There have been 109 species of reptile recorded in the Lachlan catchment. Reptiles are animals which regulate their body temperature via the external environment, and are useful natural pest controllers that eat many pests including mice, rats, snails and insects. Cats and dogs, and the intentional killing of snakes are the biggest threat to these animals. All native reptiles in Australia are protected under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1979, and it is illegal to keep them in captivity without a licence.

Reptiles will mostly want to avoid you at all times and they often rely on camouflage as a defence from predators, so we often don’t notice them. This fact sheet will help you to spot some of the interesting and useful reptiles around you.

Eastern or Common Blue-tongue Lizard (Tiliqua scincoides)

The Blue–tongue is one of the most well known reptiles. It is silver-grey to yellow-

brown, with dark bands running across its body and tail. It is common in gardens and leaf litter, and is great to have around to reduce snails and other garden pests. It is very vulnerable, as it can’t climb and is often attacked by dogs and cats.

Shingleback or Stumpy - tail Lizard (Tiliqua rugosa)

Described as ‘an elongated pine cone’ and ‘ponderously slow’, this lizard is common

on the western slopes and plains. It is dark brown to black with a large triangular head, blue tongue and short bulbous, blunt tail. The tail is a storehouse of food which it uses when food is not as abundant. It mates for life, and has only one or two young each year that are born very large in order to survive the harsh inland conditions.

Olive Legless Lizard (Delma inornata)

This lizard is grey to brown with a yellow throat and an obvious external ear opening. It is often mistaken for a

snake. It has a variety of habitats including wet forests, dry plains, woodlands and mallee country. It is usually found sheltering in grass tussocks, under logs or in litter, and when disturbed can be very active, often leaping several centimetres off the ground. To confuse predators it may shed its tail, which breaks into wriggling pieces.

Eastern Bearded Dragon (Pogona barbata)

This lizard is grey to brown in colour, with a dark eye stripe and a spiny body

and tail. When threatened, it opens its bright yellow mouth, causing the throat to swell into a spiny ‘beard’. Being well adapted to human habitation, it is one of our most familiar reptiles. Often seen perching on fence posts and logs, it will quickly scuttle up tree trunks if disturbed.

Reptiles of the Lachlan

1Biodiversity

Blue-tongue Lizard © Milton Lewis

Stumpy-tail Lizard © Milton Lewis

Olive Legless Lizard © Daniel Florance

Bearded Dragon © Gus Arnott

www.lachlan.cma.nsw.gov.au

Marbled Gecko (Christinus marmoratus)

This lizard shelters under the bark of trees, fallen timber,or in rock crevices during the day. It has large fingerand toe pads and a flat

body, often with orange coloured specks on the tail. It is very shy of light and will only emerge from its shelter to hunt when it is nearly dark. They are insectivores and help reduce insect numbers.

Eastern Long-necked Turtle (Chelodina longicollis)

This common reptile is found in aquatic habitats with slow moving water such as farm dams, swamps, irrigation

channels, rivers and creeks, where it shelters in aquatic vegetation. It has webbed feet with strong claws for swimming, digging and tearing apart its prey. When dams and water bodies dry up, it has an innate abilityto locate other wet areas often up to 10kms away and is often found crossing roads. It feeds on aquatic animals and uses its long neck like a snake to rapidly strike at passing prey.

Red-naped Snake (Furina diadema)

A reddish brown snake, the head and nape are black with a conspicuous red or

orange patch. Active at night, it preys mainly on small lizards. It is found in a wide range of dry habitats, often under rocks, logs, leaves, timber piles, old sheets of iron, or near ant colonies or termite nests. The Red-naped Snake is venomous, but is regarded as virtually harmless.

Blue-bellied Black Snake (Pseudechis guttatus)

A shiny black snake with dark grey-blue belly and blunt snout, it averages

1.2m in length. It is found in hilly woodlands, often under logs and debris or in abandoned burrows. It is very docile and slow moving, and will avoid contact with humans, but when threatened it will flatten its body and emit a loud whistling hiss. It provides an important ecosystem service by preying on mice and rats. Its bite can be fatal.

Yellow-faced Whip Snake(Demansia psammophis)

A very slender snake with a long, thin, whip-like tail and large prominent eyes. It is generally pale olive or bluish

grey, often with a rusty flush or stripes along the front third of its body. It lives in dry open forest, woodland, and grassland and eats skinks, frogs and lizard eggs. It is a venomous snake, but is not considered dangerous. However, a bite can be extremely painful, with significant local swelling.

Reptiles of the Lachlan

Marbled Gecko © Daniel Florance

Eastern Long-necked Turtle © Crocodiles and dragons

Red-naped Snake © Daniel Florance

Blue-bellied Black Snake © avru.org

Yellow-faced Whip Snake © Daniel Florance

2Biodiversity

www.lachlan.cma.nsw.gov.au