Delma: Among the Legless Lizards
Delma species
Article taken from Woodland Wanderings Issue 1
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Look down! Tread carefully! Think in camouflage! Delmas are about.
In the micro world of the woodlands live the snakelike, but not so snakeish, Legless Lizards or Delmas, including Delma impar (the Striped Legless Lizard) and Delma inornata (the Inornate Legless Lizard).
Although at first glance Delmas look and move like snakes, they are actually lizards related to geckos. The genus Delma is a peculiar group of terrestrial legless lizards which have well developed hind limb flaps, conspicuous external ear openings and an extraordinary tail that is some three times longer than the body (Cogger 1992).
Swan (1990) described the following differences between legless lizards and snakes:
- Longer tails - a legless lizard's is as long or longer than its body, a snake's is shorter than its body.
- A legless lizard has a broad tongue with a notch at the tip. A snake's tongue is long, slender and forked.
- A snake will not lose its tail but a legless lizard can. Regeneration of the tail will occur, although the new tail will be shorter and the colour will be different from the original. Care should be taken in handling Legless Lizards as they will drop their tail if threatened.
- Snakes have enlarged belly scales, legless lizards do not.
A Delma found at the Monteagle Cemetery was identified by the Australian Museum as Delma inornata.
For information on managing site that may have legless lizards, see the Management article "Remembering the invisible species in management."
Species Profile: Striped Legless Lizard (Delma impar)
Status:
NSW Vulnerable - Threatened Species
Conservation Act 1995.
Australia Vulnerable - Environment Protection
and Biodiversity Act 1999.
Description: Pale grey-brown on top usually with dark brown or blackish stripes running from the neck to the tail. The stripes are made up of individual black-centred scales. Also commonly has a yellow throat. May produce a soft grunting squeak if handled.
Diet: Selective arthropods - most commonly on spiders, crikets, moth larvae and cockroaches.
Reproduction: Two parchment-shelled eggs in a clutch.
Habitat: Located under logs, rocks and other debris in temperate native grasslands and secondary grasslands.
Size: 5-7gms. Snout-vent (ie. minus tail) average 60mm. Tail is up to 1.5 times the length of the body. Average for total size is 25cm.
Species Profile: Inornate Legless Lizard (Delma inornata)
Status: Probably scare in box woodlands- data lacking. Found west of the Dividing Range.
Description: Grey to olive-brown on top. Each scale has a black margin. Around the eye the scales are white while its belly is flesh coloured with a yellow throat. Black edged scales ften give these lizards a fish-net appearance. Has an audible squeak.
Diet: Insects and spiders.
Reproduction: Two eggs per clutch.
Habitat: Found in wetter forest on the ranges and slopes as well as the drier plains, woodlands and mallee country. Likes to shelter under logs and other surface material.
Size: Snout-vent (ie. minus tail) average 100mm. The tail is up to three times the length of the body. Average for total size is 40cm.
References cited: