Cyclodomorphus gerrardii
Description
Pink-tongue skinks (Cyclodomorphus gerrardii) are medium sized skinks that can grow to 55 centimetres in length. They have a slender body and long prehensile tail which enables them to hold onto the branches of trees. Pink-tongue skinks are nocturnal, being mostly active at night.
Due to their nocturnal behaviour, Pink-tongues are not sighted as often as Blue-tongue skinks. However, they are relatively common and will inhabit a variety of environments from dry woodland and riparian habitats, through to wet sclerophyll and rainforest. They are regular inhabitants of suburbia, particularly where rocks and timber provide adequate shelter from predators.
Female pink-tongues give birth to live young (i.e. viviparous). The young emerge fully independent, and can live for 15-20 years.
When annoyed, they will hiss, inflate their body and open their mouth to expose their brightly coloured tongue. They have strong jaws which can deliver a painful bite, although bites are rare.
Adaptations
- Excellent camouflage
- Live young result in increased chances of survival for offspring
- Powerful jaws to crush snail shells and seeds with hard casings
- Long-lived (up to 20 years)
Feeding relationships
- What I eat: Snails, slugs, insects, and a variety of vegetable matter including fruit
- What eats me: Owls, Tawny frogmouth, snakes (e.g. Eastern Brown & Red-bellied Black Snake), Lace Monitor (goanna), cats, dogs, fox
Interesting facts
Adult Pink-tongue skinks have a pink tongue, while juveniles have a blue tongue.