides (common blue-tongued skink,[2] blue-tongued lizard, common bluetongue[3]) is a species of skink in the genus Tiliqua. It is native to Australia as well as to the Tanimbar and Babar Islands in the Maluku Province of Indonesia.[3]

Subspecies[]

There are three subspecies:[3]

Description[]

This is a large terrestrial lizard measuring up to 60 centimetres long and 1 kilogram in mass. It has a stout body and short legs.[2] It is variable in color but generally has a banded pattern. The tongue is blue-violet[4] to cobalt blue in color.[5]

This lizard is diurnal, active during the day. It is omnivorous.[2] It is ovoviviparous, the eggs hatching inside the female's body; she then gives birth to 5 to 25 live young per litter.[4] This species is known to live over 30 years. It is an adaptable animal, often finding habitat in urban and suburban areas, including residential areas of Sydney.[2] The lizard is considered beneficial in these areas, with its appetite for garden pests such as slugs and snails.[4]

When threatened it may hiss and reveal its blue tongue, startling potential predators.[4] There are three color-morphs that are part of the Tiliqua scincoides. The Albino T. scincoides, the Wild-type T. scincoides, and the Melanistic T. scincoides.  In warm environments, the Wild-type T. scincoides and Melanistic T. scincoides have more reflective skin than the Albino T. scincoides, therefore these two lizards can warm their bodies at a faster rate.[6]

References[]

  1. ^ Shea, G. 2017. Tiliqua scincoides. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017: e.T109481538A109481555. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T109481538A109481555.en. Downloaded on 02 May 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d Koenig, Jennifer; Shine, Richard; Shea, Glenn (2002). "The dangers of life in the city: patterns of activity, injury and mortality in suburban lizards (Tiliqua scincoides)" (PDF). Journal of Herpetology. 36 (1): 62–68. doi:10.1670/0022-1511(2002)036[0062:TDOLIT]2.0.CO;2.
  3. ^ a b c Tiliqua scincoides at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 18 May 2017.
  4. ^ a b c d Tiliqua scincoides. Australian Reptile Online Database.
  5. ^ Abbate, F.; Latella, G.; Montalbano, G.; Guerrera, M. C.; Germanà, G. P.; Levanti, M. B. (2009). "The lingual dorsal surface of the blue‐tongue skink (Tiliqua scincoides)". Anatomia, Histologia, Embryologia. 38 (5): 348–350. doi:10.1111/j.1439-0264.2009.00952.x. PMID 19769569. S2CID 24711884.
  6. ^ Geen, Michael; Johnston, Gregory (July 2014). "Coloration Affects Heating and Cooling in Three Color Morphs of the Australian Bluetongue Lizard, Tiliqua Scincoides". Journal of Thermal Biology. 43: 54–60. doi:10.1016/j.jtherbio.2014.04.004. PMID 24956958.
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