Ragged Snake-eyed Skink

Oh what big eyes you have! It's a Ragged Snake-eyed Skink.

I thought that all the little grey-brown skinks were the same species, but apparently, there are six little skinks in the Mallee which look roughly similar. I noticed this one had such big eyes so I pulled out the books. I learnt the "fixed spectacle" around the large eye is characteristic. It is because the lower eyelid is fused and there are also some big scales over the eye.

"Snake-eyed" because normally a lizard can blink with movable eyelids, but snakes have fixed eyelids (not that I've got that close to a snakes eye).

"Ragged" because the lines along the side of the skink have ragged edges. So all round that's a pretty useful common name!

The skink is not considered threatened in Victoria and is often seen basking on old wooden fences. I'll put the record in the Victorian Biodiversity Atlas - I reckon even the common stuff is useful.

• First published 15 August 2020