Sand-sliding skinks
Lerista spp
Lerista - a word of unknown origin
spp = more than one species discussed

 

Can you see that the eastern two-toed slider has
  • shovel shaped head?
  • little eyes?
  • a streamlined jaw with a cutting edge?

How would these adaptations be useful?
The tiny hind limbs of the eastern two-toed slider have only two toes.
Photos: Mark Hutchinson		  
Not a water waster

These small skinks do not have to drink. They can get all their water from their food if they have to. They have kidneys that get rid of waste without losing very much water and they escape the drying sun by burrowing through the sand.

Both these Lerista lizards are hunting - one on the surface and the other underground.
Casts from specimen R44352

Lizards with little legs

These small skinks are very good at sliding through sand and loose soil.

Legs get in the way, so most "sliders" have small legs and less than five toes. Some don't have any front legs at all!

Three species in the Simpson Desert

There are about sixty kinds of sand-sliding skink. Three species often are found together in the Simpson desert.

Can you work out why they can live together?


Yellow-tailed slider
Lerista xanthura
A longer legged slider (with 4 fingers and 4 toes) that lives under dead leaves or dead wood.
Greater desert slider
Lerista desertorum
A deep burrower about 16 cm long, with 2 fingers on its forelimbs and 3 toes on its hindlimbs.
Eastern two-toed slider
Lerista labialis
A small lizard which slides through surface sand.
It has no forelimbs, reduced hindlimbs and snake-like body and tail.

References
Greer, A E. 1989. The biology and evolution of Australian lizards. Surrey Beatty, Chipping Norton.
Glasby, C J (ed). 1993. Fauna of Australia, Vol 2A, Amphibia and reptilia. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.

Sand-sliding skinks