Hosmer’s skink

Scientific Name: Egernia hosmeri

Hosmer’s skinks are stocky skinks that grow to 23 centimetres long, nearly half of which is the tail. The scales on their body have 3-4 sharp points (or keels) and the scales on the tail each have a long spine. Their colouring is light yellow-brown to brown with creamy to dark brown blotches that are more prominent around the head. Like most skinks, the Hosmer’s skink is harmless to humans.

Habitat:

Hosmer’s skink is found in northern Queensland and the Northern Territory near the Gulf of Carpentaria. They live in small colonies in rocky outcrops, hiding under crevices and the gaps between boulders. When alarmed, the skinks wedge themselves against the rocks, puffing their bodies out so that their spines grip the rock. This makes them very hard to remove.

Diet:

Insects, leaves, shoots and berries.

Reproduction:

The skinks give birth to live young. On average four skinks are born at a time and they look just like miniature versions of the mum.