That Reptile Blog – Reptile, Amphibian and Exotic Pet Care and Information

Twenty of the world’s 5,000+ lizard species have been shown to live in family groups (i.e. the Prehensile Tailed Skink, Corucia zebrata, and the USA’s Desert Night Lizard, Xantusia vigilis).  Field studies have now revealed that one social lizard – Great Desert Skink or Tjakura, Liopholis kintorei – actually constructs complex, long-term dwellings and lives in extended family groups.  Native to the red sand plains of central Australia, it is the only lizard known to exhibit such highly-evolved social behavior.

Natural History and Conservation

The Great Desert Skink is stoutly-built, much like the familiar Blue-Tongued Skink (please see photo) and sports rust to burnt-orange coloration that closely matches the red sands in which it lives; its Aboriginal name, Mulyamiji, means “red nose”. 

The diet is comprised largely of beetles, spiders and other invertebrates, with termites being an important food source for part of their active season.  Small snakes, lizards and some vegetation are also taken.  Please click here to view a photo of this most attractive lizard.

The Great Desert Skink’s range has greatly decreased in recent years, and it is classified as Vulnerable by the Australian Government (please see article below for conservation plan).

Skink “Towns”

The degree of social behavior exhibited by the Great Desert Skink is unprecedented among lizards, and has shocked the herpetological community.  Researchers from Macquarie University and Parks Australia have discovered that families comprised of a breeding pair and several generations of offspring cooperatively build complex tunnel systems which are occupied for at least 7 years.

Their subterranean homes have up to 20 entrances and separate latrine areas, and may cover an area spanning 50 feet or more.  Tunnel construction and maintenance duties are carried out by family members based upon size, with the largest individuals doing most of the “heavy lifting”…all seem to contribute some effort, however.

Mate Fidelity and Family Ties

Mated pairs of Great Desert Skinks remain together for years.  Females seem to copulate only with their mate, but 40% of male skinks father young “outside” of their primary relationship.  The young are born alive and remain within the tunnel system of their birth, with their parents and siblings, for several years.  How and when they disperse and breed is being investigated.

Biologists hope that further studies of Great Desert Skink communities will reveal insights into the evolution of social behavior in reptiles and other creatures.

Further Reading

Natural History and Conservation of the Great Desert Skink (Australian Government Report)

Central Australia’s Red Sand Habitats

Social Behavior in the Prehensile-Tailed Skink

A decade or so ago, Cryptosporidiosis became recognized as a major concern in captive snake and lizard collections.  Caused by a one-celled parasite known as Cryptosporidium varanii, the disease remains incurable to this day.  At the Bronx Zoo, where I worked at the time, tests showed that many snakes already in our collection, along with wild and pet reptiles, might be harboring Cryptosporidium.  But diagnosis was difficult and errors were common, resulting in the institution of expensive and time-consuming isolation protocols for new and sick animals.  So I was happy to learn of a newly devised test that ensures early, accurate diagnosis of Cryptosporidium…it will surely prove useful to pet keepers and zoos alike.

Crypto and the Pet Trade

A number of factors render Cryptosporidiosis as a major concern, including the popularity of reptile pets and the fact that the parasite can be transferred to people.  While not often of major concern to healthy adults, Crypto, as it came to be known, is a danger to immune-compromised individuals (please see article below).  A recent survey of 672 pets revealed that 1 in 6 of the Corn Snakes and 1 in 12 of the Leopard Geckos tested harbored Crypto in one form or another.  Read More »

Roaches are best known to herp enthusiasts as food for captive reptiles and amphibians.  However, these very interesting insects are increasingly being valued as display animals in their own right, and are appearing in the pet trade (I find the lime-green Banana Roach, Panchlora nivea, to be among the most beautiful of all insects…please see photo and article below for information on keeping roaches).  Recently, entomologists were surprised to discover a new species on the grounds of a famous South African resort. Christened the Leaproach, Saltoblattela monistabularis, it is the only one of its nearly 5,000 relatives known to jump, and on first glance looks much like a grasshopper.

A New Species at a Tourist Attraction

The Leaproach was first collected on the grounds of South Africa’s Table Mountain National Park, a mere 10 minute drive from Cape Town (please see photo).  The park is visited by over 4 million people each year.  Read More »

Paleontologists have recently uncovered the fossils of two small creatures that defied some basic “dinosaur rules”, and which have provided unique insights into the evolution of both carnivorous and plant-eating creatures.  Eodromaeus, christened the Dawn Runner, resembled a pint-sized Tyrannosaurus, and likely gave rise to the most ferocious predator of ancient times, T rex.  Tiarajudens eccentricus, on the other hand, ate plants yet was equipped with long, pointed fang-like teeth – a “saber-toothed cow” of sorts.

The Dawn Runner, Eodromaeus,

This 4-foot-long, 10-15 pound fellow likely made up in ferocity what it lacked in size.  Pondering its image (please see photo of skeleton and artist’s recreation in article below), I can’t help but think that “prehistoric herpers” would have surely made a pet of this one!  Of course, dinosaurs and humans did not inhabit earth at the same time, but if we had… Read More »

This is the first in a new series of what I’ll call “Myth-Buster Articles”, which will focus on beliefs or practices that have aroused debate in the herpetological community.  After reviewing the available research and my own and others experiences, I will attempt to sort fact from fiction.  Today I’ll highlight the recent studies that have sought to determine if introduced Burmese Pythons, Python molurus bivittatus (a.k.a. P. b. bivittatus) may eventually spread north and west from their current strongholds in South Florida.  Links to the articles mentioned are included below.

Studies comparing the climate in the USA with that in the Burmese Python’s native range (South and Southeast Asia), including one by the US Geological Survey, have predicted that the huge snakes may eventually range north to Delaware and southern Maryland  and west to California.  In all, 32 states were said to provide possible habitat. Read More »