A record of an adult Large Striped Skink Ctenotus robustus, from the northern outskirts of metropolitan Melbourne, with four regenerating tails is described. The rarity of this record is confirmed with reference to other field surveys and published studies

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Homan, P 2015, 'A record of four regrowing tails in a Large Striped Skink 'Ctenotus
robustus' from Yan Yean, Victoria', The Victorian Naturalist, vol. 132, no. 1, pp. 12-15.
https://researchbank.rmit.edu.au/view/rmit:31513
Published Version
The Author
http://search.informit.com.au.ezproxy.lib.rmit.edu.au/documentSummary;dn=011985130934754;
res=IELHSS
Contributions
12 The Victorian Naturalist
Caudal autotomy describes the process where-
by many reptiles lose or drop a part of their tail 
due to predator attack or spontaneous contrac-
tion of tail muscles (Bateman and Fleming 2009; 
Wilson 2012; Cogger 2014). Once a section of 
tail has been lost, the reptile has the ability to 
regrow a replacement tail (Cogger 2014). This 
process is particularly common in members of 
the family Scincidae (Wilson and Swan 2013). 
Occasionally bifurcation occurs, producing two 
tails giving a forked tail appearance; however, 
it is extremely uncommon to find skinks with 
three or four regrowing tails (Wilson 2012). 
During a study of vertebrate fauna in February 
2014 at Yan Yean on the northern outskirts of 
Melbourne, an individual Large Striped Skink 
Ctenotus robustus with four regrowing tails was 
captured. 
Site Description
The Growling Frog Golf Course (GFGC) is 
situated in Yan Yean (37˚ 33'S, 145˚ 04'E) on 
the Victorian Volcanic Plain, approximately 33 
km north-north-east of the Melbourne CBD. 
Surveys of vertebrate fauna and assessments of 
conservation works have been conducted at the 
property since 2007 (Homan 2011, 2012). The 
land manager, the City of Whittlesea, has car-
ried out a habitat enhancement program that 
includes the use of concrete pavers as artificial 
refuges for small vertebrate fauna. Numerous 
reptile species have been recorded at the site, 
including the Large Striped Skink, a common 
lizard on Melbourne’s northern outskirts (Mu-
seum Victoria 2006). Between 2007 and 2014 
Large Striped Skinks made up 43% of all lizards 
recorded at GFGC.
Observation of Large Striped Skink with 
four regrowing tails
During a survey of vertebrate fauna at GFGC 
in late February 2014 concrete pavers and other 
artificial habitat were lifted to record any ver-
tebrate species that may be utilising them as 
refuges. When one paver (600 × 600 × 50 mm) 
was lifted an adult Large Striped Skink (Snout 
to vent length = 93 mm) with four regrowing 
tails was captured (Figs. 1–3). The original re-
maining tail section measured 70 mm; the four 
regrowing tails measured 50 mm, 33 mm, 30 
mm and 10 mm. During all surveys at GFGC 
since 2007, 96 Large Striped Skinks have been 
captured. Numerous individuals had single re-
growing tails; however, the specimen captured 
in February 2014 was the only individual with 
multiple tails.
Discussion
Several reptile studies have recorded caudal 
autotomy with occasional bifurcation occur-
ring in regrowing tails. In Tasmania, Hick-
man (1960) made observations on the skink 
Liopholis whitii (formerly Egernia whitii). Three 
hundred and fifty individuals were examined, 
but only one individual had a forked tail. Selig-
mann et al. (2008) studied the New Zealand 
Tuatara Sphenodon spp. and found bifurcation 
in nine of the 143 specimens involved. In the 
United States of America, Fitch (2003) studied 
over 5000 individual lizards of five species. In 
one group of 710 individuals, 45% had experi-
enced caudal autotomy. Bifurcation, however, 
was not reported by the author of this study.
 Long-term and intensive studies at several 
sites in Victoria have recorded many skinks 
A record of four regrowing tails in a Large Striped Skink 
Ctenotus robustus from Yan Yean, Victoria
Peter Homan
 
School of Vocational Health and Sciences, RMIT University, GPO Box 2476V, Melbourne, Victoria 3001 
Email: peter.homan@rmit.edu.au
Abstract
A record of an adult Large Striped Skink Ctenotus robustus, from the northern outskirts of metropolitan Mel-
bourne, with four regenerating tails is described. The rarity of this record is confirmed with reference to other 
field surveys and published studies. (The Victorian Naturalist 132 (1), 2015, 12–15)
Keywords: Large Striped Skink Ctenotus robustus, caudal autotomy, bifurcation, four tails
Introduction
Contributions
13Vol 132 (1) 2015
Fig. 1. Large Striped Skink with four regrowing tails. Photo by Peter Homan. 
that had experienced autotomy, but very few 
were found with multiple regrowing tails. At 
Quarry Hills Bushland Park, in South Morang, 
approximately 22 km north of the Melbourne 
CBD, 46 Large Striped Skinks were recorded 
between April 2006 and March 2014 (Homan 
2012). Several had experienced caudal autoto-
my, but none were found with multiple regrow-
ing tails. At two sites near Kinglake, approxi-
mately 50 km north-east of Melbourne CBD, 
124 Coventry’s Skinks Niveoscincus coventryi 
were captured between April 2011 and March 
2014 (Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE 
unpubl.). Numerous individuals were recorded 
with single regrowing tails, but bifurcation 
was recorded in only one individual, captured 
during active searching in March 2014 (Fig. 
4). Near Mt Korong in central Victoria, ap-
proximately 200 km north-north-west of the 
Melbourne CBD, 47 skinks (six species) and 17 
geckoes (two species) were recorded in March 
2009 and March 2010 (Northern Melbourne 
Institute of TAFE unpubl.). Several individuals 
had regrowing tails; however, only one lizard, 
a Bougainville’s Skink Lerista bougainvillii was 
found with a forked tail. 
In the Eumeralla section of the Great Otway 
National Park, approximately 90 km south-west 
of the Melbourne CBD, 189 skinks (six species) 
were captured between March 2004 and March 
2014 (Homan unpubl.; RMIT University un-
publ.). In the Wonthaggi Heathlands Nature 
Conservation Reserve in South Gippsland, 
approximately 104 km south-east of the Mel-
bourne CBD, 191 skinks (seven species) were 
captured between February 2001 and October 
2013 (Homan 2003; RMIT University unpubl. ; 
FNCV unpubl.). Caudal autotomy was record-
ed during studies at these two sites; however, no 
individuals were found with multiple tails. 
 Seligmann et al. (2008) and Wilson (2012) 
suggested that multiple tails may be the result 
of damage or lacerations to the original tail or 
several wounds to the remaining stump follow-
ing tail loss. The latter is the most likely cause 
of the multiple tails on the Large Striped Skink 
found at GFGC. The first regenerated tail, 
branching to the left on the GFGC specimen, 
contains a small portion of the original tail with 
the pale dorsolateral stripe still present (Fig. 2) 
indicating, most likely, that the original break 
was ragged. It is also possible that a second 
Contributions
14 The Victorian Naturalist
Fig. 2. Dorsal view of four regrowing tails. Photo by Peter Homan. 
Fig. 3. Ventral view of four regrowing tails. Photo by Peter Homan.
Contributions
15Vol 132 (1) 2015
Fig. 4. Coventry’s Skink Niveoscincus coventryi with forked tail from Kinglake. Photo by Matt Clancy.
wound occurred above the original break at 
a later time. Bifurcation had also occurred on 
one of the regrowing tails, thus producing the 
fourth tail. It is possible that this was caused by 
predator attack to the third tail.
 Several authors have suggested that lizards 
with regrowing tails may be more vulnerable 
to predator attack due to reduced speed (Dial 
and Fitzpatrick 1984; Chapple and Swain 2002; 
Chapple et al. 2004). Wilson (2012) illustrated a 
Large Striped Skink with two tails and suggest-
ed that this individual may not have the same 
competitive edge as individuals with single 
tails. Despite this, the four-tailed Large Striped 
Skink found at GFGC, when released, disap-
peared under the concrete paver just as fast as 
the other individuals with single tails captured 
and released that day.
Acknowledgements
The survey at GFGC was conducted under the terms 
of research permit no. 10006646 issued by the De-
partment of Sustainability and Environment and 
approval no. 33.12 of the Wildlife and Small Institu-
tions Animal Ethics Committee of the Department 
of Primary Industries. Maryrose Morgan of Carlton 
provided field assistance. Ben Morgan and Dion 
Patten of Parks and Open Spaces of the City of 
Whittlesea assisted with lifting heavy concrete pavers. 
An anonymous referee improved the manuscript.
References
Bateman PW and Fleming PA (2009) To cut a long tail short: 
a review of lizard caudal autotomy studies carried out over 
the last 20 years. Journal of Zoology 277, 1–14.
Chapple DG and Swain R (2002) Effect of caudal autotomy 
on locomotor performance in a viviparous skink, Niveo-
scincus metallicus. Functional Ecology 16, 817–825.
Chapple DG, McCoull CJ and Swain R (2004) Effect of tail 
loss on sprint speed and growth in newborn skinks, Niveo-
scincus metallicus. Journal of Herpetology 38, 137–140.
Cogger H (2014) Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia. 7 edn. 
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Dial BE and Fitzpatrick LC (1984) Predator escape success in 
tailed versus tailless Scincella lateralis (Sauria: Scincidae). 
Animal Behaviour 32, 301–302.
Fitch HS (2003) A comparative study of loss and regenera-
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Hickman JL (1960) Observations on the skink lizard Egernia 
whitii (Lacepede). Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Soci-
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Homan P (2003) A reptile and amphibian survey of the Won-
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Received 8 May 2014; accepted 16 October 2014
 


A record of four regrowing tails in a Large Striped Skink 'Ctenotus robustus' from Yan Yean, Victoria

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A record of four regrowing tails in a Large Striped Skink &#039;Ctenotus robustus&#039; from Yan Yean, Victoria

Abstract

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A record of four regrowing tails in a Large Striped Skink 'Ctenotus robustus' from Yan Yean, Victoria