BLUE TONGUE SKINKS

Hi
I am in 4-h and am doing a project on the difference between skinks and lizards. I know skinks have their own separate family, and the general destinguishing characteristics, but I don't really know the main difference
between skinks and lizards. Skinks have smooth, shiny skin,
but so do some lizards. And then you have to factor in shinglebacks, who's scales don't look all that smooth and shiny! Can anyone please help me?
jen

Considering skinks are the largest group of "lizards" in general, what are you comparing them to?

Also, we usually deal with just blue tongued skinks here specifically, there may be someone here to help you, but you might want to try a university that has a good zoological biology department.

KW

Classification of animals is complicated and may have more factors than just appearance. It's just one way of grouping animals on the basis of their similarities and differences into smaller and smaller groups. A good encyclopedia may help explain this. And with newer DNA testing methods, species are constantly being rearranged and reclassified.

Are you confused yet?

All skinks are lizards but not all lizards are skinks.

thanks, i understand, i'm just trying to find a trait that destinguishes skinks from all other types of lizards

Hi and welcome,

I really enjoy talking about blue tongues - genus Tiliqua.

There are quite a few qualities that makes these lizards unique from other lizards.

1st of course is their blue tongues which they can make an impressive display by flattening them like dinner plates. There are members of the genus Cyclodomorphus (such as the pink tongue-skink) that have blue tongues from birth that gradually change into pink.

2nd - lizards in general have a longer fourth toe - look at Iguanas for instance - while Tiliqua have a longer third! It's highly unusual in the reptile world.

3rd - Blue tongues have ear lobules - little adaptive scales that stand up to "guard" the tympanic cavity unlike that of say the Pink-tongue skink but similar to the denticulate scles of say that of certain Uromastyx lizards.

A side note: If my memory serves me right, the Shingleback skink lacks these ear lobules which often raises controversy of their inclusion into the genus Tiliqua (which they currently reside)

I have to run - but this is all I can put in with the short time I have but I hope this helps.

best regards,

Andrew

of course those differences only apply to Blue Tongue Skinks and not skinks in general.

Also, BTS are one of the few reptiles to have "live" birth, instead of their babies hatching out of eggs. They're viviparous (I love big fancy words)

Many skinks are viviparous! Heh, it's actually debated whether they're viviparous or ovoviviparous.

Arkangel wrote:All skinks are lizards but not all lizards are skinks.

Yep! That summarizes it.

KW

jennty wrote:thanks, i understand, i'm just trying to find a trait that destinguishes skinks from all other types of lizards

I think what we're all trying to say, is that since skinks are the largest family of lizards among the lizards, there's so many differences between the skinks themselves it may take some work to get some real differences. We deal mainly with blueys here, which are unique unto themselves.

I still suggest going to a university website and trying to find a good zoological department and get an email address of someone. UC Davis might be a good place to start.

KW

Zach wrote:Many skinks are viviparous! Heh, it's actually debated whether they're viviparous or ovoviviparous.

Hi Zach,

Wrote an article on this already here a while ago. It's also on my website.


Andrew

I can't seem to get on your website because of the Java It always freezes up my window...can you post it? I wonder if we can find that old thread too; you must have posted on it.

I wanted so badly to answer your question earlier but I didn't have a sound explanation. However, I have it now!

"Skinks are the largest family of lizards, with more than 1000 species worldwide. Skinks are caracterised by the development of compound plates of bone (osteoderms) within the scales, giving the large overlapping scales a strength and rigidity not present in other lizards."

OK, for us bluetongue fans...
"Within this family, bluetongues belong to the subfamily Lygosominae, characterised by the development of a secondary bony palate in the roof of the mouth, a fusion of the frontal bones, and the development of ventral projections from the frontal to the palatine bones."

If you need to cite this, it is from:
Blue-Tongued Skinks
edited by Robert Hitz, Glenn Shea, Andree Hauschild, et al.
2004 Matthias Schmidt Publications
(Yes, I'm a dork and I was reading my Bluey Bible over breakfast! )

PM me if you need anything else! Sorry it took me so long to answer! kathy

wow, nice response aggie! You get an A+ for YOUR 4H project.

Nothing like copying word for word from a great book!

that's what research and reports are all about, right?