The Eastern blue-tongued lizard (Tiliqua scincoides scincoides) is a subspecies of the Blue-tongued lizard. It is unique due to its blue tongue, which can be used to warn off predators. The Eastern blue-tongued lizard is not venomous to humans and can be found in house gardens.
The Eastern blue-tongued lizard has a short body and short legs. It can have different colors, but its pattern frequently appears to be banded. The tongue of the lizard is a blue color and can appear to have a hint of violet. This blue tongue is used to alarm predators and scare them off. The Eastern blue-tongue lizard has smooth skin covered with scales that overlap and have small bone plates. The ventral (abdominal) region of the lizard is a silver or gray color. The lizard's back, however, appears dark brown and cream-colored and its head is pale brown. Across its body, the Eastern-blue-tongued lizard has broad black and brown bands. This lizard can generally be identified by its black stripe that extends from its eye to its tympanum (exposed eardrum), and sometimes all the way to the side of the lizard's neck. The blue tongue could be an evolutionary adaptation that can assist in long-distance communication in order to warn off predators and decrease aggressive activity.
Eastern blue-tongued lizards are found in the coastal plain and lower Blue Mountains in Sydney, Australia, and in the majority of New South Wales and Cobar. They frequent in the open country and take shelter among large objects on the ground like logs or rocks or among leaf litter.
Eastern blue-tongued lizards are solitary and prefer to be on their own. They are diurnal and eat during the day. They are very agile and frequently consume animals that move more slowly. Blue-tongued lizards can’t produce their own body heat and spend their mornings in the sun before looking for food in order to maintain their body temperature which is between 30-35 degrees Celsius when they are active. In the winter, however, when the weather is cold, lizards bury themselves in their shelter sites and are not active. These lizards only leave their shelters on days when the sun is out, so that they can bask in the sun. They infrequently leave the comfort of their hollow logs and ground debris. Eastern blue-tongued lizards are docile and shy creatures. Their blue tongue is used to scare off potential predators. When predators approach the lizard, it opens its mouth and sticks out its blue tongue to warn off predators showing that it may be distasteful. The lizard will also hiss and puff up its chest to appear larger and assert dominance. It can also lose its tail during a quarrel and regrow it. It typically takes a year for their tail to regrow. Eastern blue-tongued lizards are not poisonous or deadly to humans. Their bites will cause pain and leave a bruise, however, they will not cause any long-term effects.
Eastern blue-tongued lizards are omnivores and their diet consists of plants, fruits, insects, and other reptiles. They especially favor munching on snail shells and beetles. These lizards also eat crickets and wax worms.
Eastern blue-tongued lizards breed in September, October, and November. During this time males fight in order to attain their first choice female. These lizards are ovoviviparous, which means embryos develop inside eggs that are retained within the mother's body until they are hatched. On average, each female has about 10 offspring and can give birth to 6-20 young per year. The young are precocial when they are born and do not require as much parental care. They become reproductively mature between 561 and 590 days.
Eastern blue-tongued lizards may eat poisonous snails and slugs that have been tainted by snail baits. If they are living in a garden, they may be exposed to snail baits and insecticides that can cause them harm. Because blue-tongued lizards are able to squirm through small holes in fences and under fences, they may be faced with garden pests or chemicals used by neighbors.
According to the IUCN Red List, the Eastern blue-tongued lizard is common throughout its range but no overall population estimate is available. Generally, the Blue-tongued lizard species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List, and its numbers today are stable.
Blue-tongued lizards are considered beneficial in urban and suburban areas, due to their appetite for garden pests such as slugs and snails.
