Ctenotus uber orientalis

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Family

Scincidae (skinks)

Genus

Ctenotus

Species

uber orientalis or orientalis. This skink has been recategorised in some literature as a new species Ctenotus orientalis, rather than a subspecies within the Ctenotus uber species.

Common name/s

Spotted-back Skink

Distinguishing Features

The Spotted-back Skink has a black line down the centre of the back and tail, fringed by white. The remainder of the back is also darkly coloured, with pale dots on the lizard's sides and a pale stripe running from behind the eye to the top of the tail. The skink has a row of whitish dots either side of the midline on the back and its underside is also whitish. The spotted-back Skink grows to a maximum length of about 30cm, including tail.

Similar Species

The Spotted-back Skink resembles the Striped Skink (Ctenotus robustus ), except for the row of spots immediately adjacent to the black centreline on the back.

Distribution

The Spotted-back Skink has two subspecies, both confined mainly to the arid areas of Australia. The subspecies found in the Canberra region, orientalis, has a distribution stretching from south-eastern Western Australia, through southern South Australia and into northern Victoria and southern NSW. In the ACT, the lizard occupies only the warmer areas of the north and east, generally on northerly or westerly aspects.

Country of Origin

Australia

Survey Techniques

Pitfall trapping and hand searching can be used in surveying for this species.

Conservation (Pet/Pest) Status - National

The species is not considered threatened nationally.

Conservation (Pet/Pest) Status - Regional

The regional population of the Spotted-back Skink is small and fragmented, although it is not officially considered threatened in the ACT.

LSCCES Population

The state of the local population is unknown at this point in time, but the scattered nature of the regional population suggests that only small numbers of the lizard are likely to be found in the urban area.

Associated vegetation community

The lizard is primarily found in rocky areas in grassland, shrubland and woodland.

Limiting Resources

The number of suitable warm rocky areas, with adequate foraging opportunities, can limit the species occurrence in the ACT area.

Breeding

The Spotted-back Skink is an egg-laying lizard, with nesting sites usually located in burrows dug under rock slabs.

Behaviour

The Spotted-back Skink is a diurnal, ground-dwelling species. It forages in ground debris and grass tussocks for food, and digs burrows for nest sites.

Functional Group

Insectivore

Food Species

The Spotted-back Skink feeds primarily on arthropods, although sometimes it will also take small lizards.

Predators

As with many lizards of the region, the Spotted-back Skink is preyed upon by snakes and feral cats.

Interesting Fact

Nomenclature for the species differs somewhat between authors. The subspecies Ctenotus uber orientalis is also known as the separate species Ctenotus orientalis.

The subspecies orientalis has an isolated population in the highlands of NSW and ACT, which is possibly distinct from the rest of the species.