Blue-tongued skink
| Blue-tongued skinks | |
|---|---|
| Blotched blue-tongued skink (Tiliqua nigrolutea) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota | 
| Kingdom: | Animalia | 
| Phylum: | Chordata | 
| Class: | Reptilia | 
| Order: | Squamata | 
| Family: | Scincidae | 
| Subfamily: | Egerniinae | 
| Genus: | Tiliqua Gray, 1825 | 
| Species | |
| 8 extant, see text. | |
| Synonyms | |
| Trachydosaurus | |
Blue-tongued skinks comprise the Australasian genus Tiliqua, which contains some of the largest members of the skink family (Scincidae). They are commonly called blue-tongued lizards or simply blue-tongues or blueys in Australia or panana in Indonesia. As suggested by these common names, a prominent characteristic of the genus is a large blue tongue that can be bared as bluff-warning to potential enemies. Their tongue can also deform itself and produce a thick mucus in order to catch prey. They are relatively shy in comparison with other lizards, and also significantly slower due to their shorter legs.