Ctenotus australis (GRAY, 1838)
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Ctenotus australis
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| Higher Taxa | Scincidae, Sphenomorphinae (Sphenomorphini), Scincoidea, Sauria, Squamata (lizards) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | E: Western Limestone Ctenotus |
| Synonym | Tiliqua australis GRAY 1838: 291 (part.) Lygosoma Lesueurii DUMÉRIL & BIBRON 1839: 733 Lygosoma australe — SIEBENROCK 1892 Lygosoma Lesueurii — SIEBENROCK 1892 Lygosoma (Hinulia) lesueuri — DE ROOIJ 1915: 174 Lygosoma (Hinulia) lesueuri — STERNFELD 1925: 243 Lygosoma (Sphenomorphus) lesueuri — SMITH 1937: 220 Lygosoma (Sphenomorphus) lesueurii — GLAUERT 1960 Lygosoma (Omolepida) australe — GLAUERT 1960 Lygosoma (Sphenomorphus) lesueurii — FORD 1963 Ctenotus lesueuri — STORR 1969 Ctenotus lesueuri — STORR 1974 Ctenotus lesueurii — STORR 1975: 218 Ctenotus australis — COGGER 1983: 144 Minervascincus australis — WELLS & WELLINGTON 1985: 34 Ctenotus australis — COGGER 2000: 416 Ctenotus australis — WILSON & SWAN 2010 |
| Distribution | Australia (Western Australia) Type locality: Australia |
| Reproduction | oviparous |
| Types | Syntypes: BMNH 38.3.10.9. These specimens are unlabelled and share a jar with two unlabelled non-types (BMNH 44.4.13.111); these four specimens belong to at least three distinct species and until the name is fixed by appropriate lectotype designation, synonymy follows that of previous authors (COGGER 1983). Syntypes: MNHP 2982 (2 specimens), from Australia [Lygosoma lesueurii] |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis (lesueurii): “A large, long-tailed, long-legged member of the lesueurii group, distinguishable from other members by bolder and more complex colour pattern, fewer midbody scale rows and more numerous subdigital lamellae. Further distinguishable from members of the inornatus subgroup (C. (aliens, severus, helenae etc.) by more numerous nuchals (usually 4, vs seldom more than 3).” (Storr 1975: 219) Description (lesueurii): “Snout-vent length (mm): 38-93 (73.5). Length of appendages (% SVL): foreleg 24-35 (27.7), hindleg 40-59 (48.8), tail 219-267 (244). Nasals separated, usually widely. Prefrontals in contact. Supraoculars 4, first 3 in contact with frontal. Supraciliaries usually 7, occasionally 8 (7.2). Palpebrals 10-13 (11.8). Second loreal 1.2-2.1 (1.66) times as wide as high. Upper labials usually 8, occasionally 9 (8.2). Ear lobules 4-6 (4.8), obtuse in juveniles, acute or subacute in adults, third usually largest. Nuchals 3-5 (4.1). Midbody scale rows 24-26 (24.4). Lamellae under fourth toe 23-28 (25.2), smooth or widely callose in adults, more compressed and narrowly callose in juveniles. Ground colour of adults pale brown or brownish grey. Narrow to moderately wide black vertebral stripe from nape to base of tail, margined with white or brow:nish white (margins extending forward on to head, following outer edge of frontoparietals and frontal). Inner edge of black laterodorsal stripe margined with white. White dorsolateral line from temples to about middle of tail. Black upper lateral zone with two series of white dots or short dashes. White midlateral stripe fairly wide on tail, narrower on body, and breaking up behind foreleg into a series of dark-edged obliquely vertical bars extending forward to upper lip. Lower lateral zone blackish, dotted white (dots tending to clump into vertical bars). Limbs pale brown, longitudinally striped with dark brown. Juveniles blackish brown marked with white as follows: on each side a paravertebral line and dorsolateral line (which may break up into a series of spots) and between them a dorsal line; a midlateral stripe, anteriorly breaking up into a series of spots; remainder of flanks with large spots, sometimes so close together ventrolaterally as to leave only a fine black reticulum.” (Storr 1975: 219) |
| Comment | Synonymy partly after COGGER 1983. Limb morphology: 5 digits, 5 toes (Singhal et al. 2018, Cogger 2014) |
| Etymology | Named after the Latin adjective australis = southern, referring to its distribution in South-Western Western Australia. |
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