Cunningham's spiny-tailed skink (Egernia cunninghami), also known commonly as Cunningham's skink, is a species of large skink, a lizard in the familyScincidae. The species is native to southeastern Australia.
Cunningham's skink
Cunningham's spiny-tailed skink basking in the sunlight
E. cunninghami can reach up to 40 cm (16 inches) in total length (including tail), and may be confused with the blue-tongued lizards (genusTiliqua).
Cunningham's spiny-tailed skink has a distinctive keel on each scale, which gives it a slightly spiny appearance. It is extremely variable in colour, ranging from dark brown to black, with or without blotchy patches, speckles, or narrow bands.[4]
HabitatEdit
E. cunninghami prefers to live communally in the crevices of rocky outcrops or hollow logs.[4]
DietEdit
Cunningham's spiny-tailed skink is a diurnalomnivore, with its diet including insects, flowers, berries, fungi, leaves and young shoots.[citation needed]
Conservation statusEdit
There is currently research being done on the isolated population of Cunningham's skink that inhabits the southern Mount Lofty Ranges in South Australia. This population is considered vulnerable due to the fragmented (disjunct) distribution of the "colonies". There is evidence that at least one of these colonies has totally disappeared. It is more common within suitable habitat along the southeastern coast and ranges of Australia.[citation needed]
ReproductionEdit
Like some other reptiles, E. cunninghami is viviparous,[2] giving birth to six or more live young in a litter.[5]
Inbreeding avoidanceEdit
Habitat fragmentation can affect a species population by disrupting core processes. One such process is inbreeding avoidance (avoiding inbreeding depression). The impact of habitat alteration (deforestation) on inbreeding was studied in the rock-dwelling Australian lizard Egernia cunninghami.[6] Such populations in deforested areas experience potentially inbreeding-enhancing factors such as reduced dispersal and increased relatedness. However, active avoidance of close kin as mates was observed, as indicated by the substantially lower relatedness in actual breeding pairs compared to potential ones expected if there were random mating. This finding, as well as heterozygous excesses in immature lizards from disturbed (as well as undisturbed) habitats indicated that it maintains outbreeding in the face of increased accumulation of relatives.[6]
GalleryEdit
Egernia cunninghami basking on fallen log.
Two Cunningham's spiny-tailed skinks resting on granite boulders, the spiny keel of the scales can be seen on the tail.
Three E. cunninghami, Cabbage Bay, near Sydney, New South Wales.
ReferencesEdit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Egernia cunninghami.
Wikispecies has information related to Egernia cunninghami.
^Shea, G.; Cogger, H.; Greenlees, M. (2018). "Egernia cunninghami". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T109470194A109470197. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-1.RLTS.T109470194A109470197.en. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
^ abSpecies Egernia cunninghami at The Reptile Database www.reptile-database.org.
^Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN978-1-4214-0135-5. (Egernia cunninghami, p. 63).
^ abWilson, Steve; Swan, Gerry (2006). A Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia, Second Edition. Sydney: New Holland Publishing. 512 pp. ISBN978-1877069468.
^ abStow AJ, Sunnucks P (2004). "Inbreeding avoidance in Cunningham's spiny-tailed skinks (Egernia cunninghami) in natural and fragmented habitat". Molecular Ecology. 13 (2): 443–447. doi:10.1046/j.1365-294x.2003.02060.x. PMID 14717898. S2CID 23234929.
External linksEdit
Egernia cunninghami, Australian Faunal Directory.
Further readingEdit
Boulenger GA (1887). Catalogue of the Lizards in the British Museum (Natural History). Second Edition. Volume III. ... Scincidæ ... London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xii + 575 pp. + Plates I-XL. (Egernia cunninghami, pp. 139–140).
Cogger HG (2014). Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia, Seventh Edition. Clayton, Victoria, Australia: CSIRO Publishing. xxx + 1,033 pp. ISBN978-0643100350.
Gray [JE] (1832). "Three new animals, brought from New Holland by Mr. Cunningham". Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London1832: 39-40. (Tiliqua cunninghami, new species, p. 40). (in English and Latin).
Gray JE (1845). Catalogue of the Specimens of Lizards in the Collection of the British Museum. London: Trustees of the British Museum. (Edward Newman, printer). xxviii + 289 pp. (Egernia cunninghami, p. 105).
Wilson S, Swan G (2013). A Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia, Fourth Edition. Sydney: New Holland Publishers. 522 pp. ISBN978-1921517280.
August 29, 2023
cunningham, spiny, tailed, skink, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, . This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Cunningham s spiny tailed skink news newspapers books scholar JSTOR May 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message Cunningham s spiny tailed skink Egernia cunninghami also known commonly as Cunningham s skink is a species of large skink a lizard in the family Scincidae The species is native to southeastern Australia Cunningham s skinkCunningham s spiny tailed skink basking in the sunlightConservation statusLeast Concern IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass ReptiliaOrder SquamataFamily ScincidaeGenus EgerniaSpecies E cunninghamiBinomial nameEgernia cunninghami Gray 1832 Synonyms 2 Tiliqua cunninghami Gray 1832 Egernia krefftii W Peters 1871 Egernia lohmanni F Werner 1917 Egernia cunninghami Cogger 1983 Contents 1 Etymology 2 Description 3 Habitat 4 Diet 5 Conservation status 6 Reproduction 7 Inbreeding avoidance 8 Gallery 9 References 10 External links 11 Further readingEtymology EditBoth the specific name cunninghami and the common names are in honour of English botanist and explorer Allan Cunningham 3 Description EditE cunninghami can reach up to 40 cm 16 inches in total length including tail and may be confused with the blue tongued lizards genus Tiliqua Cunningham s spiny tailed skink has a distinctive keel on each scale which gives it a slightly spiny appearance It is extremely variable in colour ranging from dark brown to black with or without blotchy patches speckles or narrow bands 4 Habitat EditE cunninghami prefers to live communally in the crevices of rocky outcrops or hollow logs 4 Diet EditCunningham s spiny tailed skink is a diurnal omnivore with its diet including insects flowers berries fungi leaves and young shoots citation needed Conservation status EditThere is currently research being done on the isolated population of Cunningham s skink that inhabits the southern Mount Lofty Ranges in South Australia This population is considered vulnerable due to the fragmented disjunct distribution of the colonies There is evidence that at least one of these colonies has totally disappeared It is more common within suitable habitat along the southeastern coast and ranges of Australia citation needed Reproduction EditLike some other reptiles E cunninghami is viviparous 2 giving birth to six or more live young in a litter 5 Inbreeding avoidance EditHabitat fragmentation can affect a species population by disrupting core processes One such process is inbreeding avoidance avoiding inbreeding depression The impact of habitat alteration deforestation on inbreeding was studied in the rock dwelling Australian lizard Egernia cunninghami 6 Such populations in deforested areas experience potentially inbreeding enhancing factors such as reduced dispersal and increased relatedness However active avoidance of close kin as mates was observed as indicated by the substantially lower relatedness in actual breeding pairs compared to potential ones expected if there were random mating This finding as well as heterozygous excesses in immature lizards from disturbed as well as undisturbed habitats indicated that it maintains outbreeding in the face of increased accumulation of relatives 6 Gallery Edit Egernia cunninghami basking on fallen log Two Cunningham s spiny tailed skinks resting on granite boulders the spiny keel of the scales can be seen on the tail Cunningham s spiny tailed skink in southern Australian Capital Territory Three E cunninghami Cabbage Bay near Sydney New South Wales References Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Egernia cunninghami Wikispecies has information related to Egernia cunninghami Shea G Cogger H Greenlees M 2018 Egernia cunninghami IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018 e T109470194A109470197 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2018 1 RLTS T109470194A109470197 en Retrieved 20 November 2021 a b Species Egernia cunninghami at The Reptile Database www reptile database org Beolens Bo Watkins Michael Grayson Michael 2011 The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles Baltimore Johns Hopkins University Press xiii 296 pp ISBN 978 1 4214 0135 5 Egernia cunninghami p 63 a b Wilson Steve Swan Gerry 2006 A Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia Second Edition Sydney New Holland Publishing 512 pp ISBN 978 1877069468 Cunningham s Skink Egernia cunninghami Information Sheet Museum of Victoria a b Stow AJ Sunnucks P 2004 Inbreeding avoidance in Cunningham s spiny tailed skinks Egernia cunninghami in natural and fragmented habitat Molecular Ecology 13 2 443 447 doi 10 1046 j 1365 294x 2003 02060 x PMID 14717898 S2CID 23234929 External links EditEgernia cunninghami Australian Faunal Directory Further reading EditBoulenger GA 1887 Catalogue of the Lizards in the British Museum Natural History Second Edition Volume III Scincidae London Trustees of the British Museum Natural History Taylor and Francis printers xii 575 pp Plates I XL Egernia cunninghami pp 139 140 Cogger HG 2014 Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia Seventh Edition Clayton Victoria Australia CSIRO Publishing xxx 1 033 pp ISBN 978 0643100350 Gray JE 1832 Three new animals brought from New Holland by Mr Cunningham Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1832 39 40 Tiliqua cunninghami new species p 40 in English and Latin Gray JE 1845 Catalogue of the Specimens of Lizards in the Collection of the British Museum London Trustees of the British Museum Edward Newman printer xxviii 289 pp Egernia cunninghami p 105 Wilson S Swan G 2013 A Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia Fourth Edition Sydney New Holland Publishers 522 pp ISBN 978 1921517280 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Cunningham 27s spiny tailed skink amp oldid 1125900188, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
