Carlia sexdentata (MACLEAY, 1877)
Can you confirm these amateur observations of Carlia sexdentata?
Carlia sexdentata
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| Higher Taxa | Scincidae, Eugongylinae (Eugongylini), Scincoidea, Sauria, Squamata (lizards) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | E: Closed-litter Rainbow-skink |
| Synonym | Heteropus sexdentatus MACLEAY 1877: 67 Heteropus variegatus MACLEAY 1877: 66 Heteropus maculatus DE VIS 1885: 169 Heteropus rubricatus DE VIS 1885: 170 Carlia sexdentata — DONNELLAN et al. 2009 Carlia sexdentata — WILSON & SWAN 2010 |
| Distribution | Australia (NE Northern Territory and NE Queensland) Type locality: Cape Grenville, NE Qld (11°58'S, 143°14'E). |
| Reproduction | oviparous (phylogenetic imputation, fide Zimin et al. 2022) |
| Types | Lectotype: AMS (AM) R31879, (formerly MAMU R78, MR 462), (designation by Ingram & Covacevich, 1989). Syntypes: AM R31868-70, from Darnley Is., Torres Strait, Qld. [Heteropus variegatus] Holotype: QM presumed lost (probably from Cape York, Qld.), see Covacevich (1971) [Heteropus maculatus] Holotype: QM presumed lost (probably from Cape York, Qld.), see Covacevich (1971) [Heteropus rubricatus] |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: Carlia sexdentata most closely resembles C. longipes from which it is separated herein. The two species are distinguished most readily by the colour pattern of adult males and the nature of the ear lobules. In C. sexdentata the dark midlateral zone between ear and shoulder does not contrast sharply with the lower neck colour vs contrasting sharply with lower neck colour; in C. sexdentata the ear aperture usually has a well-developed series of lobules on the anterior margin often producing a distinctive comb- like effect, lobules poorly to moderately developed on other surfaces of ear (Fig. 10a, b) vs ear aperture completely surrounded by sharply pointed lobules (Fig. 7). Carlia sexdentata lacks the dorsal and lateral pattern seen in C. quinquecarinata (large, longitudinally aligned, dark-edged, pale dashes on the dorsum and a broken midlateral line [Fig. 12c]). Carlia sexdentata need only be distinguished from other species of Carlia with a smoothly rounded posterior edge to the midbody scales. It is distinguished from C. munda and C. tetradactyla by the nature of its ear lobules (sharply pointed vs small and rounded); from C. rimula by its greater midbody scale count and larger size (31–38 vs ≤ 30; max SVL = 63.5mm vs 39mm); from C. rhomboidalis and C. rubrigularis by the state of the interparietal scale (free vs fused); from C. rostralis by its ear lobules and male breeding colours (ear aperture usually has a series of well-developed lobules on the anterior margin often producing a distinctive comb-like effect, lobules poorly to moderately developed on other surfaces of ear vs ear aperture generally with only one or two large pointed lobules on anterior edge; males with pale throat vs black throat). Of the above listed species, its broad distribution only overlaps with C. munda and C. rimula. Whether it overlaps with C. longipes remains unclear. The two species may be mutually exclusive but, if so, the southern limit for C. sexdentata is in close proximity to the northern limit for C. longipes [from DONNELLAN et al. 2009]. |
| Comment | Synonymy after DONNELLAN et al. 2009. Has long been synonymized with Carlia longipes. Note: the ear lobule state (ear aperture is completely surrounded by sharply pointed lobules in C. longipes vs usually a series of well-developed lobules on anterior margin often producing a distinctive comb-like effect, lobules poorly to moderately developed on other surfaces of ear for C. sexdentata) is more variable in Torres Strait with island C. sexdentata specimens commonly approaching the `completely surrounded’ C. longipes condition. |
| Etymology | Presumably named after the Latin sex (six) plus dentatus (toothed), referring to the projecting lobules around the ear. (G. Shea, pers. comm., 9 Feb 2024) |
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