Southern Mallee Ctenotus

The Southern Mallee Ctenotus is a member of the genus Ctenotus, a large of group of skinks that are small to medium sized (10–30 cm in length) with long and slender tails. They are terrestrial, diurnal, oviparous and their diet consists of invertebrates. Identifying features of the skink include upper body colour of dark brown or black back and sides with 8 or 10 pale (or white) stripes along the length of body; undersides are white. Other distinguishing features include: 5 digits and 5 toes; conspicuous anterior ear lobules; a moveable lower eyelid; and parietal scales in contact behind the interparietal. The thermal range of the species is 7 degrees Celsius to 45 degrees Celsius.

As the name suggests the Southern Mallee Ctenotus is found in the mallee regions of south western NSW and Victoria's north west. It can also be found in southern SA and in the central interior of WA. In the mallee regions the key feature of its habitat is the spinifex or porcupine grass (Triodia scariosa). Its distribution includes many other ctenotus skinks which are able to disperse widely over a large area of arid zone with little or no geographic barriers and homogenous climate.

Ctenotus atlas is an insectivore with a varied diet, including bees, wasps, ants; spiders; beetles; termites; cockroaches; crickets and locusts.

First recorded and named by G.M Storr of the Museum of Western Australia from a collection of Eric R Pianka in 1968. Also referred to as the Porcupine Grass Ctenotus.