Black Crevice-skink

About the Black Crevice-skink

The black rock skink (Egernia saxatilis) is a species of large skink native to Eastern and Southern Australia from central New South Wales to Grampians National Park in Victoria. A large, dark colored skink, up to 135 mm from snout to base of the tail, the black rock skink is the first reptile discovered to have a "nuclear family" structure where the parents form a pair and care for their offspring for more than one year. The black rock skink is a viviparous skink meaning females give birth to live offspring instead of laying eggs. They defend their home range and families against conspecifics for up to several years.

Egernia saxatilis is divided into two separate subspecies: E. saxatilis saxatilis and E. saxatilis intermedia. Morphological and ecological differences exist between the two subspecies. The two subspecies differ in their scale counts and degree of spinosity, along with being found in two different parts of Southeastern Australia in different types of habitats.

E. saxatilis saxatilis and E. saxatilis intermedia appear similar except for the spinose auricular lobules of E. s. saxatilis and E. s. intermedia's lack thereof. E. s. saxatilis has a slightly... Wikipedia →