Desert rainbow-skink

The desert rainbow-skink (Carlia triacantha) is an Australian skink in the genus Carlia, commonly known as four-fingered skinks, from the subfamily Lygosominae. It is native to desert woodland regions throughout most of the Northern Territory, the north of Western Australia, and the far north-west of South Australia.[4][5] It was originally classified as Leiolopisma triacantha,[3] and is sometimes known as the three-spined rainbow-skink.[4]

Desert rainbow-skink
Male
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Scincidae
Genus: Carlia
Species:
C. triacantha
Binomial name
Carlia triacantha

Description

The desert rainbow-skink is on average 5.3 centimetres (2.1 in) long, excluding the tail.[5] It is characterised by three keels or spines on the dorsal scales.[4][5] It is typically a mid-brown to grey-brown colour with less pigmentation on the ventral surface,[4][5] but males display extra colouration, particularly during breeding season.

Desert rainbow-skinks shelter in woodland leaf litter, feeding mainly on invertebrates. Their large eyes help them to see their prey in the dim lighting of the leaf litter, and the eyes are covered by an eyelid with a transparent window that protects the eye while burrowing in the litter.[6]

Reproduction

The desert rainbow-skink is an egg-laying or oviparous reptile. It has an average clutch size of two eggs.[5] During breeding season males of the species display blue-green colouring on the head and red flanks.[6]

References
  1. Shea, G. & Moritz, C. 2017. Carlia triacantha . The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017: e.T102967114A102967163. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T102967114A102967163.en. Downloaded on 14 February 2020.
  2. Mitchell, Francis John (1953). "A brief revision of the four-fingered members of the genus Leiolopisma (Lacertilia)". Records of the South Australian Museum (Adelaide). 11: 75–90.
  3. "Species Carlia triacantha (Mitchell, 1953) - Desert Rainbow-skink". Australian Biological Resources Study: Australian Faunal Directory. Australian Government, Department of the Environment. 17 April 2015. Retrieved 27 July 2015.
  4. "Carlia triacantha (Mitchell, 1953), Desert Rainbow-skink". The Atlas of Living Australia. National Research Infrastructure for Australia. Retrieved 27 July 2015. Conservation status based on the Northern Territory Threatened Species List is Least Concern; as of July 2015 Carlia triacantha has not been assessed for the IUCN Red List.
  5. Macdonald, Stewart. "Desert rainbow-skink, Carlia triacantha - (Mitchell, 1953)". AROD, The Australian Reptile Online Database. Retrieved 27 July 2015.
  6. "Desert Rainbow Skink" (Park signage). Alice Springs Desert Park: Parks and Wildlife Commission, Northern Territory. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
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