THE REPTILES OF AUSTRALIA - SKINKS

AUSTRALIAN REPTILE PHOTOS AND INFORMATION
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Selection of Australian Frogs

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Skinks of Australia

CROCODILES Crocodylia Crocodilia Saltwater freshwater estuarine

Reptiles of the World

COMMON BLUETONGUE SKINK
Tiliqua scincoides

This Eastern Bluetongue (Tiliqua scincoides scincoides) was photographed at Sandergrove, SA.
This Eastern Bluetongue (Tiliqua scincoides scincoides) was photographed at Sandergrove, SA.

The 3 subspecies of the Common Bluetongue Skink (Tiliqua scincoides) are listed below:-

COMMON NAME

SCIENTIFIC NAME

DISTRIBUTION

Tanimbar Island Blue Tongued Skink

Tiliqua scincoides chimaerea

Indonesia (Maluku Province: Tanimbar, Babar Islands)

Eastern Bluetongue Skink

Tiliqua scincoides scincoides

NSW, ACT, Qld, SA, Vic

Northern Bluetongue Skink

Tiliqua scincoides intermedia

NT, Qld, WA


Approximate distribution of the Common Bluetongue Skink Tiliqua scincoides

The Tanimbar Island Blue Tongued Skink (Tiliqua scincoides chimaerea) distribution is coloured RED on this map
The Eastern Bluetongue (Tiliqua scincoides scincoides) distribution is coloured BLUE on this map
The Northern Bluetongue (Tiliqua scincoides intermedia) distribution is coloured GREEN on this map


EASTERN BLUETONGUE SKINK
Tiliqua scincoides scincoides


  



This Eastern Bluetongue (Tiliqua scincoides scincoides) was photographed at Gawler Belt (without a stripe behind its eye)

Tiliqua scincoides scincoides
Eastern Bluetongue (Tiliqua scincoides scincoides)


EASTERN (Common) BLUETONGUE SKINK Tiliqua scincoides scincoides
Eastern Bluetongue (Tiliqua scincoides scincoides)


Tiliqua scincoides scincoides
Eastern Bluetongue (Tiliqua scincoides scincoides)

The general pattern does not vary greatly in this subspecies, unlike the Northern Bluetongue (Tiliqua scincoides intermedia) which has extreme geographic variation.
Note the that eye stripe may be indistinct or missing in some individuals of Eastern Bluetongue (Tiliqua scincoides scincoides) and present in some Tiliqua scincoides intermedia and is not a reliable way to differentiate between the subspecies.


captive bred hybrids between a Shinglebacks Tiliqua rugosa asper and an Eastern Bluetongue Tiliqua scincoides scincoides
These are captive bred hybrids between a Shingleback (Tiliqua rugosa aspera) and an Eastern Bluetongue (Tiliqua scincoides scincoides) , however hybrids have occasionally been found in the wild.
An adult wild caught Shingleback/bluetongue hybrid was kept on display at the South Australian Museum in the information section for many years until it was stolen.
Later the South Australian Museum obtained a second adult Shingleback/bluetongue hybrid which I think was also wild caught.
I suspect one parent of each museum specimen was an Eastern Bluetongue (Tiliqua scincoides scincoides) or possibly a lowlands form of Blotched Bluetongue (Tiliqua nigrolutea)

NORTHERN BLUETONGUE SKINK
Tiliqua scincoides intermedia


NORTHERN BLUETONGUE SKINK Tiliqua scincoides intermedia
This Northern Bluetongue (Tiliqua scincoides intermedia) was given to John Fowler as a baby by Bob Irwin, (Father of Steve Irwin).
It came from the Gulf of Carpentaria. Some Bluetongues from the other parts of their range may look very different to this.
Northern Bluetongues (Tiliqua scincoides intermedia) tend to grow larger than Eastern Bluetongue (Tiliqua scincoides scincoides)

Northern Bluetongue Tiliqua scincoides intermedia
This Northern Bluetongue (Tiliqua scincoides intermedia) was photographed at the West Australian Reptile Park

TANIMBAR ISLAND BLUETONGUE SKINK
Tiliqua scincoides chimaerea


Comments:- Grows to around 24 inches (60 cm) total length

Let me show you my Wu-Tang style
The Tanimbar Island Blue Tongued Skink (Tiliqua scincoides chimaerea)
only occurs on some Indonesian Islands! (it doesn't occur in Australia).
"Let me show you my Wu-Tang style" by Bento_Box is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0


LINKS OF INTEREST

Northern Bluetongue Lizard (Tiliqua scincoides intermedia)


Eastern Bluetongue (Tiliqua scincoides scincoides)

Tanimbar Island Blue Tongued Skink (Tiliqua scincoides chimaerea)

The Tanimbar Island Blue Tongued Skink
BlueTongueSkinks.NET 

Tiliqua scincoides chimaerea
Wikipedia

Tiliqua scincoides (WHITE, 1790)
The Reptile Database

Shingleback (Tiliqua rugosa)

Blotched Bluetongue (Tiliqua nigrolutea)

More Information about Australian Skinks




RECOMMENDED AMAZON BOOKS
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OTHER LINKS

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SKINKS OF THE WORLD

Skinks of Australia

Skinks
of
The World

Skinks
of
Australia



Skinks of Australia

Skinks of NSW

Skinks of Queensland

SKINKS OF NORTHERN TERRITORY- SPECIES LIST

SKINKS OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA- SPECIES LIST

Skinks of Victoria

ACT SKINK LIZARDS Scincidae

Skinks of Tasmania

Skinks
of South
Australia

Skinks
of
NSW

Skinks
of
Qld

Skinks
of
NT

Skinks
of
WA

Skinks
of
Victoria

Skinks
of
ACT

Skinks
of
Tasmania



SOME REPTILE LISTS BY STATE OR TERRITORY

Reptiles of South Australia
REPTILES OF VICTORIA
REPTILES OF NSW REPTILES OF QUEENSLAND REPTILES OF NORTHERN TERRITORY REPTILES OF Western Australia Reptiles of the ACT(Canberra)

Reptiles of South Australia

Reptiles
of
Victoria

Reptiles
of
NSW

Reptiles
of
Qld

Reptiles
of
NT

Reptiles
of
WA

Reptiles
of the
ACT

Reptiles of Tasmania




Reptiles of Lord Howe Island

Reptiles of Christmas Island

Reptiles
of Cocos Keeling Islands

Reptiles of Norfolk Island






ANY CONTRIBUTION APPRECIATED



Reptiles of Australia

Selection of Australian Frogs

Reptiles of the World

Amphibians of the World

Reptiles
of
Australia

Frogs
of
Australia

Reptiles
of
The World

Amphibians of the
World




About John Fowler | About John Hollister | Report Faulty Link | Report an Error

Contact John Fowler Author of the Australian Herpetology Website, Pythons of the World, - Owner of the Adelaide Reptile Forum

Contact John Hollister Author of John Hollister Reptile Collection - Herping the Trans-Pecos & Sweetwater, Texas Rattlesnake Roundup

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Updated June 13, 2022


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