''Ctenotus'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

skink Skinks are a type of lizard belonging to the family (biology), family Scincidae, a family in the Taxonomic rank, infraorder Scincomorpha. With more than 1,500 described species across 100 different taxonomic genera, the family Scincidae is one o ...

lizards Lizard is the common name used for all squamate reptiles other than snakes (and to a lesser extent amphisbaenians), encompassing over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most oceanic island chains. The ...

in the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Scincidae. The genus is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...

to Australia. The genus ''Ctenotus'' belongs to a

clade In biology, a clade (), also known as a Monophyly, monophyletic group or natural group, is a group of organisms that is composed of a common ancestor and all of its descendants. Clades are the fundamental unit of cladistics, a modern approach t ...

in the ''

Sphenomorphus The genus ''Sphenomorphus'' – vernacularly also known as the common skinks – currently serves as a "wastebin taxon" for numerous skinks. While most or all species presently placed here are probably rather close relatives, the genus ...

'' group which contains such

genera Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family as used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In binomial nomenclature, the genus name forms the first part of the binomial s ...

as '' Anomalopus'' and the close relatives '' Eulamprus'' and '' Gnypetoscincus''. Lizards in the genus ''Ctenotus'' are commonly called comb-eared skinks, a reference to the scales aligned near the ear. ''Ctenotus'' lizards are able to move very quickly, disappearing whilst being observed. They are highly active in their habits, foraging amongst a diverse range of habitat. The members of the genus ''Ctenotus'' are widely

distributed Distribution may refer to: Mathematics *Distribution (mathematics), generalized functions used to formulate solutions of partial differential equations *Probability distribution, the probability of a particular value or value range of a varia ...

, in all states of

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

, and are especially diverse in arid regions and the

tropical The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the equator, where the sun may shine directly overhead. This contrasts with the temperate or polar regions of Earth, where the Sun can never be directly overhead. This is because of Earth's ax ...

north, accounting for 10–20% of the lizard species. Around a quarter of lizards found in one area of the

Great Sandy Desert The Great Sandy Desert is an interim Australian bioregion,IBRA Version 6.1
data

are ''Ctenotus'' skinks, 11 of the 40 species. A single dune may have up to six species of ''Ctenotus''. The

Southwest Australia Southwest Australia is a biogeographic region in Western Australia. It includes the Mediterranean-climate area of southwestern Australia, which is home to a diverse and distinctive flora and fauna. The region is also known as the Southwest Au ...

n region contains 23 species. The size ranges from very small to moderately large, being similarly varied in body types from slender to stout. The diversity of forms allows species to occupy different niches, often in the same locality.

Species

''Ctenotus'' is the most diverse reptile genus in Australia, with approximately 100 member species. Identification to the rank of species is regarded as difficult, and the largest lizard genus is also one of the most poorly understood."''Ctenotus'' "
The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org. *'' Ctenotus agrestis'' – Mitchell grass ctenotus *'' Ctenotus alacer'' – lively ctenotus *'' Ctenotus alleni'' – Ajana ctenotus *'' Ctenotus allotropis'' – brown-blazed wedgesnout ctenotus *'' Ctenotus angusticeps'' – northwestern coastal ctenotus, little leopard ctenotus, Airlie Island ctenuous *'' Ctenotus aphrodite'' – Oorida ctenotus *'' Ctenotus arcanus'' – arcane ctenotus *'' Ctenotus ariadnae'' – Ariadna's ctenotus *'' Ctenotus arnhemensis'' – Jabiluka ctenotus *'' Ctenotus astarte'' – stony downs ctenotus *'' Ctenotus astictus'' – Arnhem striped ctenotus *'' Ctenotus atlas'' – southern mallee ctenotus *'' Ctenotus australis'' – western limestone ctenotus *'' Ctenotus borealis'' – white-faced ctenotus *'' Ctenotus brachyonyx'' – short-clawed ctenotus *'' Ctenotus brevipes'' – short-footed ctenotus *'' Ctenotus brooksi'' – wedgesnout ctenotus *'' Ctenotus burbidgei'' – plain-backed Kimberley ctenotus *'' Ctenotus calurus'' – blue-tailed finesnout ctenotus *'' Ctenotus capricorni'' – Capricorn ctenotus *'' Ctenotus catenifer'' – chain-striped south-west ctenotus *'' Ctenotus coggeri'' – brown-backed ctenotus *'' Ctenotus colletti'' – Collett’s skink, buff-tailed finesnout ctenotus *'' Ctenotus decaneurus'' – ten-lined ctenotus *'' Ctenotus delli'' – Darling Range south-west ctenotus *'' Ctenotus duricola'' – Eastern Pilbara lined ctenotus, Pilbara ctenotus *'' Ctenotus dux'' – fine side-lined ctenotus *'' Ctenotus ehmanni'' – brown-tailed finesnout ctenotus *'' Ctenotus essingtonii'' – lowlands plain-backed ctenotus *'' Ctenotus euclae'' – wedgesnout ctenotus *'' Ctenotus eurydice'' – brown-backed yellow-lined ctenotus *'' Ctenotus eutaenius'' – black-backed yellow-lined ctenotus *'' Ctenotus fallens'' – West-coast laterite ctenotus *'' Ctenotus gagudju'' – Magela ctenotus, Kakadu ctenotus *'' Ctenotus gemmula'' – jewelled south-west ctenotus *'' Ctenotus grandis'' – grand ctenotus *'' Ctenotus greeri'' – spotted-necked ctenotus *'' Ctenotus halysis'' – chained ctenotus *'' Ctenotus hanloni'' – nimble ctenotus *'' Ctenotus hebetior'' – stout ctenotus *'' Ctenotus helenae'' – clay-soil ctenotus *'' Ctenotus hilli'' – top-end lowlands ctenotus *'' Ctenotus iapetus'' – North West Cape ctenotus *'' Ctenotus impar'' – odd-striped ctenotus *'' Ctenotus ingrami'' – unspotted yellow-sided ctenotus *'' Ctenotus inornatus'' – bar-shouldered ctenotus *'' Ctenotus joanae'' – black-soil ctenotus *'' Ctenotus kurnbudj'' – Kurnbudj ctenotus *'' Ctenotus kutjupa'' *'' Ctenotus labillardieri'' – common south-west ctenotus *'' Ctenotus lancelini'' – Lancelin Island skink, Lancelin south-west ctenotus *'' Ctenotus lateralis'' – gravelly-soil ctenotus *'' Ctenotus leae'' – orange-tailed finesnout skink *'' Ctenotus leonhardii'' – Leonhardi's ctenotus, Leonhardi's skink, common desert ctenotus *'' Ctenotus maryani'' – Maryan's ctenotus *'' Ctenotus mastigura'' – whiptail ctenotus *'' Ctenotus mesotes'' – median-striped ctenotus *'' Ctenotus militaris'' – soldier ctenotus *'' Ctenotus mimetes'' – checker-sided ctenotus *'' Ctenotus monticola'' – Atherton ctenotus *'' Ctenotus nasutus'' – nasute finesnout ctenotus *'' Ctenotus nigrilineatus'' – pin-striped finesnout ctenotus *'' Ctenotus nullum'' – nullum ctenotus *'' Ctenotus olympicus'' – spotted ctenotus *'' Ctenotus ora'' – coastal plains skink *'' Ctenotus orientalis'' – oriental ctenotus *'' Ctenotus pallasotus'' – Western Pilbara lined ctenotus *'' Ctenotus pallescens'' – north-western wedgesnout ctenotus *'' Ctenotus pantherinus'' - leopard ctenotus *'' Ctenotus piankai'' - course sand ctenotus *'' Ctenotus pulchellus'' - red-sided ctenotus *'' Ctenotus quattuordecimlineatus'' - fourteen-lined ctenotus *'' Ctenotus quinkan'' - Quinkan ctenotus *'' Ctenotus quirinus'' - Arnhem land ctenotus *'' Ctenotus rawlinsoni'' - Cape Heath ctenotus *'' Ctenotus regius'' - pale-rumped ctenotus *'' Ctenotus rhabdotus'' - Kimberley lined ctenotus *'' Ctenotus rimacolus'' - crack-dwelling ctenotus *'' Ctenotus robustus'' - robust ctenotus, striped skink *'' Ctenotus rosarium'' - beaded ctenotus *'' Ctenotus rubicundus'' - ruddy ctenotus *'' Ctenotus rufescens'' - rufous finesnout ctenotus *'' Ctenotus rutilans'' - rusty-shouldered ctenotus *'' Ctenotus saxatilis'' - stony-soil ctenotus *'' Ctenotus schevilli'' - black-soil rises ctenotus *'' Ctenotus schomburgkii'' - barred wedge-snout ctenotus *'' Ctenotus septenarius'' - massive-gibber ctenotus *'' Ctenotus serotinus'' - gravel-downs ctenotus *'' Ctenotus serventyi'' - north-western sandy-loam ctenotus *'' Ctenotus severus'' - stern ctenotus *'' Ctenotus spaldingi'' - straight-browed ctenotus *'' Ctenotus storri'' - buff-striped ctenotus *'' Ctenotus strauchii'' - eastern barred wedge-snout ctenotus *'' Ctenotus striaticeps'' - stripe-headed finesnout ctenotus *'' Ctenotus stuarti'' - Stuart's ctenotus *'' Ctenotus superciliaris'' - sharp-browed ctenotus *'' Ctenotus taeniatus'' - eyrean ctenotus *'' Ctenotus taeniolatus'' – copper-tailed skink, copper-tailed ctenotus *'' Ctenotus tanamiensis'' – Tanami ctenotus *'' Ctenotus tantillus'' – Kimberley wedge-snout ctenotus *'' Ctenotus terrareginae'' – Hinchinbrook ctenotus *''

Ctenotus uber ''Ctenotus uber'', the spotted ctenotus, is a species of skink found in Western Australia. References {{Taxonbar, from=Q3006617 uber Uber Technologies, Inc. is an American multinational transportation company that provides Ridesharing ...

'' – spotted ctenotus *''

Ctenotus vagus ''Ctenotus vagus'', the uneven-striped ctenotus, is a species of skink found in Western Australia. References {{Taxonbar, from=Q3006612 vagus The vagus nerve, also known as the tenth cranial nerve (CN X), plays a crucial role in the auton ...

'' – uneven-striped ctenotus *''

Ctenotus vertebralis ''Ctenotus vertebralis'', the scant-striped ctenotus, is a species of skink found in the Northern Territory in Australia. References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q5125917 Ctenotus, vertebralis Reptiles described in 1979 Taxa named by Peter R. Rankin ...

'' – scant-striped ctenotus *'' Ctenotus xenopleura'' – wide-striped ctenotus *'' Ctenotus youngsoni'' – Shark Bay south-west ctenotus *'' Ctenotus zastictus'' – Hamelin ctenotus, Hamelin Pool ctenotus *'' Ctenotus zebrilla'' – Southern Cape York fine-snout ctenotus ''

Nota bene ( ; plural: ) is the Latin language, Latin phrase meaning ''note well''. In manuscripts, ''nota bene'' is abbreviated in upper-case as NB and N.B., and in lower-case as n.b. and nb; the editorial usages of ''nota bene'' and ''notate bene'' fi ...

'': A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than ''Ctenotus''.

Species

References

Further reading