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L. coventryi, Swamp/Eastern Mourning/Coventry’s Skink

L. luctuosa, (Western) Mourning Skink

Scientific Name

Common Name

Distribution

Size

Notes

Lissolepis

L. coventryi

Eastern Mourning Skink/Swamp Skink/Coventry's Skink

Australia (South Australia and Victoria: possibly New South Wales)

10"

Found near water, including tidal marshes, and shelters in burrows including those of crustaceans. Scalation details: nasals narrowly separated or in contact; interparietal narrower than frontal; 5-7 supraciliaries; well-developed postnarial groove; 2 moderate ear lobules; head shields regular and unfragmented. Dorsal scalation: 20-24 rows at midbody, dorsals usually faintly striated. Other: 17-22 subdigital lamellae on 4th toe. Coloration: dorsally pale greenish brown, olive brown or yellow brown; many or all dorsal scales have black anterior edge, some also having black lateral edges and joining to form conspicuous dorsolateral stripe from nape to base of tail; black stripe from above ear to base of tail widens on body to become wide black dorsolateral band enclosing some paler scales; head and limbs usually dorsally flecked and streaked blackish; limbs have scattered pale spots; pale labial stripe; ventrally whitish; throat and ventrolateral surfaces often flushed with olive green.

L. luctuosa

(Western) Mourning Skink

Australia (Western Australia)

10-14"

Description: head moderate. Scalation details: no curved groove behind the nostril, but a short suture below the latter; nasals usually in contact behind the rostral; prefrontals forming a median suture; frontal nearly twice as long as broad, a little longer than the interparietal; 4-5 supraoculars, 2^nd largest; 7-9 supraciliaries; 5^th and 6^th, or 6^th and 7^th upper labials below the eye, from which they are separated by a series of small scales; 3 large temporals; 3-4 pairs of nuchals. Ear-opening as large as or a little smaller than the eye-opening, with two small 'pointed lobules anteriorly. Scales subequal, smooth, dorsals feebly striated, 24 round the middle of the body. The adpressed limbs meet or slightly overlap. Digits moderately elongate. Tail: cylindrical, once and a half to once and three fourths the length of head and body; caudal scales smooth. Coloration: yellowish olive above, largely spotted with black, or black variegated with yellow; tail with longitudinal black bands; lower surfaces yellowish, uniform or spotted with black. [SOURCE: Boulenger]