Kalpana Kalpana (Editor)

Southern water skink

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Kingdom
  
Class
  
Reptilia

Family
  
Scincidae

Scientific name
  
Eulamprus tympanum

Phylum
  
Chordata

Order
  
Genus
  
Eulamprus

Rank
  
Species

Southern water skink wwwarodcomauarodpicturessquamatascincidaee

Similar
  
Eulamprus, Blue Mountains water skink, Pseudemoia, Eulamprus quoyii, Southern grass skink

Southern water skinks eulamprus tympanum


The southern water skink (Eulamprus tympanum) is a medium-sized (maximum snout-vent length c. 100 mm) species of skink that is endemic to Australia. These skinks are found in New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria as well as on Tasmania's Rodondo Island in the Bass Strait. They are viviparous, mating in spring, and giving birth to live young in mid to late summer.

Contents

Southern water skink What39s Lurking In Your Backyard 13 Southern Water Skink

Southern water skink


Description

Southern water skink Southern Water Skink Eulamprus tympanum Mornington Penin Nick

The southern water skink is a medium-sized skink with a snout-to-vent length of up to 85 mm (3.3 in). The head and body are mainly olive-brown, with darker speckles. The flanks are olive-brown with pale speckling. It does not have markings underneath the chin nor a pale stripe on the cheeks.

Distribution and habitat

Southern water skink Southern Water Skink Bushpea 34

This species is native to southeastern Australia. It is found in the states of New South Wales, Victoria, the eastern part of Southern Australia and Tasmania, where it only occurs on Rodondo Island. Its habitat is in the vicinity of fresh water and its altitudinal range extends from sea level to near the top of Mount Kosciuszko.

Ecology

The skink usually lives near small creeks, hunting for small prey such as invertebrates, tadpoles, small frogs and other small skinks. Its metabolic rate increases after feeding to about 2.4 times its pre-feeding level, and remains elevated for up to 48 hours. This is probably typical for an active lizard that feeds relatively frequently and is greater than that found in an ambush predatory species.

Southern water skink Southern Water Skink Bushpea 14

Reproduction is viviparous, producing live young in mid to late summer. It has been found that the female can select the sex of her offspring by regulating her temperature; she does this by increasing or decreasing the time she spends basking in the sunshine, though what cues are involved in her decision making process are not fully understood. When adult males are scarce, the litters contain more male offspring and when they are plentiful, more female offspring are produced.

Southern water skink Photo guide to Australian Lizards pt3 Aussie Pythons and Snakes

References

Southern water skink Wikipedia


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