''Ctenotus pantherinus'', commonly known as the Leopard Ctenotus, is a species of

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 ...

endemic to central and western

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 ...

. It's conservation status is currently classified as Least Concern.

Description

They are a Brown/grey lizard with a tail almost equal to its body length, with short, four stubby legs of similar length, ending in clawed feet with five digits. Yellow/white spots with a black/brown outline begin behind the head and extend to the tip of the tail. Some adult Leopard Ctenotus have white/yellow stripes on the side of the tail, starting at the hind leg. The underbelly is a pale white/yellow colour. Leopard Ctenotus are one of the largest and fastest growing ctenotus species in Australia. They grow more during winter than other ctenotus species and are active during all seasons. Males tend to grow at a slightly faster rate than females, and juveniles born in autumn grow faster over winter than those born in the summer months.

Distribution

Ctenotus pantherinus is endemic to Australia and has been found in the semi- arid and arid regions of Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia.

Ecology and Habitat

Ctenotus pantherinus inhabits semi-arid and arid regions of Australia which are usually sandy and stony areas high in Spinifex grasses. Hatchlings are 33mm long and can grow up to 86mm (snout to vent length) as a mature adult.

Diet

Ctenotus pantherinus are insectivores, their diet almost entirely consists of consuming termites and their larvae.

Taxonomy

Leopard Ctenotus is a species of lizard, which belongs to the genus Ctenotus. Ctenotus are in the family Scincidae, which contains more than 1,500 described species, making the Scincidae family one of the most diverse lizard families on Earth.

Subspecies

''Ctenotus pantherinus'' has four subspecies: *'' Ctenotus pantherinus pantherinus'' *'' C. p. acripes'' *'' C. p. calx'' *'' C. p. ocellifer''

Reproduction

Leopard Ctenotus are

oviparious Oviparous animals are animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive method of most fish, amphibians, most reptiles, and all pterosaurs, dinosaurs (including birds), and ...

, meaning they lay eggs which hatch after some time. Leopard Ctenotus reproduce at least once per year, and can have a clutch size ranging from 4-7 eggs. Egg production usually occurs in late spring to early summer. Reproductive rate is above average when compared with other ctenotus species inhabiting the same area, with a relatively large clutch size compared to other skink species. Juvenile leopard Ctenotus reach sexual maturity at 10–11 months of age, on average. Ctenotus Pantherinus is commonly known to reproductively be the only species (within the Ctenotus genus) to have a female be smaller in size in comparison to their male counterparts. This has allowed them to both adequately adapt to their environment, as well as seen them sustain their population.

Threats

This species is classified as having a conservation status of least concern; however, some threats do exist. Drought impacts food availability and this can lead to population decline in dry years. Habitat fragmentation and degradation from land clearing, poor fire regimes and over grazing may increase the isolation of populations and disrupt the ecological balance of the habitat they exist in. Predation by introduced feral animal species such as foxes and feral cats may reduce Leopard Ctenotus populations to low levels.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q3006571 Skinks of Australia pantherinus Endemic fauna of Australia Reptiles described in 1866 Taxa named by Wilhelm Peters