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| Centralian blue-tongued skink | |
|---|---|
| Name | Centralian blue-tongued skink |
| Genus | Tiliqua |
| Species | Tiliqua multifasciata |
| Authority | (Peters, 1877) |
Centralian blue-tongued skink The Centralian blue-tongued skink is a medium-sized skink native to the central deserts of Australia, notable for its blue tongue and robust body. It is of interest to herpetologists, conservationists, and naturalists, and features in field guides used by museums and universities in Australia and abroad.
The species was described by Wilhelm Peters in 1877 and is classified within the genus Tiliqua, which includes other blue-tongued skinks recognized in faunal lists curated by institutions such as the Australian Museum and the Natural History Museum, London. Taxonomic treatments reference the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature and the Australian Faunal Directory while comparing morphology against specimens cataloged at the South Australian Museum, Queensland Museum, and the Western Australian Museum. Recent taxonomic revisions cite work published in journals associated with the Linnean Society of London and researchers affiliated with the University of Adelaide, the University of Western Australia, and the University of Melbourne. Historical collectors and describers like Wilhelm Peters and contemporary herpetologists from organizations such as the Australasian Herpetological Association have contributed to nomenclatural stability. Conservation listings cross-reference assessments by the IUCN and national environmental departments including the Australian Government Department of the Environment.
Adult Centralian blue-tongued skinks are recognized by a stout, elongate body, short limbs, and a distinctive blue tongue used in antipredator displays; voucher specimens are held at the Museum Victoria and comparative descriptions appear in monographs from the Royal Society of Victoria. Diagnostic features are compared in keys published by herpetology groups at the Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales and by field researchers operating in the MacDonnell Ranges and Simpson Desert. Morphological comparisons often reference plates and illustrations from the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria and measurements follow standards used by staff at the CSIRO. Identification notes are included in checklists used by the Australian National University and by park rangers at Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park and Watarrka National Park.
The species occupies arid and semi-arid central Australia including the Northern Territory, parts of South Australia, and adjacent areas of Western Australia. Distribution maps are compiled by researchers from the Atlas of Living Australia and field surveys coordinated with the Parks and Wildlife Commission of the Northern Territory and local indigenous ranger groups. Habitats include spinifex-dominated sandplains, rocky outcrops in ranges such as the MacDonnell Ranges, and boojum-like shrublands cataloged in ecological assessments for Finke Gorge National Park and the Simpson Desert Regional Reserve. Habitat descriptions align with vegetation surveys conducted under programs by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and regional land management agencies.
Behavioral observations have been recorded by field biologists affiliated with the Australian Wildlife Conservancy and academic teams from the University of Queensland and the University of Sydney. Skinks are diurnal and spend periods basking on rocks documented in studies published through the Ecological Society of Australia; antipredator displays involving tongue-flicking and body inflation are noted in notes shared with curators at the Western Australian Museum. Seasonal activity patterns are discussed in ecological reports prepared for the Northern Territory Government and in regional biodiversity assessments used by the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment. Interactions with predators and competitors have been recorded in surveys by teams from the University of New South Wales and the Griffith University.
Diet consists mainly of invertebrates and small vertebrate prey supplemented with fruit and carrion, details compiled in dietary studies conducted by researchers at the University of Adelaide and the Australian National University. Foraging behavior and prey selection have been documented in field reports distributed through the Pacific Conservation Biology community and in datasets contributed to the Atlas of Living Australia. Seasonal shifts in diet correspond with resource pulses described in ecological literature from the CSIRO and in park management planning documents from Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park and other protected areas.
Reproductive biology, including viviparity and litter sizes, has been studied by herpetologists publishing in journals associated with the Linnean Society of New South Wales and researchers based at the University of Western Australia. Life-history parameters are incorporated into demographic models used by conservation scientists at the Australian Government Department of the Environment and into captive husbandry guidelines developed by collections at the Adelaide Zoo and the Perth Zoo. Timing of reproduction and juvenile recruitment are included in regional monitoring programs run by the Parks and Wildlife Commission of the Northern Territory.
Population assessments reference listings by the IUCN and national assessments by the Australian Government Department of the Environment and state conservation agencies such as the South Australian Department for Environment and Water. Threats include habitat alteration from grazing documented in reports for the Northern Territory Cattlemen's Association and altered fire regimes studied by researchers at the Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC. Invasive predators and the effects of climate variability are addressed in risk analyses prepared by the CSIRO and in conservation strategies developed with input from indigenous land management organizations and protected area managers at Parks Australia.
Category:Skinks of Australia