Reptiles of the Lachlan

Biodiversity 1 Reptiles of the Lachlan There have been 109 species of reptile recorded in on the western slopes and plains. It is dark brown to the Lachlan catchment. Reptiles are animals which black with a large triangular head, blue tongue and regulate their body temperature via the external short bulbous, blunt tail. The tail is a storehouse of environment, and are useful natural pest controllers food which it uses when food is not as abundant. It that eat many pests including mice, rats, snails and mates for life, and has only one or two young each insects. Cats and dogs, and the intentional killing of year that are born very large in order to survive the snakes are the biggest threat to these animals. All native harsh inland conditions. reptiles in Australia are protected under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1979, and it is illegal to keep them in captivity without a licence. Olive Legless Lizard (Delma inornata) Reptiles will mostly want to avoid you at all times and This lizard is grey to brown they often rely on camouflage as a defence from with a yellow throat and an predators, so we often don’t notice them. This fact obvious external ear opening. sheet will help you to spot some of the interesting and Olive Legless Lizard It is often mistaken for a useful reptiles around you. © Daniel Florance snake. It has a variety of habitats including wet forests, dry plains, woodlands Eastern or Common and mallee country. It is usually found sheltering in Blue-tongue Lizard grass tussocks, under logs or in litter, and when (Tiliqua scincoides) disturbed can be very active, often leaping several centimetres off the ground. To confuse predators it The Blue–tongue is one of may shed its tail, which breaks into wriggling pieces. the most well known reptiles. Blue-tongue Lizard It is silver-grey to yellow- © Milton Lewis brown, with dark bands running Eastern Bearded across its body and tail. It is common in gardens and Dragon leaf litter, and is great to have around to reduce snails (Pogona barbata) and other garden pests. It is very vulnerable, as it This lizard is grey to brown can’t climb and is often attacked by dogs and cats. in colour, with a dark eye Bearded Dragon stripe and a spiny body © Gus Arnott Shingleback or and tail. When threatened, it Stumpy - tail Lizard opens its bright yellow mouth, causing the throat to (Tiliqua rugosa) swell into a spiny ‘beard’. Being well adapted to human habitation, it is one of our most familiar reptiles. Often Described as ‘an elongated seen perching on fence posts and logs, it will quickly pine cone’ and ‘ponderously scuttle up tree trunks if disturbed. Stumpy-tail Lizard slow’, this lizard is common © Milton Lewis www.lachlan.cma.nsw.gov.au Biodiversity 2 Reptiles of the Lachlan Marbled Gecko orange patch. Active at night, it preys mainly on small (Christinus marmoratus) lizards. It is found in a wide range of dry habitats, often under rocks, logs, leaves, timber piles, old sheets This lizard shelters under of iron, or near ant colonies or termite nests. The the bark of trees, fallen timber, Red-naped Snake is venomous, but is regarded as or in rock crevices during virtually harmless. Marbled Gecko the day. It has large finger © Daniel Florance and toe pads and a flat body, often with orange coloured specks on the tail. It Blue-bellied Black is very shy of light and will only emerge from its shelter Snake to hunt when it is nearly dark. They are insectivores (Pseudechis guttatus) and help reduce insect numbers. A shiny black snake with dark grey-blue belly and Eastern Long-necked Blue-bellied Black Snake blunt snout, it averages © avru.org Turtle 1.2m in length. It is found (Chelodina longicollis) in hilly woodlands, often under logs and debris or in abandoned burrows. It is very docile and slow moving, This common reptile is found and will avoid contact with humans, but when threatened in aquatic habitats with slow it will flatten its body and emit a loud whistling hiss. It Eastern Long-necked Turtle moving water such as farm © Crocodiles and dragons provides an important ecosystem service by preying dams, swamps, irrigation on mice and rats. Its bite can be fatal. channels, rivers and creeks, where it shelters in aquatic vegetation. It has webbed feet with strong claws for swimming, digging and tearing apart its prey. When Yellow-faced Whip dams and water bodies dry up, it has an innate ability Snake to locate other wet areas often up to 10kms away (Demansia psammophis) and is often found crossing roads. It feeds on aquatic animals and uses its long neck like a snake to rapidly A very slender snake with a strike at passing prey. long, thin, whip-like tail and Yellow-faced Whip Snake © Daniel Florance large prominent eyes. It is generally pale olive or bluish Red-naped Snake grey, often with a rusty flush or stripes along the front (Furina diadema) third of its body. It lives in dry open forest, woodland, A reddish brown snake, the and grassland and eats skinks, frogs and lizard eggs. head and nape are black It is a venomous snake, but is not considered dangerous. with a conspicuous red or However, a bite can be extremely painful, with significant Red-naped Snake local swelling. © Daniel Florance www.lachlan.cma.nsw.gov.au.

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