Ctenotus piankai STORR, 1969
Find more photos by Google images search:
Higher Taxa | Scincidae, Sphenomorphinae (Sphenomorphini), Scincoidea, Sauria, Squamata (lizards) |
Subspecies | |
Common Names | E: Course Sand Ctenotus |
Synonym | Ctenotus piankai STORR 1969: 106 Ctenotus piankai piankai — STORR 1975: 238 Ctenotus piankai — COGGER 1983: 150 Ctenotus piankai — COGGER 2000: 437 Ctenotus piankai — RABOSKY et al. 2017: 14 |
Distribution | Australia (NW and W Western Australia, Northern Territory, South Australia, and Queensland) Type locality: 24 mi ENE of Laverton, 28°31’ S, 122°45’ E, W. A. |
Reproduction | oviparous |
Types | Holotype: WAM R30000 |
Diagnosis | Diagnosis: A small-bodied (to 53 mm SVL), elongate Ctenotus, nasals in contact, prefrontals in contact, 22 or 24 midbody scale rows, 18–23 compressed lamellae under toes with obtuse keel, usually eight supralabial and supraciliary scales; pattern including six (occasionally eight) pale narrow longitudinal stripes on a reddish-brown dorsum, at most a single upper mid-lateral row of spots or dashes, dorsal stripes not continuing on head to snout, tail not red or blue, pale lateral stripe approximately twice as wide as pale paravertebral and dorsolateral stripes, dark vertebral stripe terminates on nuchals (not contacting parietals), pale dorsolateral stripe not continuing anteriorly to eye (broken), pale upper lateral stripe between ear and forelimb usually continuous, lower lateral stripe (if present) on fore-body solid or broken, pale paravertebral stripes join on tail at or posterior to level of heel of extended hind limb, lower labial scales immaculate. Additional details (43 characters) are available for collaborators and contributors. Please contact us for details. |
Comment | Abundance: common, with more than 900 specimens collected (Pianka 2011) Subspecies: Ctenotus piankai duricola STORR 1975: 239 has been elevated to full species. Habitat: sand dunes and plains with spinifex grasses (especially Triodia basedowii), with which they are closely associated (Pianka 1986). Diet: probably true bugs (Hemiptera) and spiders (Pianka 1986; Goodyear & Pianka 2011). Limb morphology: 5 digits, 5 toes (Singhal et al. 2018, Cogger 2014) Distribution: see map in Singhal et al. 2022: Fig. 2. |
Etymology | Named after Eric R. Pianka (born 1939), American herpetologist at the University of Texas. |
References |
|
External links |