Cunningham's spiny-tailed skink (''Egernia cunninghami''), also known commonly as Cunningham's skink, is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

of large

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 ...

, a lizard in the

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 species is native to southeastern

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 ...

Etymology

Both the specific name, ''cunninghami'', and the common names are in honour of English botanist and explorer Allan Cunningham.

Description

''E. cunninghami'' can reach up to 40 cm (16 inches) in total length (including tail), and may be confused with the

blue-tongued lizard Blue-tongued skinks comprise the Australasian genus ''Tiliqua'', which contains some of the largest members of the skink family (Scincidae). They are commonly called blue-tongued lizards or simply blue-tongues or blueys in Australia. As suggeste ...

s (

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 ...

'' Tiliqua''). Cunningham's spiny-tailed skink has a distinctive keel on each scale, which gives it a slightly spiny appearance. It is extremely variable in colour, ranging from dark brown to black, with or without blotchy patches, speckles, or narrow bands. Wilson, Steve; Swan, Gerry (2006). ''A Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia, Second Edition''. Sydney: New Holland Publishing. 512 pp. .

Habitat

''E. cunninghami'' prefers to live communally in the crevices of rocky outcrops or hollow logs.

Diet

Cunningham's spiny-tailed skink is a diurnal

omnivore An omnivore () is an animal that has the ability to eat and survive on both plant and animal matter. Obtaining energy and nutrients from plant and animal matter, omnivores digest carbohydrates, protein, fat, and fiber, and metabolize the nutr ...

, with its diet including insects, flowers, berries, fungi, leaves and young shoots.

Conservation status

There is currently research being done on the isolated population of Cunningham's skink that inhabits the southern

Mount Lofty Ranges The Mount Lofty Ranges are a range of mountains in the Australian state of South Australia which for a small part of its length borders the east of Adelaide. The part of the range in the vicinity of Adelaide is called the Adelaide Hills and ...

South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...

. This population is considered vulnerable due to the fragmented (disjunct) distribution of the "colonies". There is evidence that at least one of these colonies has totally disappeared. It is more common within suitable habitat along the southeastern coast and ranges of Australia.

Reproduction

Like some other reptiles, ''E. cunninghami'' is

viviparous Among animals, viviparity is development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. This is opposed to oviparity which is a reproductive mode in which females lay developing eggs that complete their development and hatch externally from the m ...

, giving birth to six or more live young in a litter.Cunningham's Skink, ''Egernia cunninghami'', Information Sheet
Museum of Victoria.

Inbreeding avoidance

Habitat fragmentation Habitat fragmentation describes the emergence of discontinuities (fragmentation) in an organism's preferred environment (habitat), causing population fragmentation and ecosystem decay. Causes of habitat fragmentation include geological processes ...

can affect a species population by disrupting core processes. One such process is inbreeding avoidance (avoiding

inbreeding depression Inbreeding depression is the reduced biological fitness which has the potential to result from inbreeding (the breeding of related individuals). Biological fitness refers to an organism's ability to survive and perpetuate its genetic material. In ...

). The impact of habitat alteration (deforestation) on inbreeding was studied in the rock-dwelling Australian lizard ''Egernia cunninghami''. Such populations in deforested areas experience potentially inbreeding-enhancing factors such as reduced dispersal and increased relatedness. However, active avoidance of close kin as mates was observed, as indicated by the substantially lower relatedness in actual breeding pairs compared to potential ones expected if there were random mating. This finding, as well as heterozygous excesses in immature lizards from disturbed (as well as undisturbed) habitats indicated that it maintains outbreeding in the face of increased accumulation of relatives.

Gallery

File:Cunningham skink448.jpg, ''Egernia cunninghami'' basking on fallen log. File:Cunningham's Skink2-MJC.jpg, Two Cunningham's spiny-tailed skinks resting on granite boulders, the spiny keel of the scales can be seen on the tail. File:Cunningham's_Skink-MJC.jpg, Cunningham's spiny-tailed skink in southern

Australian Capital Territory The Australian Capital Territory (commonly abbreviated as ACT), known as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) until 1938, is a landlocked federal territory of Australia containing the national capital Canberra and some surrounding townships. ...

. File:Cunningham's_Skinks_1.jpg, Three ''E. cunninghami'', Cabbage Bay, near

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...

, New South Wales.

References

External links

''Egernia cunninghami''
Australian Faunal Directory.