''Tiliqua scincoides'' (common blue-tongued skink, blue-tongued lizard, common bluetongue) 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 ...

. It is native to

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 ...

as well

Tanimbar The Tanimbar Islands, also called ''Timur Laut'', are a group of about 65 islands in the Maluku province of Indonesia. The largest and most central of the islands is Yamdena; others include Selaru to the southwest of Yamdena, Larat and Forda ...

Island (Maluku Province, Indonesia).

Subspecies

There are three

subspecies In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...

: *'' Tiliqua scincoides scincoides'' –

eastern blue-tongued skink The ''Tiliqua scincoides scincoides,'' or eastern blue-tongued lizard, is native to Australia. It is unique due to its blue tongue, which can be used to warn off predators. In addition to flashing its blue tongue, the skink hisses and puffs up it ...

(southern/eastern Australia) *''

Tiliqua scincoides intermedia The northern blue-tongued skink (''Tiliqua scincoides intermedia'') or northern blue-tongued lizard is the largest and heaviest of the blue-tongued lizards (family Scincidae, genus'' Tiliqua''). They are native to Australia and found almost exclu ...

'' – northern blue-tongued skink (northern Australia) *''Tiliqua scincoides chimaera'' – Tanimbar blue-tongued skink (Maluku Province, Indonesia)

Description

This is a large species of terrestrial blue tongue measuring upwards of 60 centimetres in length and over 1 kilogram in mass. It has a stout body and short legs. It is variable in color but generally has a banded pattern. The tongue is blue-violet''Tiliqua scincoides''.
Australian Reptile Online Database. to cobalt blue in color. Due to its characteristic blue tongue and its curious nature, it is a popular companion animal in Western countries. This lizard is diurnal, active during the day. It is omnivorous, feeding on insects, snails, frogs, other reptiles, small birds, small mammals, carrion, some plant material, fruits, and other vegetation. It is

ovoviviparous Ovoviviparity, ovovivipary, ovivipary, or aplacental viviparity is a term used as a "bridging" form of reproduction between egg-laying oviparous and live-bearing viviparous reproduction. Ovoviviparous animals possess embryos that develop insi ...

, and a live bearing reptile. The female's litter can have a range from 5 to 25 live young per litter with ''Tiliqua scincoides scincoides'' being known to carry the largest litters. This species is known to live over 30 years. It is an adaptable animal, often finding habitat in urban and suburban areas, including residential areas of

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 ...

. The lizard is considered beneficial in these areas, with its appetite for garden pests such as slugs and snails. When threatened it may hiss and reveal its blue tongue, startling potential predators. There are many localities and established color variations for each. Eastern blue tongues can have a green or yellow phase, they can have eye bands or not, and look different coming from the Brisbane area and others. In captivity, breeders have expressed albinism and hyper melanism. Northerns are either classic/standard looking or speckled from the Kimberly region and Prince Regent National Park. In captivity, breeders have expressed exaggerated colorations that can be red, yellow, orange, caramel, white, and others. Tanimbar blue tongues are the most glossy and often seen in a gold or silver phase. Tanimbar and Kimberly Northerns are known for being more aggressive in the wild than other species. All blue tongue species display greater tolerance for human interaction the more generations they are bred in captivity.

Gallery

File:Eastern blue tongued lizard.jpg,

Eastern blue-tongued lizard The ''Tiliqua scincoides scincoides,'' or eastern blue-tongued lizard, is native to Australia. It is unique due to its blue tongue, which can be used to warn off predators. In addition to flashing its blue tongue, the skink hisses and puffs up its ...

File:Tiliqua scincoides intermedia, Northern Blue-Tongued Skink (captive bred specimen).JPG,

Northern blue-tongued skink The northern blue-tongued skink (''Tiliqua scincoides intermedia'') or northern blue-tongued lizard is the largest and heaviest of the blue-tongued lizards (family Scincidae, genus'' Tiliqua''). They are native to Australia and found almost excl ...

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q781954 Tiliqua Skinks of Australia Reptiles of Indonesia Reptiles described in 1790 Taxa named by John White (surgeon) Reptiles as pets