Ctenotus is a genus of skinks, lizards in the family Scincidae. The genus is endemic to Australia. The genus Ctenotus belongs to a clade in the Sphenomorphus group which contains such genera as Anomalopus and the close relatives Eulamprus and Gnypetoscincus.

Lizards in the genus Ctenotus are commonly called comb-eared skinks, a reference to the scales aligned near the ear. Ctenotus lizards are able to move very quickly, disappearing whilst being observed. They are highly active in their habits, foraging amongst a diverse range of habitat.

The members of the genus Ctenotus are widely distributed, in all states of Australia, and are especially diverse in arid regions and the tropical north, accounting for 10–20% of the lizard species. Around a quarter of lizards found in one area of the Great Sandy Desert are Ctenotus skinks, 11 of the 40 species. A single dune may have up to six species of Ctenotus. The Southwest Australian region contains 23 species. The size ranges from very small to moderately large, being similarly varied in body types from slender to stout. The diversity of forms allows species to occupy different nichess, often in the same locality.

Species

Ctenotus is the most diverse reptile genus in Australia, with approximately 100 member species. Identification to the rank of species is regarded as difficult, and the largest lizard genus is also one of the most poorly understood.

• Ctenotus agrestis – Mitchell grass ctenotus

• Ctenotus alacer – lively ctenotus

• Ctenotus alleni – Ajana ctenotus

• Ctenotus allotropis – brown-blazed wedgesnout ctenotus

• Ctenotus angusticeps – northwestern coastal ctenotus, little leopard ctenotus, Airlie Island ctenuous

• Ctenotus aphrodite – Oorida ctenotus

• Ctenotus arcanus – arcane ctenotus

• Ctenotus ariadnae – Ariadna's ctenotus

• Ctenotus arnhemensis – Jabiluka ctenotus

• Ctenotus astarte – stony downs ctenotus

• Ctenotus astictus – Arnhem striped ctenotus

• Ctenotus atlas – southern mallee ctenotus

• Ctenotus australis – western limestone ctenotus

• Ctenotus borealis – white-faced ctenotus

• Ctenotus brachyonyx – short-clawed ctenotus

• Ctenotus brevipes – short-footed ctenotus

• Ctenotus brooksi – wedgesnout ctenotus

• Ctenotus burbidgei – plain-backed Kimberley ctenotus

• Ctenotus calurus – blue-tailed finesnout ctenotus

• Ctenotus capricorni – Capricorn ctenotus

• Ctenotus catenifer – chain-striped south-west ctenotus

• Ctenotus coggeri – brown-backed ctenotus

• Ctenotus colletti – Collett’s skink, buff-tailed finesnout ctenotus

• Ctenotus decaneurus – ten-lined ctenotus

• Ctenotus delli – Darling Range south-west ctenotus

• Ctenotus duricola – Eastern Pilbara lined ctenotus, Pilbara ctenotus

• Ctenotus dux – fine side-lined ctenotus

• Ctenotus ehmanni – brown-tailed finesnout ctenotus

• Ctenotus essingtonii – lowlands plain-backed ctenotus

• Ctenotus euclae – wedgesnout ctenotus

• Ctenotus eurydice – brown-backed yellow-lined ctenotus

• Ctenotus eutaenius – black-backed yellow-lined ctenotus

• Ctenotus fallens – West-coast laterite ctenotus

• Ctenotus gagudju – Magela ctenotus, Kakadu ctenotus

• Ctenotus gemmula – jewelled south-west ctenotus

• Ctenotus grandis – grand ctenotus

• Ctenotus greeri – spotted-necked ctenotus

• Ctenotus halysis – chained ctenotus

• Ctenotus hanloni – nimble ctenotus

• Ctenotus hebetior – stout ctenotus

• Ctenotus helenae – clay-soil ctenotus

• Ctenotus hilli – top-end lowlands ctenotus

• Ctenotus iapetus – North West Cape ctenotus

• Ctenotus impar – odd-striped ctenotus

• Ctenotus ingrami – unspotted yellow-sided ctenotus

• Ctenotus inornatus – bar-shouldered ctenotus

• Ctenotus joanae – black-soil ctenotus

• Ctenotus kurnbudj – Kurnbudj ctenotus

• Ctenotus kutjupa

• Ctenotus labillardieri – common south-west ctenotus

• Ctenotus lancelini – Lancelin Island skink, Lancelin south-west ctenotus

• Ctenotus lateralis – gravelly-soil ctenotus

• Ctenotus leae – orange-tailed finesnout skink

• Ctenotus leonhardii – Leonhardi's ctenotus, Leonhardi's skink, common desert ctenotus

• Ctenotus maryani – Maryan's ctenotus

• Ctenotus mastigura – whiptail ctenotus

• Ctenotus mesotes – median-striped ctenotus

• Ctenotus militaris – soldier ctenotus

• Ctenotus mimetes – checker-sided ctenotus

• Ctenotus monticola – Atherton ctenotus

• Ctenotus nasutus – nasute finesnout ctenotus

• Ctenotus nigrilineatus – pin-striped finesnout ctenotus

• Ctenotus nullum – nullum ctenotus

• Ctenotus olympicus – spotted ctenotus

• Ctenotus ora – coastal plains skink

• Ctenotus orientalis – oriental ctenotus

• Ctenotus pallasotus – Western Pilbara lined ctenotus

• Ctenotus pallescens – north-western wedgesnout ctenotus

• Ctenotus pantherinus - leopard ctenotus

• Ctenotus piankai - course sand ctenotus

• Ctenotus pulchellus - red-sided ctenotus

• Ctenotus quattuordecimlineatus - fourteen-lined ctenotus

• Ctenotus quinkan - Quinkan ctenotus

• Ctenotus quirinus - Arnhem land ctenotus

• Ctenotus rawlinsoni - Cape Heath ctenotus

• Ctenotus regius - pale-rumped ctenotus

• Ctenotus rhabdotus - Kimberley lined ctenotus

• Ctenotus rimacolus - crack-dwelling ctenotus

• Ctenotus robustus - robust ctenotus, striped skink

• Ctenotus rosarium - beaded ctenotus

• Ctenotus rubicundus - ruddy ctenotus

• Ctenotus rufescens - rufous finesnout ctenotus

• Ctenotus rutilans - rusty-shouldered ctenotus

• Ctenotus saxatilis - stony-soil ctenotus

• Ctenotus schevilli - black-soil rises ctenotus

• Ctenotus schomburgkii - barred wedge-snout ctenotus

• Ctenotus septenarius - massive-gibber ctenotus

• Ctenotus serotinus - gravel-downs ctenotus

• Ctenotus serventyi - north-western sandy-loam ctenotus

• Ctenotus severus - stern ctenotus

• Ctenotus spaldingi - straight-browed ctenotus

• Ctenotus storri - buff-striped ctenotus

• Ctenotus strauchii - eastern barred wedge-snout ctenotus

• Ctenotus striaticeps - stripe-headed finesnout ctenotus

• Ctenotus stuarti - Stuart's ctenotus

• Ctenotus superciliaris - sharp-browed ctenotus

• Ctenotus taeniatus - eyrean ctenotus

• Ctenotus taeniolatus – copper-tailed skink, copper-tailed ctenotus

• Ctenotus tanamiensis – Tanami ctenotus

• Ctenotus tantillus – Kimberley wedge-snout ctenotus

• Ctenotus terrareginae – Hinchinbrook ctenotus

• Ctenotus uber – spotted ctenotus

• Ctenotus vagus – uneven-striped ctenotus

• Ctenotus vertebralis – scant-striped ctenotus

• Ctenotus xenopleura – wide-striped ctenotus

• Ctenotus youngsoni – Shark Bay south-west ctenotus

• Ctenotus zastictus – Hamelin ctenotus, Hamelin Pool ctenotus

• Ctenotus zebrilla – Southern Cape York fine-snout ctenotus

Nota bene: A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Ctenotus.

References

Further reading

• Storr GM (1964). "Ctenotus, a New Generic Name for a Group of Australian Skinks". Western Australian Naturalist 9 (4): 84-85.