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B. frerei, Major Skink

B. major, Land Mullet

B. obiri, Arnhem Land Rock Skink

Scientific Name

Common Name

Distribution

Size

Notes

Bellatorias

B. frerei

Major Skink

Australia (New South Wales and Queensland), Papua New Guinea

16"

Description: no curved groove behind the nostril. Nasals slightly separated from each other; posterior frontals forming a suture together ; vertical contracted in the middle, twice as long as broad, longer and rather larger than the median occipital; five supraoculars, of which the second is the largest ; seven supraciliaries: a complete ring of infraoculars, shutting the labials out of the orbit. Three pairs of nuchals, of which the two posterior are very narrow. Ear-opening as large as the eye, with three lobules in front, of which the upper is the largest and obtusely rounded; the two others small. 34 longitudinal rows of scales round the body: the dorsal are the largest, obtusely bicarinate: the lateral are the same size as the ventral. As to the scales on the side of the neck, those behind the ear and in front of the shoulder are very small, and the intermediate visibly smaller than those on the side of the trunk. Six preanals. Tail: depressed near its root, compressed farther behind. The compressed portion is clothed above with a double series of larger scales, and below with a single median series. The adpressed limbs overlap. Coloration: brown, with faint blackish longitudinal bauds along the dorsal series of scales; sides blackish, with scattered bluish white spots, each confined to a single scale. Lower parts whitish, with undulated blackish transverse lines across the throat and chest. [SOURCE: Günther]

B. major

Land Mullet

Australia (New South Wales and Queensland)

24-26"

Description: head short. Scalation details: a curved groove behind the nostril; frontonasal in contact with the rostral; prefrontals forming a median suture; frontal not twice as long as broad, larger than the interparietal; 5 supraoculars, second largest; 10-12 supraciliaries; 5^th and 6^th upper labials below the eye, from which they are separated by a series of small infraooulars; 3 large temporals; 3 pairs of nuchals. Ear-opening as large as the eye-opening, with three large projecting lobules. 28-32 scales round the middle of the body; dorsals largest, and with three or four more or less strong keels. The adpressed limbs slightly overlap. Digits rather short. Tail: cylindrical, about once and a half the length of head and body; upper caudal scales keeled like the dorsals. Coloration: olive-brown above, with a more or less distinct lighter dorsolateral band; frequently a black lateral band; back with more or less distinct longitudinal blackish streaks or series of small spots; sides sometimes dotted with yellowish; lower surfaces yellowish. [SOURCE: Boulenger]

B. obiri

Arnhem Land Gorges Skink

Australian (Northern Territory)

?"

Large skinks found on the verges of rainforest in association with rock-croppings or hollow logs. Description: pentadactyl limbs; body scales with low multiple keels; tail round and tapering without enlarged or expanded upper caudals; ear opening distinct with short ear lobules; head shields unfragmented, regular, with post-narial groove; nasals separated; interparietals narrower to almost as wide as frontal shield; parietals and frontoparietals intact; supraciliaries 8-12; subocular series continuous, all much larger than adjacent granules of lower eyelid. Coloration: uniform brown dorsally, laterally and on the tail; venter creamish; small area of very dark brown extending from the eye to just past the forelimb. [SOURCE: Wells & Wellington 1985].