Hosmer's spiny-tailed skink or Hosmer's skink (Egernia hosmeri) is a species of large skink, a lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is a diurnal, rock-dwelling species native to Northern Australia.
Hosmer's spiny-tailed skink is mostly reddish-brown on top, with both scattered darker and paler spots along the back, legs, and tail. It has a darker brown head and neck, white abdomen, and a few dark brown blotches under the chin. The snout–vent length (SVL) is 180mm, with a round, tapering tail about 60% of the SVL.[2] It is most closely related to Cunningham's spiny-tailed skink (Egernia cunninghami), however the tail of E. hosmeri is flattened and spinier than that of E. cunninghami.[3]
Hosmer's spiny-tailed skin is found throughout dry, rocky regions of Queensland and the Northern Territory.[2][4]
Like some other reptiles, it is viviparous, giving birth to an average of four live young at a time.[5]
Hosmer's spiny-tailed skink is omnivorous, eating insects, leaves, shoots, and berries.[5]
Hosmer's spiny-tailed skink or Hosmer's skink (Egernia hosmeri) is a species of large skink, a lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is a diurnal, rock-dwelling species native to Northern Australia.