I have 2 species of legless lizards in my garden. A common brown one and this other species which I need identifying - if anyone can help me.
Basically, it is metallic medium blue in colour with a white stripe down it's sides. It is approximately 14 cm in length.
There were known to be 2 of them, a breeding pair I hope, but now there is only one as I accidently chopped one in half when I was gardening in that particular garden bed. Who knew they go a metre underground? I didn't.
Any ideas what species it could be? I live in Tenterfield, NSW.
Hi Shirley
I found a list of NSW Legless Lizards (http://www.reptilesofaustralia.com/habitnsw/listnsw.htm#legless), and another site with some good pics. Do any of your little guys look like any of the Legless Lizards in the below links?
Eared Worm-lizard - one site says found in Vic, the other says NSW also, so ....?
Mallee Worm-lizard - aka Pink-nosed Worm-Lizard or Red-tailed Worm-lizard.
Granite Worm-lizard - confusingly, one site says this one is found in NSW, yet another says only in W.A. so perhaps there are different subspecies?
Striated Worm-lizard - aka Lined Worm-Lizard, once again some sites showing these are in NSW, while others say they aren't.
Unbanded Delma
Many-lined Delma - aka Striped Snake-lizard or Striped Legless Lizard.
Patternless Delma
Sharp-snouted Legless Lizard - aka Sharp-snouted Delma and another with conflicting range info depending on which site you visit.
Leaden Delma
Excitable Delma - this doesn't look at all like either you have described, by oh boy it's pretty.
Burton's Legless Lizard
Common scaly-foot
Western hooded scaly-foot - aka Black-headed scaly-foot, Hooded scaly-foot, Western scaly-foot
West Coast Tasmania