AUSTRALIAN BIODIVERSITY RECORD - Calodema

Australian Biodiversity Record, 2009 (3): 1-96
which can be so intense as to result in injury or death to individuals. It also vocalises during
such conflicts or when being handled, issuing a short, high pitched squeak. Ovoviviparous,
producing up to 5 live young in a brood during late summer. Feeds mainly on small
invertebrates, but will also eat some rainforest fruits that fall to the ground, and on occasions,
small skinks.
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 Qld Nature
Conservation Act (1992) [see also the Qld Nature Conservation (Wildlife) Regulation Act
(1994)]. Usually, this is a very common lizard where ever it occurs. However, due in part to
the past large-scale clearing of rainforest for agriculture over much of its range, the now
fragmented distribution and specialised habitat requirements of this species could indicate
that it is potentially vulnerable in some parts of its range. In recent years some areas of
relatively undisturbed rainforest have experienced an inexplicable decline in this species
presence, from once being very common to now rare or even apparently extirpated.
Etymology: The name 'murrayi' is believed to honour the 19 th Century British herpetologist
John A. Murray.
Karma tryoni (Longman, 1918) comb. nov.
Lygosoma (Hinulia) tryoni Longman, H.A. (1918). Notes on some Queensland and Papuan
reptiles. Mem. Qld Mus. 6: 37-44 [38]. Type data: Holotype QM J3023. Type Locality:
Macpherson Ranges, 3000 ft, S Qld.
Eulamprus tryoni Cogger, 2000 - Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia [Pp. 757]
Eulamprus tryoni Wilson and Swan, 2003 - Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia [Pp. 222-
223]
Eulamprus tryoni Swan, Shea and Sadlier, 2004 - Rept. NSW [p. 153]
Eulamprus tryoni Wilson, 2005 - Field Guide Rept. Qld [Pp.126-127]
Eulamprus tryoni Wilson and Swan, 2008 - Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia 2 nd
Edition [Pp. 238-239]
Description: This is a moderately large and solidly-built skink that has a medium-length
tapering tail that is fairly thick at the base and rounded in cross-section. It is very similar to
Karma murrayi in overall appearance, but differs in a few subtle pattern differences and
scalation. The base body colour is pale brown or coppery-brown over the head, body and tail.
The body and tail has a strongly contrasting barred pattern formed by a series of irregular
narrow transverse rows of darker brownish or blackish scales, which tend to extend to the
series of darker laterodorsal blotches; the head scales are thinly bordered with darker brown.
There are pale cream and dark brown bars along the labials and blackish spots on the
cheeks, and the upper lateral (laterodorsal) of the body has a series of irregular blackish
blotches which extend onto the tail as scattered darker scales. The midlateral of the neck and
body may be dark purplish-brown, or even blackish, heavily flecked with paler whitish or
bluish-white spots and flecks or small paler blotches as in K. murrayi. Ventrally bright
yellowish, with the throat creamy-yellow with dark blotches and the chin shields obscurely
(thinly) edged with brown. Some significant features of this species' morphology are: body
scales smooth and glossy, in 38-42 rows at mid-body (vs a midbody count of less than 37 in
Karma murrayi); paravertebral scale rows 81-92; parietals in contact behind the interparietal;
prefrontals usually separated or in point contact; supranasals absent; nasals separated;
supraoculars 4; ear-opening present and conspicuous, and larger than nasal scale; ear
lobules absent; lower eyelid movable and scaly; 6 supralabials (the last divided - vs the last
one entire in Karma murrayi); postmental contacting a single infralabial on each side; welldeveloped
pentadactyl limbs, that overlap when adpressed; hind limbs significantly longer
than forelimbs; 4th toe much longer than 3rd; subdigital lamellae beneath 4th toe 16-21, basal
ones divided. Attains a maximum total length of around 240 mm. and a snout-vent length of
about 105 mm.
Distribution: Known only from a restricted area of eastern Australia, centred upon the
Lamington Plateau of the McPherson Ranges, in south-eastern Queensland and northeastern
New South Wales.
Habitat: Restricted to dense subtropical rainforest (closed forest) conditions, above 800
metres altitude. Favoured microhabitats of rotted logs and tree buttresses are very sheltered,
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