Delicate Skink

Latin Name: Lampropholis delicata. (del'-ik-ah'-tah: "delicate shining-scale")

Class:Reptilia   Order:Squamata-Sauria   Family:Scincidae   Genus:Lampropholis

Distribution: 100,000-300,000 square kilometres from south eastern SA, Victoria -
                       including Bushy Park Wetlands, Tasmania and up the east coast of NSW.

Habitat: In almost all moist eastern and southeastern habitats, from mountain ranges to
               suburban gardens in eastern Australia.

Description: Usually a mid to dark brown above, prominently flecked, and blackish
                      brown on the upper sides. Some females have a narrow, pale midlateral line.
                      Also called the Dark Flecked Garden Sun Skink, it is able to survive quite
                      intense bushfires by taking shelter in deep burrows of small animals
                      (spiders, insects) and soil cracks.

Length: Head and Body Length to 4cm, Total Overall Length to 10cm.

                                         Delicate Skink

Food: It forages in low vegetation and leaf litter for spiders, ants, beetles, insect larvae,
           centipedes, bugs, flies and amphipods.

Breeding: Mating usually occurs in spring.   From early summer to early autumn the
                  female lays 2 to 6 eggs per clutch into a rock crevice, soil hole or other dark,
                  humid recess under stones or logs. She may produce up to three clutches
                  per season, however later clutches are usually smaller than the first.
                  Hatchlings emerge from the eggs from late summer till late autumn.

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