Cryptoblepharus sp. (genus)
5 Fence, snake-eyed or shining skinks at Frogmore, NSW
Identify this sighting
| Cryptoblepharus sp. (genus) | GeoffRobertson | 25 Nov 2020 | |
| Cryptoblepharus pannosus | WillO | 9 Nov 2020 | |
| Pseudemoia spenceri | Tapirlord | 9 Nov 2020 | |
| Unverified | b | 9 Nov 2020 |
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User's notes
Not really sure how to identify a skink - I am on the lookout for a good field guide for reptiles and also snakes.
This tree stump has lots of small holes in it that the skink would go in and out of. I'm keen to observe and find out whether it is the skink that makes the holes and there is a nest inside? Or is it food that makes the holes and the skink goes in to eat?
Skink was about an index finger long but only half a pinky wide - a very scientific measurement.
11 comments
9 Nov 2020
Looks to me like a spencers skink (Pseudemoia spenceri), it has a very distinctive pattern and as such is relatively easy to identify. In terms of field guides, Harold coggers reptiles and amphibians of Australia is a pretty definitive guide, its quite expensive though (online upwards of $150). I've found Wilson and Swans 'A complete guide to Reptiles of Australia' is a good option if you're after something less bulky and more affordable :).
9 Nov 2020
This is a species of Cryptoblepharus - They can be hard to identify. There are three species in southeastern NSW australis is further inland and pulcher is a coastal species. At your location there is only one possibility C. pannosus (Ragged Snake-eyed Skink). The one in your photograph looks very like pannosus so i suggest we give it that name. See for example p 123 of Swan Sadlier and Shea (A field guide to reptiles of NSW).
9 Nov 2020
It's Cryptoblepharus all right. Unfortunately there are two possibilities from that region, australis with smooth subdigital lamellae and pannosus with keeled subdigital lamellae. They can otherwise look very similar and we may have to just leave it at Genus unless this information is recorded. I have also heard of Cryptoblepharus turning up in the ACT, probably brought in with firewood as they don't occur here otherwise. These skinks live and forage for small invertebrates on the tree trunks and hide in the cracks and holes when required.
10 Nov 2020
Hi will/Wombey, as the location of this sighting has been suppressed I was taking a bit of a stab in the dark with this one. I'd not heard of a Cryptoblepharus species occurring in ACT but it this sighting was from NSW that definitely makes more sense. This will be a new species for CNM so I was just wondering about its distribution in our region, where could I look out for it so to speak?? :).
10 Nov 2020
Location is just suppressed because it is private property - this is from Frogmore, NSW.
10 Nov 2020
Yes, don't stand to attention looking for it in the ACT. Cryptoblepharus is a common Genus of many species all over the rest of the land except the high country and Tasmania , where Pseudemoia spenceri seems to occupy a similar niche, at least here in the ACT.
10 Nov 2020
I know if is a common genus and I have seen it several times in my wanderings, but it always exciting to see it and to know, it gets into our broader region.
10 Nov 2020
I am happy to go with John's suggestion - genus only. Although the nsw museum records indicate that australis occurs as far east as about Dubbo and Forbes, it is very likely that it occurs further east.
25 Nov 2020
I have created a label for this. Unfortunately, I deleted John's suggestion.
Location information
- Places Frogmore, NSW
Sighting information
- 1 Abundance
- b Recorded by
- Unknown Gender
Collections
- My flagged sightings Featured b Canberra & Southern Tablelands NatureMapr Cryptoblepharus sp. (genus) Skinks Reptiles and Frogs
Species information
- Cryptoblepharus sp. (genus) Scientific name
- Fence, snake-eyed or shining skinks Common name
- Not Sensitive
- Local native
- Non-invasive or negligible
- Up to 426.2m Recorded at altitude
Record quality
Quality score
4 / 7
- Images or audio
- Verified by an expert moderator
- Description
- Additional attributes
- More than one media file
- Nearby sighting(s) of same species
- GPS evidence of location