Slater’s skink, also known as floodplain skink, is a medium-sized, smooth-scaled lizard with a deep blunt head and grey to greyish brown colouration. It has an average snout-vent length of 85 mm. Some large individuals grow up to 97 mm. The upper body is light to medium brown with each dorsal scale having a black edge, and in combination these scales form a series of conspicuous black longitudinal striations on the back and onto the base of the tail. The flanks may be salmon-pink and the underbody is cream to greyish-blue. The tail is over 50 percent longer than the snout-vent length.
Slater's Skink, Floodplain Skink |
Liopholis slateri slateri
Status: Endangered on the EPBC Act list
Government evidence of impact of climate change:
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Australian Government, Conservation Advice, Liopholis slateri slateri
Degradation of alluvial habitat as a result of invasion by the introduced pasture plant buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris) and the associated changes in fire regimes are potential threats; and are the most likely causes of the species decline (McDonald 2012 Pavey 2004).
In central Australia; the pre European fire regime of frequent small fires has been replaced by infrequent; widespread and intense summer fires (Latz 1995); partly due to the increases in fuel load correlated with buffel grass invasion (Miller et al.; 2010).
At present; there is no empirical evidence demonstrating that weed invasion and associated changes in fire regimes are the cause of declines and local extinctions of Slater s skink.
Initial focus should be on the impacts of weed invasion and fire frequency and intensity.