AUSTRALIAN BIODIVERSITY RECORD - Calodema

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Australian Biodiversity Record, 2009 (3): 1-96 body to the groin; this creates a stripe-like effect, but as it is somewhat ragged-edged, and may in part be broken in places, a pattern of vertical barring or blotching may result - more so towards the hind quarters. The lower lateral is pale creamish-brown, with black flecking and a pale spotted effect may occur anteriorly towards the neck and infralabials - which are distinctly barred with black. The limbs are pale coppery-brown or greyish, with either dark greyish mottling or in some specimens heavily flecked and blotched with black; the palmer tubercles are very dark brown. The tail is faintly banded with numerous incomplete narrow black rings - which are sometimes broken on the upper lateral of the tail. The paravertebral blotching tends to coalesce over the hind limbs and the basal portion of the tail, forming a medial row of tiny black blotches that continues down the tail. Ventrally creamish to yellowish; the chin shields are edged with brown and the throat has a series of tiny dark flecks, which can extend onto the chest. Some significant features of this species' morphology are: body scales smooth and shiny, in 28-32 rows at midbody; transversely enlarged nuchals 2-10 (usually 6); supraoculars 4; supralabials 7; nasals separated; prefrontals usually separated (rarely in point contact); subdigital lamellae beneath 4th toe smooth to bluntly keeled, 17-23, and divided basally; upper secondary temporal scale overlaps lower; postmental in contact with first two infralabials on each side; ear-opening large and conspicuous and larger than nasal scale; limbs pentadactyl; fore and hind limbs well-developed, overlapping when adpressed; premaxillary teeth 8-9 (usually 9). Variation in morphology suggests that brachysoma may be composite. Reaches a maximum total length of around 175mm, with a snout-vent length of about 75mm. Distribution: Known only from eastern Queensland, from about Gayndah in the south-east, north to near Coen, on Cape York Peninsula. The range extends inland to the vicinity of Springsure. Also occurs on a number on continental islands off mid eastern Qld, from Hinchinbrook Island to the Percy Island Group. Habitat: Inhabits tropical to subtropical moist vine thickets, rainforests and woodlands, often associated with stream verges and rocky gullies. Biology/Ecology: This is a somewhat secretive, mostly arboreal or saxatile, species that tends to be more active in the morning or afternoon during cloudy humid weather, rather than during the hotter time of the day. Although a good climber of rocks, logs or trees, it may also be encountered on the ground actively foraging through litter in sheltered positions, or inside rotting logs, tree hollows, in rock crevices of outcrops or even under small rocks on soil where it may utilise small burrow-like depressions. It has also been found living in association with housing and other human structures in urban areas near bushland. It feeds only on small invertebrates, and is ovoviviparous, producing 2-5 young in late Summer in the south and the middle of the Wet Season in the far the north of the range; larger females produce larger litters. Survival Status: Protected under the Qld Nature Conservation Act (1992) [see also the Qld Nature Conservation (Wildlife) Regulation Act (1994)] [see also the Nature Conservation (Wildlife) Regulation Act (1994)]. Regarded as common. Etymology: The name 'brachysoma' means 'very short body' and refers to the shorter snoutvent length of this species. Concinnia frerei (Greer, 1992) Eulamprus frerei Greer, 1992 - Rec. Aust. Mus. 44(1): 7-19 [p.16-18]. Type data: Holotype QM J47985 . Type Locality: summit of Mount Bartle-Frere, Qld. Eulamprus frerei Cogger, 2000 - Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia Eulamprus frerei Wilson and Swan, 2003 - Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia [p. 218- 219] Eulamprus frerei Wilson, 2005 - Field Guide Rept. Qld [p.124] Eulamprus frerei Wilson and Swan, 2008 - Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia 2 nd Edition [p. 234-235] Description: The base body colour is a dark reddish-brown to greyish-brown over the dorsum with a pattern of small, blackish transversely aligned bars or cross-bands. The nuchal area lacks the dark midline streak of some other species of Concinnia. The side of the head and body is dominated by a dark pattern of black speckles, blotches and bars that collectively create a broad black zigzag pattern along the upper lateral zone, and a faintly to heavily speckled lower lateral; the base colour on the lateral of the body becomes progressively paler towards the ventrolateral margin, so the collective dark markings on a pale base create a 26
Australian Biodiversity Record, 2009 (3): 1-96 highly disruptive pattern when this species is active on lichen covered boulders. The tail has a series of small blackish blotches along the sides, that may be separate to form transversely aligned banding over the tail (though faint on the dorsal surface) or coalesce to form an irregular line of blotching and speckling along almost the entire side of the tail. The ventral surface of the body is pale greenish, the lips are darkly barred, and the chin-shields edged with brown. The subdigital lamellae are pale brown, whereas the rest of the tenuis complex has very darkly pigmented subdigital lamellae. This northern member of the tenuis complex is immediately distinguished from most of its congenors by its temporal scale condition. In C. frerei the lower secondary temporal scale overlaps the upper, whereas in C. tenuis and all other except C. martini, the reverse condition occurs, where the upper secondary temporal scale overlaps the lower. Other significant features of this species’ morphology are: midbody scales in 32-35 rows; paravertebrals 69-74; nasals separated; prefrontals separated; supraoculars 4; supralabials usually 7; nuchals 6-7; supraciliaries 8; presuboculars 2; supralabials 7 (5 th subocular); postmental in contact with first two infralabials on each side; ear-opening conspicuous; limbs pentadactyl and well-developed, overlapping when adpressed; 4 th toe subdigital lamellae 24-27, smooth to bluntly keeled, and divided basally. It reaches a maximum length of only around 160mm (snout-vent length of around 65mm). Distribution: Known only from a small area in the vicinity of the summit of Mount Bartle-Frere, in north-eastern Queensland. Habitat: Inhabits cool, damp situations amongst lichen-covered granite boulders in a relatively small area of rock outcroppings with a vegetation cover of stunted heath, and mossy tropical rainforest. The habitat on this mountain summit is often heavily clouded, very windy and misty. Biology/Ecology: This is a small, semi-arboreal and saxatile skink that is rarely observed. Specimens have been located during daylight in both rock crevices and the cracks of logs. It feeds only on small invertebrates and presumably produces live young, but nothing has been recorded on its reproductive biology. Survival Status: Protected under the Qld Nature Conservation Act (1992) [see also the Qld Nature Conservation (Wildlife) Regulation Act (1994)] [see also the Nature Conservation (Wildlife) Regulation Act (1994)], and generally considered to be rare, given its very restricted distribution. Etymology: The name 'frerei' refers to the Type Locality of Mount Bartle Frere, Qld. Concinnia martini Wells and Wellington, 1985 Concinnia martini Wells and Wellington, 1985 - Classif. Amph. Rept. Aust. Aust. J. Herp. Suppl. Ser. 1: 1-61 [26]. Type data: Holotype AM R116966 (previously AMF 16452). Type Locality: 3.9 km S Urbenville, NSW. Eulamprus martini Greer, 1992 - Rec. Aust. Mus. 44(1): 7-19 [p.11-13]. Eulamprus martini Cogger, 2000 - Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia [p. 756-757 Eulamprus martini Wilson and Swan, 2003 - Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia [p. 220- 221] Eulamprus martini Swan, Shea and Sadlier, 2004 - Rept. NSW [p. 149] Eulamprus martini Wilson, 2005 - Field Guide Rept. Qld [Pp.124-125] Eulamprus martini Wilson and Swan, 2008 - Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia 2 nd Edition [p. 236-237] Eulamprus martini Swanson, 2007 - Field Guide to Austr. Reptiles [p. 169] Description: This species has a more depressed and smaller body, and is overall a darker lizard than its congenor Concinnia tenuis. There is no dark midline streak on the nuchal area. The dorsal surface rich copper with a profusion of black flecking and irregular black blotches that are more or less longitudinally aligned paravertebrally, and on the tail as a median row of black blotches over the entire length; the upper lateral area of the body has a broad, raggededged black stripe that extends from about the eye, along the neck and body to the groin; the lateral of the tail has a series of transversely-aligned black bars or blotches that produce a broken banding effect to the entire tail; the lower lateral of the body is greyish with black flecking and brownish mottling; labials white to greyish with jagged black or dark brown barring; limbs greyish with black variegations and flecks; venter pale creamish-lemon, to yellow. The chin shields have brownish margins and the throat and occasionally chest area is finely flecked with dark brown. Some significant features of this species’ morphology are: body scales smooth and shiny, in 28-32 rows at midbody; paravertebral scales 55-64; nasals 27
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AUSTRALIAN BIODIVERSITY RECORD - Calodema

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