Blue tongue lizard redirects here. For the aboriginal Australian myth, see Bluetongue Lizard (mythology).
Blue-tongued skinks comprise the Australasian genus, Tiliqua, which contains some of the largest members of the skink family (Scincidae). They are commonly called blue-tongued lizards or simply blue-tongues in Australia. As suggested by these common names, a prominent characteristic of the genus is a large blue tongue that can be bared as a bluff-warning to potential enemies.
Systematics and Distribution[]
Blue-tongued skinks are closely related to the genera Cyclodomorphus and Hemisphaeriodon. All species are found on mainland Australia with the exception of Tiliqua gigas which occurs in New Guinea and various islands of Indonesia. One subspecies of Tiliqua scincoides is also found on several small Indonesian islands between Australia and New Guinea. Tiliqua nigrolutea is the only species present in Tasmania. With the exception of the pygmy blue-tongue, they are relatively large lizards (up to 37 cm total length), light-bodied, short-limbed, broad with a distinct head and dull teeth.
Ecology[]
Most species are diurnal ground-foraging omnivores, feeding on a wide variety of insects, gastropods, flowers, fruits and berries.[1] The pygmy blue-tongue is again the exception, being primarily an ambush predator of terrestrial arthropods.[2] All are viviparous, with litter sizes ranging from 1-4 in the pygmy blue-tongue and shingleback to 5-24 in the eastern and northern blue-tongues.[3]
Tiliqua scincoides displaying the characteristic blue tongue.
Species and subspecies[]
- Tiliqua adelaidensis, (Adelaide) Pygmy Blue-tongued Skink
- Tiliqua gigas, Indonesian Blue-tongued Skink
- Tiliqua gigas evanescens, Merakue Blue-tongued Skink
- Tiliqua gigas keyensis, Key Island Blue-tongued Skink
- Tiliqua sp., Irian Jaya Blue-tongued Skink
- Tiliqua multifasciata, Centralian Blue-tongued Skink
- Tiliqua nigrolutea, Blotched Blue-tongued Skink
- Tiliqua occipitalis, Western Blue-tongued Skink
- Tiliqua rugosa, Shingleback (or Sleepy Lizard)
- Tiliqua rugosa rugosa, Common Shingleback
- Tiliqua rugosa aspera, Eastern Shingleback
- Tiliqua rugosa palarra, Shark Bay Shingleback
- Tiliqua rugosa konowi, Rottnest Island Shingleback
- Tiliqua scincoides, Australian Blue-tongued Skink
- Tiliqua scincoides scincoides, Eastern Blue-tongued Skink
- Tiliqua scincoides intermedia, Northern Blue-tongued Skink
- Tiliqua scincoides chimaerea, Tanimbar Blue-tongued Skink
Notes[]
- ↑ Cogger, H. G. 2000. Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia. Reed New Holland.
- ↑ http://web.archive.org/web/20060827130925/http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/biodiversity/bcp/pdfs/pygmy_bluetongue_info_sheet.pdf
- ↑ Turner, G. 2001. Keeping Bluetongue Lizards. Australian Reptile Keeper Publications.
References[]
- Template:Aut (2006): Using ancient and recent DNA to explore relationships of extinct and endangered Leiolopisma skinks (Reptilia: Scincidae) in the Mascarene islands. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 39(2): 503–511. Template:Doi (HTML abstract)
- Template:Aut (1988): Mate fidelity in an Australian lizard Trachydosaurus rugosus (Scincidae). Copeia 1987(3): 749-757.
- Template:Aut (1990): Comparison of displaced and retained partners in a monogamous lizard Tiliqua rugosa. Australian Wildlife Research 17: 135-140.
- Template:Aut (1996): A prey record of the Eastern Blue-tongue Tiliqua scincoides for the common brown snake Pseudonaja textilis. Monitor 8(3): 155.
External links[]
Template:Commons category
- Bluetongue fact file
- Blue-tongued Lizards in New South Wales
- Operation Bluetongue - Citizen Science study project at UniSA
- Site devoted exclusively to blue-tongued skinks
Template:Commons
de:Blauzungenskinke es:Tiliqua fa:اسکینک آبی زبان fr:Tiliqua he:חומט כחול לשון hu:Óriás kéknyelvűszkink nl:Tiliqua ja:アオジタトカゲ属 no:Blåtungeskinker ru:Синеязыкие сцинки