Sandy Rainbow-skink (species: Carlia dogare) in ALA: Lizard Island (Lizard Island Field Guide)
ALA: Lizard Island > Animalia > Chordata > Reptilia > Squamata > Scincidae > Carlia > Carlia dogare (gallery)
Carlia dogare
Sandy Rainbow-skink


©Chris Bell: Carlia dogare photographed at Watson's Beach, 13 June 2012.

©Chris Bell: Carlia dogare photographed at Watson's Beach, 13 June, 2012

©Chris Bell: Carlia dogare photographed at Watson's Beach, 13 June, 2012

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Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Reptilia
Order Squamata
Family Scincidae
Genus Carlia
Species Carlia dogare
Status unspecified

Show in taxonomy
Lizard Island Field Guide
Lizard Island area: all known taxa

Colours

              

Distinguishing features

As with other species of Carlia, there are four fingers and five toes. Females, juveniles, and males in the non-breeding season are brown, with grey vertebral and dorsolateral stripes. The brown areas on the back are patterned with pale spots, each with a dark edge along at least the anterior margin. Breeding males show six orange or reddish-orange stripes along the back and sides. The ear opening is vertically extended, with a black margin, and two small scales (lobules) present along the anterior edge (these are not easily visible in field observations). Two well-developed keels are present on each scale along the back (the dorsal scales), but these cannot be discerned without assistance of a hand-lens or microscope.

Size

  • Up to 5 cm (Length of specimen) - applies to up to 50 mm SVL (snout-to-vent length)

Synonyms

Interesting facts

  • Some of the paratypes of Carlia dogare were collected from Lizard Island (Covacevich and Ingram, 1975; Limpus, 1982)

Distribution


©Atlas of Living Australia: Australian distribution

Local abundance

  • Lizard Island, Queensland, Australia: This species is abundant and common on Lizard Island. It is widely distributed on the island, and is readily seen in most areas around the Research Station and Resort, and alongside the roads, trails, and paths. They were reported by Limpus (1982) to be most abundant in the grasslands and open forest habitats.

Web resources

References

References that assist with identification

  • Wilson, S. and G. Swan (2010). A Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia: 3rd Edition 558 pp. New Holland Publishers, Australia.

Other references

  • Covacevich, J. and G. Ingram (1975). Three new species of rainbow skinks of the genus Carlia from northern Queensland. Victoria Naturalist, 92: 19-22.
  • Limpus, C.H. (1982). The reptiles of Lizard Island, Herpetofauna, 13(2): 1-6. LIRS catalog number 73.
  • View all references