New data on Cryptoblepharus fuhni, a poorly known skink from Queensland

1 Pages·1994·0.41 MB·English

by  L Roberts

2M MEMOIRS OFTHEQUEENSLANDMUSEUM
NEW DATA ON CRYPTOBLEPHARVS FVHNI, A
POORLY KNOWN SKINK FROM QUEENSLAND.
MemoirsoftheQueenslandMuseum35(I)2.14.1994:- Cryp-
toblepharusfuhniCovacevich&Ingram, 1978isknownonly
fromitstypelocality,theMelvilleRange(14°16'S,144°30'E)
onCape YorkPeninsula. Thisrangeiscomposedentirelyof
graniteboulders.C.fuhniisrecognisedaswarrantingspecial £?®g
status in managementplans by McDonald et al. (1991), as
'2RC i.e.* ...with a very restricted distnhution — with a „
maximumgeographicdistributionoflessthan 100km...rare
.., but notcurrently considered endangered orvulnerable ...
withinanationalpark.,,'.
Description of C. fuhni was based solely on museum
specimens (8),all ofwhich hadbeendamaged bydustshot.
A photograph of living C. fuhni was not available for the
description,andnonehasbeenpublishedinanyofthemajor
identification guides to Australia reptiles, (e.g. Wilson & FIG. 3. C.fuhnitypical pale-coloured specimen, from
Knowles. 1988;Ehmann, 1992,Cogger. 1992).Noadditional pale sca-washedboulders. Cape Melville.
specimens of C\fuhni have been collected, and it remains
poorlyknown,presumablybecause ofihe remotenessof(he fromthesea,nearBathurstBay(J.Covacevich,pcrs.comm).
MelvilleRange. Juveniles from this area are similar, but moredistinctly pat-
InSeptember, 1992, 1 visitedthetypelocality ofC.fuhni terned. Large,apparently oldadultspecimenshavethesame
from Bathurst Bay (14°I.VS, 144°2*2'E) to Cane Melville patternasjuvenilesandyoungadults,butitispoorlydefined
(14°WS, 144°30*E)and wasabletophotograph(Figs 1-3), and on a dull brown-black background (vs black). At Cape
and examine closely specimens of C. fuhni from different Melville the boulders of the range enter the sea, and are
partsoftherange. wave-washed to a pale grey. Here the skinks retain the
The colour and pattern description of C. fuhni of distinct pattern,buthaveapalegreyishbackgroundcolour.
Covacevich&Ingram(1978)isaccurate.Thetypespecimens IndividualsofC.fuhniareverycommonon the Melville
areyoungadults.Allwerecollectedonblackbouldersremote Range. They areextremely agile, fast-moving skinks which
spendthedayforagingontheboulderfaces.Duringthehottest
pan of the day. they retreat to crevices and cracks in the
bouldersorintothedeepshadebetweenthem.
Acknowledgements
Jeanettc Covacevich alerted me to the value of these
photographsandassistedmctopresentthisnote.
^:-^Sk^
LiteratureCited
Cogger. H.G. 1992. Reptiles & amphibians of Australia'
(ReedBooks ChaLswood).
Covacevich,J.& Ingram,G.J. 1978. Anundescribedspecies
ofrock dwelling Cryptobtepharus (Lacertilia: Scin
cidae) Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 18(2):
151)54.
Ehmann, H. 1992. 'Encyclopedia of Australian animals.
Reptiles'. (Collins Angus & Robertson f'tv Ltd;
FIG.J. C. fuhni juvenile, from black boulders near Pymble).
Bathurst Bay. McDonald, K,R., Covacevich,J.A., Incram. GJ. &Couperv
P.J. 1991 ThestatusoffrogsandVcptilcs. Pp.338-345.
QInueIenngsrlaamn,d'Gs.JfroStg.s,Rarveepnt,ileRs,Jbitreddss),&'Amnamamtalalss'p.i
(BoardofTrustees,QueenslandMuseum:Brisbane)
Wilson.S.K.& Knowles, D.G. 1988. 'Australia'sreptiles.A
photographic reference to the terrestrial reptiles of
Australia' (W. CollinsPlyLtd:Sydney*.
.
Ltwis Roberts, Shipson's fiat, via Cookwwn, Queensland
4072, Australia; 26February 1994.
FIG. 2. C.fuhni old adult, from black boulders near
Bathurst Bay.