Omnivorous diet of the endangered Pygmy Bluetongue Lizard, Tiliqua adelaidensis

Abstract

We used scats from 71 individuals to determine the diet of the endangered Pygmy Bluetongue Lizard, Tiliqua adelaidensis, from South Australia. As predicted both from its previously reported behaviour as an ambush forager, and from its relatively small size, this scincid lizard feeds largely on arthropod prey, and the prey in the diet change opportunistically over the spring and summer. As expected, the species is less herbivorous than larger species in the same or related genera. However plant material is included in the diet to a greater extent as the summer progresses. Conservation of this species may rely on maintaining a high abundance of arthropod prey, and a habitat where efficient prey capture is possible, and on retaining appropriate plants in the species' habitat.

Interactions between pygmy bluetongue lizards and co-existing species

“…In none of eight observed encounters with potential predators was the lizard in a burrow captured. This result contrasts previous observations of snake predation on pygmy bluetongue lizards (Fenner et al 2008b;, and a high incidence of tail damage in live lizards, that suggested risk from avian predators (Fenner et al 2006;Fenner et al 2008a). …”

“…Subsequent surveys have documented its limited geographical range in a few isolated remnant patches of native grassland in the mid-north region of South Australia, an area that is now extensively fragmented by agricultural activities, and have assessed it to be an endangered species (Milne et al 2003a). Individual lizards are solitary and spend most of their time associated with single entrance, vertical burrows constructed by lycosid and mygalomorph spiders (Milne et al 2003b;Fenner et al 2007;Ebrahimi et al 2012).…”

“…. Lizards occasionally move out of their burrows to defecate, lunge at passing invertebrate prey, or to seek mating partners for a brief period in the spring, but otherwise are almost entirely confined to their burrows, the burrow entrances and an extremely small area around the burrow entrance (Milne et al, 2003b;Fenner et al, 2007;Fenner and Bull, 2011;Schofield et al, 2012;Ebrahimi et al, 2014). As a consequence, we assume that most of their interspecific interactions also take place around the burrow entrance.…”

Dynamics of a Temperate Grassland Reptile Community in the Mid-North of South Australia

“…These sites have been previously described by Fenner and Bull (2007) and Schofield et al (2012). Both are located in a remnant of native grassland habitat in the mid north of South Australia, within 13 km of Burra (33°42´S; 138°56´e), and they were separated from each other by ploughed cereal cropping fields.…”

“…Both are located in a remnant of native grassland habitat in the mid north of South Australia, within 13 km of Burra (33°42´S; 138°56´e), and they were separated from each other by ploughed cereal cropping fields. The region has cool moist winters and hot dry summers with an average annual rainfall between 400-500 mm (Fenner & Bull, 2007).…”