''Techmarscincus'' is a
genus of skink, a
lizard
Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most oceanic island chains. The group is paraphyletic since it excludes the snakes and Amphisbaenia alt ...
in the
family Scincidae. The genus is
endemic to
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
, and is
monotypic, containing the sole
species ''Techmarscincus jigurru''.
''Techmarscincus jigurru'', commonly known as the Bartle Frere skink, is a species of rare and endangered lizard first discovered in 1981. It was described and named in 1984 by the late Australian herpetologist
Jeanette Covacevich
Jeanette Adelaide Covacevich (1945–2015) was a herpetologist in Queensland, Australia. As a senior curator of vertebrates at the Queensland Museum, she discovered and studied many reptiles and frogs in Queensland. Covacevich is most famous f ...
.
Geographic range
The Bartle Frere skink is
endemic to
Queensland,
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
.
[
]
Description
''T. jigurru'' has a rainbow sheen color. Its body is long and flat, with short limbs and a long tail.
Behaviour
The Bartle Frere skink is agile and energetic. It is only seen out and basking during the day. It spends most of its time on top of exposed granite boulders. A night, it retreats into cracks in the exposed granite. The Bartle Frere skink tolerates juveniles in the same area, as most skinks do not.
Habitat
The Bartle Frere skink is usually found above on the slopes of Queensland's highest mountains (e.g., Mount Bartle Frere
Mount Bartle Frere (pronunciation �mæɔnt̥ ˈbɐːɾəɫ ˈfɹɪə Ngajanji: Choorechillum) is the highest mountain in Queensland at an elevation of . The mountain was named after Sir Henry Bartle Frere, 1st Baronet, Sir Henry Bartle Frere ...
). The climate is of a temperate rain forest.Bartle Frere
, Dept. of Environment and Resource Management, Queensland.
Reproduction
''T. jigurru'' is
oviparous
Oviparous animals are animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive method of most fish, amphibians, most reptiles, and all pterosaurs, dinosaurs (including birds), and ...
.
References
External links
''Techmarscincus jigurru'' image PBase.
''Techmarscincus jigurru'' Bartle Frere Skink Map.
Further reading
*
Covacevich J (1984). "A biogeographically significant new species of ''Leiolopisma'' (Scincidae) from north eastern Queensland". ''Memoirs of the Queensland Museum'' 21 (2): 401-411. (''Leiolopisma jigurru'', new species).
*Wells RW, Wellington CR (1985). "A classification of the Amphibia and Reptilia of Australia". ''Australian J. Herpetol., Supplemental Series'' 1: 1-61. (''Techmarscincus jigurru'', new combination).
{{Taxonbar, from=Q2689893
Skinks of Australia
Monotypic lizard genera
Taxa named by Richard Walter Wells
Taxa named by Cliff Ross Wellington