Lerista punctatovittata Anomalopus brevicollis
Burrowing Skinks Lerista species and Anomalopus species
What do they look like ? Small , smooth and glossy lizards , 10 cm to 25 cm in total length , sometimes confused with blind snakes or even worms . Shades of grey to brown , sometimes with a dark stripe along the side . Some burrowing skinks have no limbs , whilst others have two or four tiny legs .
Where do they live ? Burrowing skinks are found in woodlands throughout the region . They prefer sandy soils with ample leaf litter .
What do they need to live , eat and breed ? Burrowing skinks spend much of their time in loose , top surface soil , leaf litter , under rocks and decaying logs . Some species are known to eat termites , and all probably eat a wide variety of small soil insects . They lay eggs deep under ground , under logs , in ant and termite nests .
When might I see ( or hear ) them ? Rarely seen unless you actively search for them , or encounter them when moving logs or clearing fence lines . Domestic cats sometimes bring them in to houses and this is when most people would see them . In sandy country , they travel over the soil surface at night , leaving distinctive s-shaped tracks .
What management actions affect this species ? Changes to the ground layer , leaf litter and top soil by clearing , ploughing or sowing with introduced pasture , severely reduces burrowing skink numbers . One species that occurs near Clermont , Lerista allanae , has the dubious distinction of being Australia ’ s only suspected extinct reptile . Broad scale clearing , ploughing and seeding buffel has caused its disappearance . Maintaining healthy , uncompacted soil condition with dense leaf litter protects these animals . Retain windrows of intact , native vegetation between cropped paddocks .
How do they benefit the land I manage ? These small , litter dwelling reptiles can occur in large numbers in suitable habitat . Like worms , they act as tiny ecosystem engineers in the top soil , aerating the soil and litter , helping mix in nutrients and water . They also feed on litter insects and larvae , keeping insect populations in check .
Similar species : Numerous similar species occur in the region . Lerista fragilis , L . punctatovittata and L . zonulata are the most common and widely distributed . Anomalopus brevicollis is common in the south of the region .
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