Carlia longipes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Carlia longipes |
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Carlia
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longipes
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Meet the closed-litter rainbow-skink, also known by its scientific name Carlia longipes. This interesting skink is a type of lizard that lives in Australia. It's part of the Carlia genus, which includes many other rainbow-skinks.
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Where Does the Closed-Litter Rainbow-Skink Live?
The closed-litter rainbow-skink is found in the northern parts of Australia. You can spot it in open forests and along the edges of rainforests. Its home stretches from Hinchinbrook Island up to Cooktown in north-east Queensland. It also lives in the Cape York Peninsula and the eastern part of Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory.
What Kind of Habitat Does It Like?
This skink prefers places where it can find good cover and food. Open forests provide plenty of space, while rainforest edges offer a mix of sun and shade. These areas are perfect for hunting small insects and staying safe from predators.
What Does This Skink Look Like?
The closed-litter rainbow-skink is a small lizard. It measures about 55 millimeters (which is about 2.2 inches) from its snout to the start of its tail.
Key Features of the Closed-Litter Rainbow-Skink
- Fingers and Toes: It has four fingers on each front leg and five toes on each back leg.
- Ear Opening: Its ear opening can be vertical or round. It has pointed scales right on the front edge of its ear.
- Body Color: The main part of its body is brown. Its sides have a cool bronze color.
- Stripe: A black stripe runs from its nostril all the way behind its front leg.
- Scales: The scales on its back have a rounded edge at the back.
- Breeding Males: When it's time to breed, the male skink gets a white throat!
- Similar Species: Another skink, Carlia rostralis, looks quite similar to Carlia longipes.
