Hi Paul
Sounds very much like a Three-toed Skink (or Three-toed Earless Skink)
(Hemiergis decresiensis) which is fairly common locally, though cryptic.
They can be 10-11cm long, although probably more than half of that would be
tail. Pictures here
http://museumvictoria.com.au/bioinformatics/lizards/images/comdecrlive.htm
Note there are other skinks with 3 toes that also get called 'Three-toed
Skink', but H. decresiensis is the only one found locally.
Legless lizards found around Canberra are in a different family and do look
completely limbless like snakes, although they have a small flap of skin
where a limb should be this isn't usually visible.
Cheers
Steve
-----Original Message-----
From: Paul T.
Sent: Wednesday, 31 March 2010 4:04 PM
To:
Subject: OT Legless-ish lizards
Howdy All,
Apologies for the off bird topic, but we seem to have a lot of
knowledge here of other fauna so I thought I would ask. Is there a
species of "legless" lizard locally that looks like a very large
"common" skink (i.e the little ones that we get here all over the
place in our gardens), with legs proportionally around half the size
of the normal skink and that moves by undulation akin to the visual
movement of a snake? The other day I unearthed a squirmy little
beastie of this description amongst the pots in my back yard. It was
maybe 50% larger than the normal skinks (far larger than any I have
observed here in my garden at the very least), definitely possessed
legs that were quite small, and that it definitely did not use at all
in it's attempts to get away from me. I didn't pursue it as I didn't
want to risk hurting it...... I honestly thought it was just a very
large skink until I realised the legs were relatively small and that
it didn't move right.
Does anyone know what this may have been? Perhaps better to respond
to me privately as I don't want to clog up the list with my
non-birding lizard question. <grin>
Thanks in anticipation.
Cheers.
Paul T.
Higgins, ACT
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