Blue-Tongued Lizard Species

The blue-tongued skink, as the name suggests, has the distinction of possessing a large, deep blue-colored tongue. It is also the largest member of the skink family, which consists of about 600 different known species. The lizard is native to Australia, where two distinct subspecies exist: the eastern and northern blue-tongued skinks.

  1. Description

    • The blue-tongued skink grows to 2 feet in length and weighs a little more than 1 pound. The northern subspecies is slightly larger on average than the eastern variety. It has a thick cylindrical body type with small, underdeveloped legs. The skink has light brown and cream-colored markings along its back with a darker brown head and pale underside. Its skin is covered with small fish-like scales and is smooth to the touch. The species' most distinctive feature is its colorful tongue.

    Habitat and Range

    • The lizard is found in eastern and northern Australia, New Guinea and the Island of Tasmania. The northern subspecies is found from Queensland to northwestern Australia, while the eastern is found from Victoria to eastern New South Wales. The main habitat types for the species include semi-desert regions, mixed woodland including rain forests and dry scrub land areas. It can be found in both coastal regions and farther inland.

    Diet and Predator Defense

    • The blue-tongued skink is an omnivore, meaning it will eat both meat and plant matter. Flowers, berries and fruits are common foods for the skink. Small invertebrates such as insects, worms and snails also make up a large part of the lizard's diet. The skink has a number of predator defense styles such as the ability to expand its body and hiss like the deadly Australian puff adder. It also will aggressively stand its ground, biting onto an attacker and not letting go. If the lizard has to flee and the predator gets hold of its tail it can break off a section of the tail, which will eventually grow back.

    Life Cycle

    • The blue-tongued skink lives a solitary and secretive life, only coming together to breed. The skinks give birth generally during mid-summer, after a gestation period of about 100 days. The lizard's eggs are hatched internally so offspring are born live and measure about 4 inches in length. Litters can range from 10 to 15 offspring but can be as high as 25. In the wild the lizards can live for more than 20 years.