''Ctenotus'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

skink Skinks are lizards belonging to the family Scincidae, a family in the infraorder Scincomorpha. With more than 1,500 described species across 100 different taxonomic genera, the family Scincidae is one of the most diverse families of lizards. Ski ...

s (

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Scincidae). The genus belongs to a

clade A clade (), also known as a monophyletic group or natural group, is a group of organisms that are monophyletic – that is, composed of a common ancestor and all its lineal descendants – on a phylogenetic tree. Rather than the English term, ...

in the ''

Sphenomorphus The genus ''Sphenomorphus'' – vernacularly known as the common skinks – currently serves as a "wastebin taxon" for numerous skinks. While most or all species presently placed here are probably rather close relatives, the genus as pr ...

'' group which contains such genera as '' Anomalopus'' and the close relatives '' Eulamprus'' and '' Gnypetoscincus''. Lizards in the genus ''Ctenotus'' are commonly called comb-eared skinks, a reference to the scales aligned near the ear. ''Ctenotus'' lizards are able to move very quickly, disappearing whilst being observed. They are highly active in their habits, foraging amongst a diverse range of habitat. The members of the genus ''Ctenotus'' are widely

distributed Distribution may refer to: Mathematics *Distribution (mathematics), generalized functions used to formulate solutions of partial differential equations *Probability distribution, the probability of a particular value or value range of a varia ...

, in all states of

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

, and are especially diverse in arid regions and the

tropical The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the Equator. They are defined in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere at N and the Tropic of Capricorn in the Southern Hemisphere at S. The tropics are also referred to ...

north, accounting for 10–20% of the lizard species. Around a quarter of lizards found in one area of the

Great Sandy Desert The Great Sandy Desert is an interim Australian bioregion,IBRA Version 6.1
data

are ''Ctenotus'' skinks, 11 of the 40 species. A single dune may have up to six species of ''Ctenotus''. The

Southwest Australia Southwest Australia is a biogeographic region in Western Australia. It includes the Mediterranean-climate area of southwestern Australia, which is home to a diverse and distinctive flora and fauna. The region is also known as the Southwest Aus ...

n region contains 23 species. The size ranges from very small to moderately large, being similarly varied in body types from slender to stout. The diversity of forms allows species to occupy different

niche Niche may refer to: Science *Developmental niche, a concept for understanding the cultural context of child development *Ecological niche, a term describing the relational position of an organism's species *Niche differentiation, in ecology, the ...

s, often in the same locality.

Species

''Ctenotus'' is the most diverse reptile genus in Australia, with approximately 100 member species. Identification to the rank of species is regarded as difficult, and the largest lizard genus is also one of the most poorly understood."''Ctenotus'' "
The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org. *'' Ctenotus agrestis'' – Mitchell grass ctenotus *'' Ctenotus alacer'' – lively ctenotus *'' Ctenotus alleni'' – Ajana ctenotus *'' Ctenotus allotropis'' – brown-blazed wedgesnout ctenotus *'' Ctenotus angusticeps'' – northwestern coastal ctenotus, little leopard ctenotus, Airlie Island ctenuous *'' Ctenotus aphrodite'' – Oorida ctenotus *'' Ctenotus arcanus'' – arcane ctenotus *'' Ctenotus ariadnae'' – Ariadna's ctenotus *'' Ctenotus arnhemensis'' – Jabiluka ctenotus *'' Ctenotus astarte'' – stony downs ctenotus *'' Ctenotus astictus'' – Arnhem striped ctenotus *''

Ctenotus atlas The Southern Mallee ctenotus (''Ctenotus atlas'') is a medium sized lizard in the family scincidae (skink) found in the central and southern interior regions of South Australia and Western Australia; the Mallee regions of NSW and Victoria, in A ...

'' – southern mallee ctenotus *'' Ctenotus australis'' – western limestone ctenotus *'' Ctenotus borealis'' – white-faced ctenotus *'' Ctenotus brachyonyx'' – short-clawed ctenotus *'' Ctenotus brevipes'' – short-footed ctenotus *'' Ctenotus brooksi'' – wedgesnout ctenotus *'' Ctenotus burbidgei'' – plain-backed Kimberley ctenotus *'' Ctenotus calurus'' – blue-tailed finesnout ctenotus *'' Ctenotus capricorni'' – Capricorn ctenotus *'' Ctenotus catenifer'' – chain-striped south-west ctenotus *'' Ctenotus coggeri'' – brown-backed ctenotus *'' Ctenotus colletti'' – Collett’s skink, buff-tailed finesnout ctenotus *'' Ctenotus decaneurus'' – ten-lined ctenotus *'' Ctenotus delli'' – Darling Range south-west ctenotus *'' Ctenotus duricola'' – Eastern Pilbara lined ctenotus, Pilbara ctenotus *'' Ctenotus dux'' – fine side-lined ctenotus *'' Ctenotus ehmanni'' – brown-tailed finesnout ctenotus *'' Ctenotus essingtonii'' – lowlands plain-backed ctenotus *'' Ctenotus euclae'' – wedgesnout ctenotus *''

Ctenotus eurydice ''Ctenotus eurydice'', also known commonly as the brown-backed yellow-lined ctenotus, is a species of skink, a lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is native to New South Wales and Queensland in Australia. Etymology The specific nam ...

'' – brown-backed yellow-lined ctenotus *'' Ctenotus eutaenius'' – black-backed yellow-lined ctenotus *'' Ctenotus fallens'' – West-coast laterite ctenotus *'' Ctenotus gagudju'' – Magela ctenotus, Kakadu ctenotus *'' Ctenotus gemmula'' – jewelled south-west ctenotus *''

Ctenotus grandis The grand ctenotus (''Ctenotus grandis'') is a species of skink found in Northern Territory and Western Australia. References {{Taxonbar, from=Q3006530 grandis Grandis may refer to: * Grandis (company), a company producing magnetoresistiv ...

'' – grand ctenotus *'' Ctenotus greeri'' – spotted-necked ctenotus *'' Ctenotus halysis'' – chained ctenotus *'' Ctenotus hanloni'' – nimble ctenotus *'' Ctenotus hebetior'' – stout ctenotus *'' Ctenotus helenae'' – clay-soil ctenotus *'' Ctenotus hilli'' – top-end lowlands ctenotus *'' Ctenotus iapetus'' – North West Cape ctenotus *'' Ctenotus impar'' – odd-striped ctenotus *'' Ctenotus ingrami'' – unspotted yellow-sided ctenotus *'' Ctenotus inornatus'' – bar-shouldered ctenotus *'' Ctenotus joanae'' – black-soil ctenotus *'' Ctenotus kurnbudj'' – Kurnbudj ctenotus *'' Ctenotus kutjupa'' *'' Ctenotus labillardieri'' – common south-west ctenotus *'' Ctenotus lancelini'' – Lancelin Island skink, Lancelin south-west ctenotus *'' Ctenotus lateralis'' – gravelly-soil ctenotus *'' Ctenotus leae'' – orange-tailed finesnout skink *'' Ctenotus leonhardii'' – Leonhardi's ctenotus, Leonhardi's skink, common desert ctenotus *'' Ctenotus maryani'' – Maryan's ctenotus *'' Ctenotus mastigura'' – whiptail ctenotus *'' Ctenotus mesotes'' – median-striped ctenotus *''

Ctenotus militaris The soldier ctenotus (''Ctenotus militaris'') is a species of skink found in the Northern Territory and Western Australia Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area ...

'' – soldier ctenotus *'' Ctenotus mimetes'' – checker-sided ctenotus *'' Ctenotus monticola'' – Atherton ctenotus *'' Ctenotus nasutus'' – nasute finesnout ctenotus *'' Ctenotus nigrilineatus'' – pin-striped finesnout ctenotus *'' Ctenotus nullum'' – nullum ctenotus *'' Ctenotus olympicus'' – spotted ctenotus *'' Ctenotus ora'' – coastal plains skink *'' Ctenotus orientalis'' – oriental ctenotus *'' Ctenotus pallasotus'' – Western Pilbara lined ctenotus *'' Ctenotus pallescens'' – north-western wedgesnout ctenotus *''

Ctenotus pantherinus ''Ctenotus pantherinus'', commonly known as the Leopard Ctenotus, is a species of skink endemic to central and western Australia. It's conservation status is currently classified as Least Concern. Description They are a Brown/grey lizard with ...

'' - leopard ctenotus *'' Ctenotus piankai'' - course sand ctenotus *'' Ctenotus pulchellus'' - red-sided ctenotus *'' Ctenotus quattuordecimlineatus'' - fourteen-lined ctenotus *'' Ctenotus quinkan'' - Quinkan ctenotus *'' Ctenotus quirinus'' - Arnhem land ctenotus *'' Ctenotus rawlinsoni'' - Cape Heath ctenotus *'' Ctenotus regius'' - pale-rumped ctenotus *'' Ctenotus rhabdotus'' - Kimberley lined ctenotus *'' Ctenotus rimacolus'' - crack-dwelling ctenotus *'' Ctenotus robustus'' - robust ctenotus, striped skink *'' Ctenotus rosarium'' - beaded ctenotus *'' Ctenotus rubicundus'' - ruddy ctenotus *'' Ctenotus rufescens'' - rufous finesnout ctenotus *''

Ctenotus rutilans The rusty-shouldered ctenotus (''Ctenotus rutilans'') is a species of skink found in Western Australia Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia exclu ...

'' - rusty-shouldered ctenotus *'' Ctenotus saxatilis'' - stony-soil ctenotus *'' Ctenotus schevilli'' - black-soil rises ctenotus *'' Ctenotus schomburgkii'' - barred wedge-snout ctenotus *'' Ctenotus septenarius'' - massive-gibber ctenotus *'' Ctenotus serotinus'' - gravel-downs ctenotus *'' Ctenotus serventyi'' - north-western sandy-loam ctenotus *'' Ctenotus severus'' - stern ctenotus *'' Ctenotus spaldingi'' - straight-browed ctenotus *''

Ctenotus storri ''Ctenotus storri'', also known Common name, commonly as the buff-striped ctenotus or Storr's ctenotus, is a species of lizard in the Family (biology), family Scincidae. The species is Endemism, endemic to Australia. Etymology The Specific name ...

'' - buff-striped ctenotus *'' Ctenotus strauchii'' - eastern barred wedge-snout ctenotus *'' Ctenotus striaticeps'' - stripe-headed finesnout ctenotus *'' Ctenotus stuarti'' - Stuart's ctenotus *'' Ctenotus superciliaris'' - sharp-browed ctenotus *'' Ctenotus taeniatus'' - eyrean ctenotus *'' Ctenotus taeniolatus'' – copper-tailed skink, copper-tailed ctenotus *'' Ctenotus tanamiensis'' – Tanami ctenotus *''

Ctenotus tantillus The Kimberley wedge-snout ctenotus (''Ctenotus tantillus'') is a species of skink found in the Northern Territory and Western Australia. References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q3006608 Ctenotus, tantillus Reptiles described in 1975 Taxa named by Gl ...

'' – Kimberley wedge-snout ctenotus *'' Ctenotus terrareginae'' – Hinchinbrook ctenotus *'' Ctenotus uber'' – spotted ctenotus *'' Ctenotus vagus'' – uneven-striped ctenotus *'' Ctenotus vertebralis'' – scant-striped ctenotus *'' Ctenotus xenopleura'' – wide-striped ctenotus *'' Ctenotus youngsoni'' – Shark Bay south-west ctenotus *'' Ctenotus zastictus'' – Hamelin ctenotus, Hamelin Pool ctenotus *'' Ctenotus zebrilla'' – Southern Cape York fine-snout ctenotus ''

Nota bene (, or ; plural form ) is a Latin phrase meaning "note well". It is often abbreviated as NB, n.b., or with the ligature and first appeared in English writing . In Modern English, it is used, particularly in legal papers, to draw the atten ...

'': A

binomial authority In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...

in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than ''Ctenotus''.

Species

References

Further reading