Pygmy spiny-tailed skink
{{Short description|Species of lizard}}
{{Speciesbox
| image = Pygmy spiny-tailed skink (Egernia depressa) at Perth Zoo, February 2023 03.jpg
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| genus = Egernia
| species = depressa
| authority = (Günther, 1875)
| synonyms = Silubosaurus depressus Günther, 1875
| range_map = Egernia depressa range.svg
}}
The pygmy spiny-tailed skink, Egernia depressa, sometimes also known as the small spiny-tailed skink, is a species of skink found in western Australia.
The species is endemic to Australia and is found in the states Western Australia, the Northern Territory and South Australia.
A somewhat social species, pygmy spiny-tailed skinks live in small family groups in the desert. Omnivores, they feed on insects, some flowers, fruits, shoots, and leaves.
Pygmy spiny-tailed skinks grow up to 16 centimetres long, however, they are able to inflate their bodies larger to jam themselves into crevices as a predator evasion tactic. Their spine-covered tails help block the way. They are known to live in crevices, hollows of trees, and termite mounds.
The skinks have very spiny back scales and smooth bellies; however, often their dorsal scales become ground down with rocks. Each dorsal scale has three spines, or keels, unlike some other Egernia species. The central spine is the largest, usually twice as long as the two other spines which flank it.{{rp|77}} {{rp|123}}
References
{{Reflist|refs=
| title = Egernia depressa
| journal = IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
| volume= 2017
| year = 2017
| doi = 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T109470276A109470293.en
| doi-access = free }}
|genus=Egernia
|species=depressa
|accessdate=1 January 2019}}
|last=Hayes
|first=David
|date=2017-11-17
|title=An illustrated guide to Aussie skinks
|url=https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/topics/wildlife/2017/11/scale-tales-guide-to-aussie-skinks/#h-pygmy-spiny-tailed-skink
|url-status=live
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240719124657/https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/topics/wildlife/2017/11/scale-tales-guide-to-aussie-skinks/#h-pygmy-spiny-tailed-skink
|archive-date=19 Jul 2024
|access-date=2024-11-15
|website=Australian Geographic}}
|title=Lizards of the World: A Guide to Every Family
|last=O'Shea
|first=Mark
|author-link=Mark O'Shea (herpetologist)
|publisher=Princeton University Press
|isbn=978-0-691-19869-9
|year=2021
|page=73
|lccn=2020948791
}}
|title=XII.—the Family Scincidae in Western Australia Part I—the Genera Tiliqua, Trachysaurus and Egernia
|last=Glaubert
|first=L.
|author-link=Ludwig Glauert
|url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/274794#page/79/mode/1up
|journal=Western Australian Naturalist
|volume=7
|issue=3
}}
|title=Revision of the Pygmy Spiny-tailed Skinks (Egernia depressa species-group) from Western Australia, with descriptions of three new species
|journal=Records of the Western Australian Museum
|doi=10.18195/issn.0312-3162.26(2).2011.115-137
|last1=Doughty
|first1=Paul
|last2=Kealley
|first2=Luke
|last3=Donnellan
|first3=Stephen C.
|year=2011
|url=https://museum.wa.gov.au/sites/default/files/RecWAMuseum_2011_26(2)_115to137_DOUGHTYetal_0.pdf
}}}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q3049141}}
Category:Endemic fauna of Australia