Cunningham’s Skink

41106761111_0e956112d5_k

Cunningham’s Skink (Egernia cunninghami) is a large species of skink in southeastern Australia inhabiting rock outcrops interspersed in woodland areas. Keeled scales armor the skink’s dorsum and spiny tail, making it almost impossible to extract them from crevices they wedge themselves into. Like other skinks in the genus Egernia, Cunningham’s skinks live in social groups with relatively stable mating pairs over several breeding seasons. Despite a high degree of relatedness in family groups, breeding pairs exhibit inbreeding avoidance with a lower degree of relatedness in comparison to potential mates.

All animals in this post photographed in situ [1] unless otherwise stated

41063633372_df990d20d5_k.jpg
40307019285_788a58464f_k.jpg
26235165187_e518622480_k.jpg
27234044158_1b46f5d287_k.jpg
41063667132_fd6131c56d_k.jpg
Australian water dragon (Intellagama lesueurii)
39298055630_8ebdc912a2_k.jpg
Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae)
39298096210_c83901ccf1_k.jpg
Bull ant (Myrmecia sp.); photographed after pursuit [3]
27234019158_abdbdb6688_k.jpg
Pied Currawong (Strepera graculina)
40211893785_d4b14314be_k.jpg
27234401748_bf70b52f88_k.jpg
40307017955_e869fd4612_k.jpg
40307018565_52b2cac2ed_k.jpg
39298678410_37cfe82df6_k.jpg
40396722794_fc9284f986_k.jpg

Leave a Reply

%d bloggers like this:
close-alt close collapse comment ellipsis expand gallery heart lock menu next pinned previous reply search share star