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Litter skinks
Lygisaurus - De Vis, 1884

Pronunciation: LIE-gee-SOHR-uss
 Etymology: 'flexible lizard'.1

Taxonomic notes:

Members of this genus have previously been placed in Carlia.2

Notes:
Statistics: Reproductive modes:
Oviparous - 11 out of 11 Australian species

Size range:
Smallest Australian species: hidden litter-skink (Lygisaurus abscondita) at 3 cm
 Longest Australian species: iridescent litter-skink (Lygisaurus foliorum) at 3.9 cm
Number of Australian species: 11
 

No thumbnail available hidden litter-skink (Lygisaurus abscondita) distribution range map Lygisaurus abscondita
Hidden litter-skink
Year described
(Worthington Wilmer, Couper, Amey, Zug & Roberts 2005)
Description
Olive-brown, with the hindlimbs and tail being lighter than the rest of the body; underside of limbs and tail with feint, dark speckles.3 Body scales are smooth; Lower eyelid is moveable and contains a large, transparent scale (the palpebral disc); "clearly defined row of upper ciliaries"; 6 supraciliaries; 7 supralabials.3 Ear is round with sharp lobules on margins.3

large-disced litter-skink (Lygisaurus aeratus)
Wenlock River, Queensland
Photo © Ray Lloyd
large-disced litter-skink (Lygisaurus aeratus) distribution range map Lygisaurus aeratus
Large-disced litter-skink
Year described
(Garman 1901)
Description

iridescent litter-skink (Lygisaurus foliorum)
Barakula State Forest, Queensland
Photo © Stewart Macdonald
iridescent litter-skink (Lygisaurus foliorum) distribution range map Lygisaurus foliorum
Iridescent litter-skink
Year described
De Vis 1884
Description

rainforest edge litter-skink (Lygisaurus laevis)
Julatten, Queensland
Photo © Ray Lloyd
rainforest edge litter-skink (Lygisaurus laevis) distribution range map Lygisaurus laevis
Rainforest edge litter-skink
Year described
(Oudemans 1894)
Description

translucent litter-skink (Lygisaurus macfarlani)
Wenlock River, Queensland
Photo © Henry Cook
translucent litter-skink (Lygisaurus macfarlani) distribution range map Lygisaurus macfarlani
Translucent litter-skink
Year described
(Günther 1877)
Description

red-tailed litter-skink (Lygisaurus malleolus)
Laura region, Queensland
Photo © Stewart Macdonald
red-tailed litter-skink (Lygisaurus malleolus) distribution range map Lygisaurus malleolus
Red-tailed litter-skink
Year described
(Roberts, Couper, Worthington Wilmer, Amey & Zug 2005)
Description

fire-tailed rainbow-skink (Lygisaurus parrhasius)
Glennie Tableland, Queensland
Photo © Michael Anthony
fire-tailed rainbow-skink (Lygisaurus parrhasius) distribution range map Lygisaurus parrhasius
Fire-tailed rainbow-skink
Year described
(Couper, Covacevich & Lethbridge 1994)
Description

Chillagoe litter-skink (Lygisaurus rococo)
Chillagoe, Queensland
Photo © Stewart Macdonald
Chillagoe litter-skink (Lygisaurus rococo) distribution range map Lygisaurus rococo
Chillagoe litter-skink
Year described
Ingram & Covacevich 1988
Description

Eastern Cape litter-skink (Lygisaurus sesbrauna)
Iron Range, Queensland
Photo © Henry Cook
Eastern Cape litter-skink (Lygisaurus sesbrauna) distribution range map Lygisaurus sesbrauna
Eastern Cape litter-skink
Year described
Ingram & Covacevich 1988
Description

Endeavour River litter-skink (Lygisaurus tanneri)
Cooktown, Queensland
Photo © Ray Lloyd
Endeavour River litter-skink (Lygisaurus tanneri) distribution range map Lygisaurus tanneri
Endeavour River litter-skink
Year described
Ingram & Covacevich 1988
Description

sun-loving litter-skink (Lygisaurus zuma)
Paluma, Queensland
Photo © Eric Vanderduys
sun-loving litter-skink (Lygisaurus zuma) distribution range map Lygisaurus zuma
Sun-loving litter-skink
Year described
Couper 1993
Description

References
  1. Ehmann, Harald (1992). Encyclopedia of Australian animals: Reptiles. Angus and Robertson. 495 pp - search web for this book
  2. Dolman, G. & Hugall, A.F. (2008). Combined mitochondrial and nuclear data enhance resolution of a rapid radiation of Australian rainbow skinks (Scincidae: Carlia). Molecular phylogenetics and evolution, 49(3):782-794. - search web for this article
  3. Couper, P. J.; Worthington Wilmer, J.; Roberts, L.; Amey, A. P.; & Zug, G. R. (2005). Skinks currently assigned to Carlia aerata (Scincidae : Lygosominae) of north-eastern Queensland: a preliminary study of cryptic diversity and two new species. Australian Journal of Zoology, 53(1):35-49.
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