Marble-faced delma | |
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Scientific classification
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Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Order: | Squamata |
Family: | Pygopodidae |
Genus: | Delma |
Species: | D. australis
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Binomial name | |
Delma australis
Kluge, 1974
| |
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The Delma australis is often known as the southern legless lizard, or the marble-faced delma. [2] This terrestrial lizard falls into the category of slender Pygopodidae, a legless lizard. [2] There are 21 known species in the Pygopdidae family in Australia. [3] Marble-faced delmas are endemic to Australia.[ citation needed] Delma australis was first described by Kluge in 1974. [3]
D. australis is a brown to reddish brown colour with a greyish undersurface and greyish lips. [2] Their common name, marble-faced delma, comes from their grey-marble appearance. Distinctive features include ventral black bars on the top and sides of head with a short and rounded snout, and a tail twice the length of their body. [2] Geographical variation have been observed in marble-faced delma populations, the intensity of head patterning and head form can vary between populations in different areas. [3] There has been suggestions that there are a number of sub-species of D. australis, variation was discovered in Western Australia but further sampling is needed to determine if these differences were taxonomically significant. [3]
Marble-faced delmas are classified as diurnal, however, have been observed in active states at night or around dawn and dusk. [2] They are often found in leaf litter, under rocks or in spinifex. [2] Classified as terrestrial, but can successfully climb hummock grass and branches of small shrubs. [2]
Marble-faced delmas are widely distributed across southern Australia. [3] They are found to inhabit semi-arid to arid areas in southern Western Australia, most of South Australia, southern Northern Territory, north-west Victoria, and south-west New South Wales. [2] They are terrestrial, or land dwelling, species that are commonly found in spinifex grass. [2]
Marble-faced delma populations are known to be in the Broken Hill Complex Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation of Australia Region, in some of the sub-regions of the Cobar Peneplain Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation of Australia Region, and in sub-regions of the Murray Darling Depression Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation of Australia Region. [4] [5] [6] In these areas the species in known to be within different vegetation formation and classes, including the Stony Desert Mulga Shrublands which is an Acacia sub-formation, Dune Mallee Woodlands which is a shrubby sub-formation, and Sand Plain Mallee Woodlands. [4] [5] [6] These areas are arid to semi-arid warm zones. [4]
Marble-faced delmas reproduce sexually and are oviparous (egg layers), with a clutch size of 2. [7] The eggs hatch after approximately 70 days. [2] They are precocial, meaning they are hatched in an advanced state where they are able to feed themselves and independently move.[ citation needed]
Considered insectivores, they actively hunt for their food which primarily consists of insects and spiders. [8]
The conservation status of marble-faced delmas in New South Wales is endangered, their conservation status is not listed in the Commonwealth. [2] Degradation of their habitat and losses in their population can be attributed to land use for agricultural purposes. [9] Over-grazing by livestock and feral species within their habitat affects the density and structure of spinifex. [9] Weed invasion and degradation of soil structure within the Mallee-spinifex habitat has also led to habitat loss for the Marble-faced delma populations. [9]
Threats of the marble-faced delma include: habitat clearance; an increase in fire frequencies reducing the amount of ground cover; predation; loss of leaf litter; heavy grazing and habitat trampling by stock, feral goats, rabbits and pigs. [2]
Predation is not a major threat, although it is likely foxes are a predator of the marble-faced delma. [2]
Marble-faced delma | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Scientific classification
![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Order: | Squamata |
Family: | Pygopodidae |
Genus: | Delma |
Species: | D. australis
|
Binomial name | |
Delma australis
Kluge, 1974
| |
![]() |
The Delma australis is often known as the southern legless lizard, or the marble-faced delma. [2] This terrestrial lizard falls into the category of slender Pygopodidae, a legless lizard. [2] There are 21 known species in the Pygopdidae family in Australia. [3] Marble-faced delmas are endemic to Australia.[ citation needed] Delma australis was first described by Kluge in 1974. [3]
D. australis is a brown to reddish brown colour with a greyish undersurface and greyish lips. [2] Their common name, marble-faced delma, comes from their grey-marble appearance. Distinctive features include ventral black bars on the top and sides of head with a short and rounded snout, and a tail twice the length of their body. [2] Geographical variation have been observed in marble-faced delma populations, the intensity of head patterning and head form can vary between populations in different areas. [3] There has been suggestions that there are a number of sub-species of D. australis, variation was discovered in Western Australia but further sampling is needed to determine if these differences were taxonomically significant. [3]
Marble-faced delmas are classified as diurnal, however, have been observed in active states at night or around dawn and dusk. [2] They are often found in leaf litter, under rocks or in spinifex. [2] Classified as terrestrial, but can successfully climb hummock grass and branches of small shrubs. [2]
Marble-faced delmas are widely distributed across southern Australia. [3] They are found to inhabit semi-arid to arid areas in southern Western Australia, most of South Australia, southern Northern Territory, north-west Victoria, and south-west New South Wales. [2] They are terrestrial, or land dwelling, species that are commonly found in spinifex grass. [2]
Marble-faced delma populations are known to be in the Broken Hill Complex Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation of Australia Region, in some of the sub-regions of the Cobar Peneplain Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation of Australia Region, and in sub-regions of the Murray Darling Depression Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation of Australia Region. [4] [5] [6] In these areas the species in known to be within different vegetation formation and classes, including the Stony Desert Mulga Shrublands which is an Acacia sub-formation, Dune Mallee Woodlands which is a shrubby sub-formation, and Sand Plain Mallee Woodlands. [4] [5] [6] These areas are arid to semi-arid warm zones. [4]
Marble-faced delmas reproduce sexually and are oviparous (egg layers), with a clutch size of 2. [7] The eggs hatch after approximately 70 days. [2] They are precocial, meaning they are hatched in an advanced state where they are able to feed themselves and independently move.[ citation needed]
Considered insectivores, they actively hunt for their food which primarily consists of insects and spiders. [8]
The conservation status of marble-faced delmas in New South Wales is endangered, their conservation status is not listed in the Commonwealth. [2] Degradation of their habitat and losses in their population can be attributed to land use for agricultural purposes. [9] Over-grazing by livestock and feral species within their habitat affects the density and structure of spinifex. [9] Weed invasion and degradation of soil structure within the Mallee-spinifex habitat has also led to habitat loss for the Marble-faced delma populations. [9]
Threats of the marble-faced delma include: habitat clearance; an increase in fire frequencies reducing the amount of ground cover; predation; loss of leaf litter; heavy grazing and habitat trampling by stock, feral goats, rabbits and pigs. [2]
Predation is not a major threat, although it is likely foxes are a predator of the marble-faced delma. [2]