Skinks

Add a sighting Subscribe View significant View unidentified

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).

Skinks

Moderators

natureguy

CarbonAI

PatrickCampbell2

MEJETEuge

Wildlifewarrior80

become a moderator

Announcements

NatureMapr now receives more records in NSW than ACT

7 Mar 2025

Since 1 Jan 2025, NatureMapr 44% of all sightings uploaded were NSW based, while 43% were from the ACT.The remaining 13% were from other states, with VIC coming in third at 5%.Strictly speaking, 67% o...

NatureMapr Data Collector 6.2.1 update

Critical nature positive infrastructure update

IMPORTANT NatureMapr Data Collector 6.2.0 mobile app update

Known issue affecting user registration via naturemapr mobile app

Discussion

PatrickCampbell2 wrote:

2 hrs ago

I reckon the most likely candidate is Cunningham's Skink based on habitat, body form (from what I can make out) and posture, which all suggest E. cunninghami, but I agree that the poor quality photograph make it very difficult, if not impossible to positively ID.

Egernia cunninghami

GirtsO wrote:

Yesterday

ok, thanks.

Eulamprus heatwolei

MazzV wrote:

8 Mar 2025

Thanks @Bushman, your information is ever helpful in culling my misconceptions. Love the distinguishing criteria tips, they are precious gems. Cheers, MazzV

Carlia vivax

wombey wrote:

7 Mar 2025

always worth trying to get a side shot of the ear opening to determine which species. Will might be able to go further?

Eulamprus heatwolei

WendyEM wrote:

6 Mar 2025

with thanks to 'Wombey' for the ID.

Lerista bougainvillii