Menetia greyii Gray, 1845

Common Name and Size

Menetia greyii, commonly called the common dwarf skink, is a very small skink with a maximum snout-to-vent length (SVL) of 38–40 mm (1.5–1.6 in).

Body and Limb Structure

It has a lightly built, elongated body, smooth scales, and four limbs: the forelimbs have four digits each, while the hindlimbs have five digits each.

Base Coloration

Its base color ranges from brownish grey to grey.

Dorsal and Lateral Markings

It has dorsal dashes that may form broken lines, along with broad dark upper lateral and white midlateral stripes.

Underbelly Coloration

Its underbelly is usually white, but breeding males have a distinctive yellow or orange flush on the underbelly and a pink flush on the throat.

Population Color Variation

Some populations show slight color variation adapted to the different environments they inhabit.

Supraciliary Scale Structure

This species has two supraciliary scales: the first is quite small, and the second contacts the supraocular scale.

Facial Scales Between Eye and Nostril

It has three scales arranged in a line between the eye and the nostril.

General Distribution in Australia

The common dwarf skink is one of Australia's most widespread and abundant lizards, found across the continent west of the Great Dividing Range.

Distribution Exclusions and Coverage

It has not been recorded in north-east Northern Territory, Cape York Peninsula, southern Victoria, or Tasmania, but occurs in all other Australian regions, covering approximately 93% of the continent.

Occurrence Record Access

A continuous occurrence record map is available online on the Atlas of Living Australia via the reference link.

Habitat Types

It is widespread across many different habitats, including heaths, deserts, woodlands, grasslands, and frequently urban environments, making it relatively well known.

Foraging and Shelter Behavior

It shelters under logs and rocks, and often moves through ground leaf litter while foraging for its main food source, invertebrates.

Soil Tolerance

It can live on a wide variety of soil types.

Clutch Size

Adult females of this species lay clutches of 1 to 3 eggs.

Parthenogenesis Capability

M. greyii is one of the few vertebrate species known to reproduce via parthenogenesis.

Reproduction Mode Evidence

A 2007 study confirmed that this species can reproduce both by parthenogenesis and by sexual reproduction, with mitochondrial DNA evidence verifying that parthenogenesis occurs in the species.

Parthenogenesis Definition

Parthenogenesis is a process where eggs develop into clones of the mother without fertilization; this process can occur in some non-mammal species.