Diets of Tiliqua multifasciata and Tiliqua occipitalis were studied by examination of stomach contents of 14 and 16 preserved individuals in the collection of the Western Australian Museum. Both species are active foraging omnivores, feeding mostly on diurnally available food. Most stomachs contained plant material, with lower frequencies of arthropods. Fruits and seeds were the predominant parts of plants consumed. The dominant arthropods eaten were insect larvae and beetles. Occasional vertebrate items found in stomachs were mostly sourced as carrion. No significant differences were detected in the diet of the two species. Pronounced differences in the head shape and tooth shape of the two species cannot be explained by differing dietary specialisation.
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Research-Article|
March 17 2014
Diet of two species of bluetongue skink, Tiliqua multifasciata and Tiliqua occipitalis (Squamata: Scincidae)
Glenn Shea
Glenn Shea
1
Faculty of Veterinary Science, B01, University of Sydney, NSW 2006
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Australian Zoologist (2006) 33 (3): 359–368.
Citation
Glenn Shea; Diet of two species of bluetongue skink, Tiliqua multifasciata and Tiliqua occipitalis (Squamata: Scincidae). Australian Zoologist 1 June 2006; 33 (3): 359–368. doi: https://doi.org/10.7882/AZ.2006.009
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