The yakka skink (Egernia rugosa) is a species of large skink, a lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is native to the Brigalow Belt in Queensland in eastern Australia.[2][3]
| Yakka skink | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Family: | Scincidae |
| Genus: | Egernia |
| Species: | E. rugosa
|
| Binomial name | |
| Egernia rugosa De Vis, 1888
| |
| |
It is listed as a vulnerable species under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.[4]
The yakka skink is brown with a dark stripe on its back and a paler, yellowy-orange underbelly. They live communally in burrows made of soil or wood mounds. Sometimes they take over abandoned rabbit holes. Each yakka skink's litter usually has two or three live babies. They are most active during the day, but are fairly retiring and return to their burrows if disturbed. Omnivores, they forage for insects but also eat fruits and soft leaves.[5]
References
edit- ^ "Egernia rugosa". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018. 2018. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-1.RLTS.T178485A101747998.en.
- ^ Egernia rugosa at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 13 December 2018.
- ^ Australian Biological Resources Study (20 August 2013). "Species Egernia rugosa De Vis, 1888". Australian Faunal Directory. Canberra, Australian Capital Territory: Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, Australian Government. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
- ^ "Egernia rugosa - Yakka Skinkm". Species Profile and Threats Database. SPRAT profile. Australian Government. Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
- ^ Rowland, Chris; Farrell, Peter (2017). Mayer, Krystyna (ed.). A Naturalist's Guide to the Reptiles of Australia (2nd ed.). Australian Geographic. p. 84. ISBN 978-1-912081-03-5.
Further reading
edit- Lancaster, Danielle (30 April 2022). "Secretive yakka skinks battling predators, habitat loss while on the brink in outback Queensland". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
External links
edit
Media related to Egernia rugosa at Wikimedia Commons
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