AUSTRALIAN BIODIVERSITY RECORD - Calodema

Australian Biodiversity Record, 2009 (3): 1-96
because of the close proximity to a retreat site. Males and non-gravid females however are
far more wary, generally fleeing upon even the slightest disturbance. A critical flight distance
of around 1.5 to 3 metres is usually the case (the distance the lizard will allow a potential
predator to approach before fleeing), however 5 to 10 metres is more the case. This is
probably why males are usually under-represented in surveys of this and other Eulamprus or
Costinisauria studies - they are long gone before most ecologists check suitable sites ! Males
are also territorial and will actively pursue and fight with other intruding males. Juveniles tend
to be very wary of adults indicating that some predation may occur - at least unintentionally on
juveniles. When disturbed by a potential predator, juveniles will also raise slowly their tail, or
when pressed, in a slow rhythmic waving or wriggle - even as they are running to shelter, and
this distractive behaviour is doubtless a strategy to divert the attention of an attack to the most
expendable part of the lizard. Tail autotomy in the species is fairly common in adults as well,
and it is apparent that this species and presumably other Eulamprus invest a considerable
amount of energy in the tail as a fat store to allow for protracted periods of inactivity during the
colder months. While the loss of part of the tail by dismemberment would have longer term
survival risks, say during droughts or long periods of winter inactivity, most tail loss is confined
to the distal two-thirds, where only about 25% of the fat store occurs; the basal third of the tail
contains about 75% of the fat reserves, and this part is rarely subjected to autotomy. Basking
sites are often logs or rocks, under which they retreat when disturbed; other shelter sites
utilised are hollow logs, and rock crevices. Overwintering sites are usually under large rocks
or inside rotting logs, where several individuals may aggregate for the winter. While most will
seek immediate shelter upon disturbance if it is in close proximity, the usual reaction is to run
several metres over land to cover of some sort. Both adults and juveniles will enter water to
escape, but juveniles do so reluctantly. Adults will dive under and remain submerged for a few
minutes, or swim vigorously to a protruding rock or log in the creek where they will resume
basking if safe to do so. A viviparous species, with mating occurring in early or late Spring
depending on location, and gestation taking around three months. Up to 8 live young are
produced in a brood (usually 3-4) from mid-summer to around the end of summer (January-
February). The development of the young is significantly affected by the gestational
temperatures. When basking females are exposed to excessively high basking temperatures,
more males are produced in the litter than females (at 32C 100% of the litter will be male).
Believed to live in excess of 10 years. It feeds mainly on a wide range of small invertebrates,
but will also eat small lizards, tadpoles and metamorphling frogs, as well as a small amount of
plant matter. Known predators are Copperheads (Austrelaps superbus), Kookaburras, feral
cats and trout.
Survival Status: Protected under the New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Act (1974)
but not listed in that State as a Threatened Species in any of the Schedules of the NSW
Threatened Species Conservation Act (1995). Also protected under the SA National Parks
and Wildlife Act (1972), the ACT Nature Conservation Act (1980) and the Victorian Wildlife
Act (1975) [but not listed in Schedule 2 of the Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act
(1988) [or the Threatened Fauna Act (1995)]]. Regarded as common.
Etymology: The name 'tympanum' refers to the large exposed ear opening of the species.
Costinisauria Wells and Wellington, 1985
Costinisauria Wells and Wellington, 1985 - Classif. Amph. Rept. Aust. - Aust. J. Herp. Suppl.
Ser. 1: 1-61 [p.26]. Type Species: Lygosoma (Hinulia) quoyi kosciuskoi Kinghorn, 1932 by
original designation.
Diagnosis: As presently defined, a genus of moderate-sized Australian Scincid lizards, most
closely related to the genus Eulamprus, and readily separated from this genus, all other
genera by the following combination of characters: head shape blunt and deep, and distinctly
rounded in profile (vs head shape deep with distinctly pointed snout in profile in Eulamprus);
body scales smooth in 28-40 rows at mid-body; paravertebrals 53-65; parietals mostly in
contact (but not in contact behind the interparietal in the case of C. leuraensis); interparietal
elongate; nasals separated; frontonasal in contact with rostral; prefrontals not in contact, or
contacting; frontal and frontoparietals separated by a small postfrontal; frontal elongate and in
contact with first 3 supraoculars; supraoculars 4 (2nd the largest); frontoparietals divided and
in contact with 3rd and 4th supraoculars; supranasals absent; supralabials 7; infralabials 6-8;
lower eyelid movable and scaly; supraciliaries 7-9; mature specimens of the included species
have only two or three much enlarged scales contacting the posterior margin of the parietals,
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