Morethia adelaidensis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Morethia adelaidensis |
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| Conservation status | |
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Morethia
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| Species: |
adelaidensis
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The saltbush skink (Morethia adelaidensis) is a type of skink that lives in Australia. It's also known as the saltbush Morethia skink. This skink is part of a group of 8 different skink species called Morethia, and all of them are found only in Australia.
Like other Morethia skinks, the saltbush skink has clear covers over its eyes. Its eyelids don't move. It also has special legs that help it move quickly across sandy areas. A German explorer named Wilhelm Karl Hartwig first officially described this species in 1871.
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Where the Saltbush Skink Lives
Saltbush skinks are found in many parts of Australia. Their homes stretch from the Lake Eyre basin to the coastal areas of the Nullarbor Plain. They also live in dry parts of Western Australia and the northern tip of New South Wales.
These skinks really like dry shrublands. This is their main type of home. As their name suggests, they are often found where saltbush plants grow. These plants are common in their habitat. Other skinks from the Morethia group, like Morethia boulengeri, also prefer these areas.
You can find more saltbush skinks in places with lots of grass cover. This includes natural grasslands in South Australia. Areas without much grass usually have fewer skinks. Saltbush skinks can also live in river gorges and rocky granite areas. However, they are not limited to just these places because they live across many dry regions.
What Does It Look Like?
Saltbush skinks are small lizards. Adult males are usually about 5 centimeters (2 inches) long, measured from their snout to the base of their tail. They are typically grey or olive-grey in color.
They have two main black stripes along their back and sides. These stripes go all the way down to their tail. The top black stripe is darker and has many small spots. Below these black stripes, there is a broken, uneven white stripe. This white stripe goes through their ear and above each front leg.
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Skinks found near Lake Eyre often have lighter markings. Their side black lines are not as easy to see compared to skinks from other places. However, most saltbush skinks have darker markings. They also have clear gaps between the scales above their nose, called supranasals. Small, grain-like scales surround their eyes.
Saltbush Skink Life Cycle
Saltbush skinks lay eggs instead of having live babies. This means they are oviparous. A female skink usually lays about 5 eggs at a time. She often buries them in sandy soil or among rocky areas. The number of eggs she lays depends on her size.
Like other Morethia skinks, male saltbush skinks develop bright orange markings when it's time to breed. These "fire-tail" markings cover their belly and extend under their tail. They also appear around their front and back legs. These colors help them mark their territory. We don't know much about their breeding habits. However, some observations suggest that several females might lay their eggs together in one nest.
What They Eat and How They Behave
Saltbush skinks are insectivores. This means they eat insects, just like other Morethia species. They are also diurnal, which means they are most active during the day. Like other reptiles, saltbush skinks need warmth from the sun to control their body temperature.
These skinks can handle salty areas very well. They often dig shallow burrows in sandy soil. They might dig these burrows near shrubs or rocky spots. This behavior has been seen in salty flat shrublands near the Lake Eyre basin. It's also been observed in saltbush areas in southern Queensland.
Dangers and Predators
The IUCN (a group that studies nature) says that saltbush skinks are of 'Least Concern'. This means they are not currently in danger. So, things like land clearing and grazing by animals don't seem to harm their overall numbers much.
Like other small Morethia skinks, saltbush skinks are hunted by native snake species. These include snakes from the Elapidae family. Saltbush skinks have been found in the stomachs of curl snakes (Suta suta). This was observed in Western Australia. They are also eaten by other medium to large snakes that prey on smaller reptiles.
