Mount Warning Skink - ID please.

[Poyt448]

This skink is about one and a half times the size of Lampropholis delicata. The red mark behind the forelegs appears to be a natural coloration, and not an injury. The lizard is in the sub-tropical rainforest at Mount Warning, NSW. Please identify.

 

[Stuart]

I think the image didn't work...

Try the Go Advanced option and then Manage Attachments

 

[richoman_3]

cant see the pic but sounds like eulamprus!

 

[GeckPhotographer]

Saproscincus, Eulamprus... something?

 

[richoman_3]

sorry read the description wrong,
could be a spotted python!

 

[PieBald]

It spamming numbers and letters for me

 

[Bananapeel]

All I see is a ****** load of numbers and letters. goes on forever....................

 

[Jeffa]

Enter the Matrix!!!

 

[Bushman]

It's definitely a member of the Saproscincus genus. Based on what I can see from the photo and the locality, it's most probably Saproscincus challengeri or Saproscincus spectabilis.

 

[eipper]

Looks like rosei to me

 

[PieBald]

works 4 me now

 

[Bushman]

Looks like rosei to me

...bring it on Scott!

 

[Shotta]

challenging shade skink

 

[Bushman]

I'll relinquish spectabilis but maintain that it's most likely challengeri.

 

[eipper]

Head shape is to blunt for both spectabilis and challengeri for me and from those shots I cannot count the supralabials

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Btw Patrick I hope pAin is your friend lol

 

[Bushman]

According to Wilson and Swan*, whilst rosei is extremely variable geographically, within populations and sexually; it is "typically brown above with narrow, ragged-edged dark dorsolateral stripes on body, reddish brown dorsolateral stripes on hips and tail and narrow dark ventrolateral stripes on tail. Backs of sthn pops are uniform or with scattered paler scales...The reddish brown hip stripe, most typical of ♀, is ill-defined in s."
In my opinion, these features are too vague or absent in this specimen, even considering the southern variations described, to be Saproscincus rosei.

* A Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia, Wilson & Swan, 2008.

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Head shape is to blunt for both spectabilis and challengeri for me and from those shots I cannot count the supralabials

Btw Patrick I hope pAin is your friend lol

Using snouts as a distinguishing criterion for these species is new to me Scott.
Is that your own observation or is it published somewhere?

P.S Scott - Yes, pain is my friend :lol:, but I've got a good feeling about this one.
I'm not convinced about rosei, despite the snout criterion. Is that all you've got?

 

[Bluetongue1]

I will buy into the argument and say it looks most like S. challengeri. I'll provide my reasons when I have more time.

 

[eipper]

So because its extremely variable it's excluded.... I cannot see the sense in that one.

The supralabials are the most reliable feature in this area to split up the three sympatric species and having spent a hell of a lot of time in the rainforests of the McPherson range I am fairly well versed in nuances of the group there.


The snout/ head shape in longer in some of the sapro's .... Spectabilis, challengeri, eungellenisis, mustelina and shorter in others hannahae, rosei etc. while this does not translate to a key or text well it seems to be quite reliable (when used in conjunction with scale counts).


As I said its rosei for my mind... But I cannot make out the supralabials and even the angle is fairly poor.


Cheers
Scott

 

[Bushman]

challengeri challenge!

That's more like it Scott. 8) Well argued.
I like the snout feature that you use to split the genus.
How are supralabials used to differentiate the species? Who's done the latest key to this genus? Does anyone know?
According to Wilson and Swan, challengeri usually have 6 supraciliary scales, whereas rosei usually have 7.
Unfortunately the photos don't allow us to count these scales.
The OP has sent me the originals to examine more closely. I'll crop them and post them up soon if I can.
Welcome to the discussion Blue, your input into ID threads is always valued, especially when you agree with me.
I look forward to reading your reasons.

 

[Bluetongue1]

I will admit right now Patrick, whenever I have been odds with Scott, more often than not I end up licking my wounds. Lol.

Blue