Shingleback skinks are very common reptiles of the drier woodlands and plains of southern Australia. Large, rough scales give this blue-tongued skink the appeareance of a pine cone. If the heavy body armour isn't enough to put off potential predators, the shingleback skink has a further trick: its short and stumpy tail resembles its head and can be detached in times of dire need. This is a last resort, as the tail is used as a vital fat store during the winter.
Scientific name: Tiliqua rugosa
The Shingleback skink can be found in a number of locations including: Australia. Find out more about these places and what else lives there.
The following habitats are found across the Shingleback skink distribution range. Find out more about these environments, what it takes to live there and what else inhabits them.
Discover what these behaviours are and how different plants and animals use them.
Additional data source: Animal Diversity Web
Tiliqua rugosa is a short-tailed, slow moving species of blue-tongued skink found in Australia. Three of the four recognized subspecies are found only in Western Australia, where they are known collectively by the common name bobtail. The name shingleback is also used, especially for T. rugosa asper, the only subspecies native to eastern Australia.
T. rugosa has a heavily armoured body and can be found in various colours, ranging from dark brown to cream. It has a short, wide, stumpy tail that resembles its head and may confuse predators. The tail also contains fat reserves, which are drawn upon during hibernation in winter. This skink is an omnivore; it eats snails and plants and spends much of its time browsing through vegetation for food. It is often seen sunning on roadsides or other paved areas.
Apart from bobtail and shingleback, a variety of other common names are used, including stump-tailed skink, bogeye, pinecone lizard and sleepy lizard.
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