# Is this a Alpine blotched bluey



## Davem54 (Nov 2, 2005)

I see a few of these around home and always thought they were Alpine Blotched blueys. Somebody told me they weren't. Any thoughts?


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## zulu (Nov 2, 2005)

*re Is*

Yeh thats what i call alpines which are most of the northern population of tiliqua nigolutea which in most cases are larger and more colorful than sothern populations.,the one pictured looks like a male.


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## peterescue (Nov 2, 2005)

Yep, what he said


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## junglemad (Nov 2, 2005)

Sure is


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## mickousley (Nov 2, 2005)

sure is there are heaps of them a round Oberon
Mick


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## Springherp (Nov 2, 2005)

Yeah definately a nigrolutea. My guess is you live near the Blue Mountains? They begin to appear about Wentworth Falls and are commonly found through-out the upper mountains. A VERY nice specimen you have there!


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## zen (Nov 2, 2005)

*Tiliqua nigrolutea*

Ditto. Alpine form of _Tiliqua nigrolutea_.

Dave, what locality is this specimen from :?: 

Austrelaps, I reckon your spot-on with your guess of it being a Blue Mountains specimen. 
I've seen roadkilled :cry: specimens very similar to that one around Katoomba.

There are two forms of this species. The Alpine (highland) form and the Lowland form. 

The Alpine form is characterised by the black peppering that you can see on the legs and head. 
Also, the dorsal background colour is black or very dark brown, as it is in your specimen (which is very nice by the way).

The lowland form of the Blotched Blue-tongue has uniform pale brown or grey limbs and no peppering.

Also the blotches on the Alpine form tend to be richer in colour, sometimes pink, salmon-pink, orange and even reddish-orange.

The Alpine form is restricted to high altitude areas of the range for this species.

Re: Gender of this specimen :?: 
It's impossible to be 100% sure from the photograph due to the distortion caused by foreshortening.
Males have a larger, broader head (proportionately) than females.
An overhead shot would give a better idea of which sex it is. 
Females also have a longer snout to vent length when compared to males of a similar size. 
Also mature females (that have had mated before) have teeth marks (appearing as rough skin or pock-marked) on their shoulder region, caused by the teeth of copulating males. 
Males have pock-marks on their heads from fighting with other males.

You sure are lucky having such a beaut species around your home.


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## Springherp (Nov 2, 2005)

Hey Zen,

did you get my PM's? 
I think there may be a problem with my account here. :?


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## Davem54 (Nov 2, 2005)

*another pic*

I live between Lithgow and Bathurst. These often come in the yard in summer. One last year spent a month under the mulberry tree and under the apricot tree cleaning up for me. I often see them dead on the road around here and it amazes me that there is any left all. I am no expert but I checked and believed it was a female. Thanks for all your comments and interest. Dave


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## zen (Nov 2, 2005)

Thanks for the extra photo and locality info Dave.
That pic is much better to make a call on gender with. Thanks
I'd say female as well.
Gorgeous specimen  

Interesting what you say about the one that cleaned your fruit up.
Down on the east coast of Tassie, they set up camp in the strawberry fields.
They sure love their fruit, especially strawberries.

Austrelaps, I've just sent you a PM.
I've sent a copy to your email address to make sure.

Cheers


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## Jason (Nov 2, 2005)

nice looking bluey.


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## zulu (Nov 5, 2005)

*re Is*

I would say its a male from your description zen :wink: and it helps also that i have several animals that i have positively identified through breeding over several years.The females have smaller head in comparrison to the overall bulk of the body,some females will have a really long overall lenghth as well as snout to vent or some have a shorter stout body and tail but they seem overall bigger than males on average which are similar to the one pictured.Yeh you can read the blue tongue skinks bok by Glen Shea and Hitz ETc or keeping bluetongues by Grant Turner but the best way is experience and practice over time.


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## Springherp (Nov 5, 2005)

Geez zulu! I think you need a leash for your ego mate! Keep it under control. :roll:


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## zulu (Nov 5, 2005)

*re Is*

You mean ime rocky,wheres bullwinkle?  :lol:


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## zen (Nov 8, 2005)

Thanks Austrelaps, but for once I think Zulu is correct. :wink: 
Looking at it again, it does look more like a male. 
I've just gone out & had a closer look at my male.
The proportions are similar to the specimen pictured.
Sorry, my mistake.  

P.S - Heel zulu! :lol:


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## peterescue (Nov 8, 2005)

You'll never be the Squirrel Zulu.


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## zulu (Nov 8, 2005)

*re Is*

LOL :lol: What in the hell did you do to the squirrell,he loves this site so much it makes him chew on his own nuts thinking about it :?


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## Davem54 (Nov 12, 2005)

*Another one*

Here is some pics of another one that was nearly run over. It seems to be a different colour with heaps of olive in it. Not well defined orange blotches. She (I think) has a damaged tail and several ticks on her. 
Zen there will be more of these around here over summer and more pics if you want.


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## Jason (Nov 12, 2005)

im ont really into skinks, but is that last pic an eastern? cause i think it looks like a one.


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## Dicco (Nov 12, 2005)

Eastern Blue Tongue _Tiliqua scincoides scincoides_


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## Davem54 (Nov 12, 2005)

must have both around here then?


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## Dicco (Nov 12, 2005)

Yeah, their ranges overlap.


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## Davem54 (Nov 12, 2005)

Interesting. The easterns still have the black between ear and eye???


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## Dicco (Nov 12, 2005)

Yep, they sure do, although you can get them without it.


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## Davem54 (Nov 12, 2005)

Sorry , I stopped being so lazy and looked in the book.Thanks for your info and patience Dicco. Would they interbreed. Dave


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## Dicco (Nov 12, 2005)

They can, but such an event would be very rare, they know the difference between each other and most the time go their seperate way.


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## Sdaji (Nov 12, 2005)

Nice pictures.

I know of several areas in Victoria where both species occur and I've seen one wild hybrid just north of Melbourne. They hybridise readily in captivity, so say the Americans, who have been doing it for about twenty years now. The Melbourne T. nigrolutea can have blotches just as orange as the alpines, but they never have the dark background.


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## zulu (Nov 12, 2005)

*re Is*

In Eric Worrells Reptiles of Australia 1963 Quote. The late g Longley and I have both produced hybrids from male T s scincoides and the T nigrolutea female alpine form,the coloring of the young varied between typical of each species to intermediate.The progeny of these unions proved to be fertile themselves,and reproduced for several generations. End quote. very good book the old worrells


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## ollieham (Nov 16, 2006)

deefinetly a male alpine form tiliqua nigroletea


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