# Sydney backyard lizard ID



## stevemc32 (Oct 30, 2011)

G'day guys,

Wondering if you could tell me the species of this guy. He is about 25cm long and is new in the backyard (Southern Sydney) so it's got me stumped. 

Thanks for your help.
Steve.


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## ryanm (Oct 30, 2011)

Cunninghams Skink?


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## Australis (Oct 30, 2011)

Ryanm has it. Cunningham skink.


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## Bluetongue1 (Oct 30, 2011)

Yep. _Egernia cunninghami krefftii _and a very nice specimen at that. Looks like you might be located on the southern outskirts of Sydney - whoops, just checked and realised you said Southern Syd. You get that colour form along the coastal sandstone in Royal National Park. It is one I particularly like.

Blue


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## BigWillieStyles (Oct 30, 2011)

I believe these guys live in small groups, so you might see some more


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## GeckPhotographer (Oct 30, 2011)

Nice, I like him.


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## Bluetongue1 (Oct 31, 2011)

BigWillieStyles said:


> I believe these guys live in small groups, so you might see some more


Yes. They are very much social entities. John Barker (of Barker and Grigg “Frogs of Australia”) once told me he collected 34 specimens from a single rock crevice in the Glenbrook area. From my own experience they live in colonies, of varying sizes, and are extremely tolerant of one another.

Blue


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## stevemc32 (Oct 31, 2011)

Excellent, thanks for the great response guys.

I'll be keeping an eye out for the rest of the family.


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## -Peter (Oct 31, 2011)

Bluetongue1 said:


> Yep. _Egernia cunninghami krefftii _and a very nice specimen at that. Looks like you might be located on the southern outskirts of Sydney - whoops, just checked and realised you said Southern Syd. You get that colour form along the coastal sandstone in Royal National Park. It is one I particularly like.
> 
> Blue



I'm interested in your use of kreffti as a sub sp. Is this out of nostalgia for Gray's initail discription or is there some new information. The last study I know of placed all Egernia cunnnghami firmly as one species. This included all specimens in the Nuyts Archipelago which have been isolated for about 10,000 years.
This was some time back of course.


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## Bluetongue1 (Nov 1, 2011)

*Hi Peter*,
Old habits die hard and my access to taxonomic resources is not necessarily up to date (20 years old on this one). There are at least three very distinct morphs that I know of from the Sydney area. It may well not warrant sub-specific status but I can tell you that these ones do not grow to the same length and are a considerably lest robust in build than others occurring in Sydney and elsewhere. These also occur along the coast at Gosford and towards Wollongong – just from personal observation many years ago.

If you have the reference to the taxonomic paper I would very much appreciate it.

In Sydney’s eastern and south-eastern suburbs you get a really stout, dark black form that grows quite large. In the western suburbs and foothills of the mountains they start to develop a similar colour pattern to those found south and inland. A bit like the granite country variety but not as colourful. Once you get into and over the Diving Range you have the beautiful green mottled on black. Large and solid though not as robust as the Sydney black form.

Sorry to ramble on. I do think they are an awesome lizard. I had some from Cowra escape in my Mum’s backyard in Sydney. Twenty years on they were still living in my next door neighbour’s wood pile and looking as beautiful as ever. A highly under-rated reptile!

Blue


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## stevemc32 (Nov 4, 2011)

He's definitely alone at this stage, no others to be seen yet.

I couldn't help myself and fed him a few peas which he took without hesitation. Is this ok or should I avoid feeding him.

Thanks again for your help, much appreciated.


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## Bluetongue1 (Nov 11, 2011)

There is often a lot of controversy surrounding the feeding of wild animals on a regular basis. The way I understand it there are two major concerns. One is that regular feeding supports an artificially high population, potentially putting undue pressure on other resources and therefore other organisms. The other is that the animals become dependent upon he regular food provided and if, for some reason, the supply is stopped, it puts a huge pressure on dependent individuals to survive.

The way around both of these issues is to provide food irregularly and intermittently. That way you are unlikely have any long term unsettling effect. So enjoy the experience of watching it eat the peas or whatever – just not every day.

Blue


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