# Shingleback (*Tiliqua rugosa*)

Shinglebacks are fun, chunky lizards with a bumpy, blue tail that looks like a head! They are friendly and often seen sunbathing on warm rocks.

- **Category:** [Reptiles](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/reptile)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Grasslands
- **Also known as:** Bobtail, Stumpy-tailed Lizard

![Shingleback](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Tannenzapfenskink_%28cropped%29.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Bäras, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tannenzapfenskink_%28cropped%29.jpg)

## Appearance

The Shingleback is a stout-bodied lizard with large, keeled, and rough scales that resemble pinecones or roof shingles. Its coloration varies from brown to dark brown, often with lighter bands across its back. It possesses a distinctive short, stumpy tail that looks remarkably similar to its head.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Squamata
- **Order:** Lacertilia
- **Family:** Scincidae
- **Genus:** Tiliqua

## Interesting facts

- Shinglebacks actually give birth to live babies, not eggs!
- Their strong jaws help them easily crush snail shells and beetles.
- These lizards can go for months without water, storing it in their bodies!
- They often form a mating pair that stays together for many years!

## Special abilities

- **Head-Tail Twin:** Shinglebacks have a tail that looks like their head because this clever mimicry helps them confuse predators about which end to attack.
- **Armoured Scales:** Shinglebacks are covered in tough, pinecone-like scales that help protect their body like natural armor from sharp teeth or claws.
- **Blue Tongue Bluff:** Shinglebacks can stick out a large, bright blue tongue that helps them startle and warn off predators, making them think twice before attacking.

## Measurements & details

- **Length:** 25-35 cm
- **Weight:** 0.6-1.2 kg
- **Lifespan:** 10-30 years
- **Speed:** 1.5 km/h
- **Clutch Size:** 1-5

## Diet & Feeding

These lizards munch on plants, juicy fruits, insects, and snails for their meals.

- **Primary Foods:** Flowers, Fruits, Snails, Beetles, Grasshoppers
- **Foraging Method:** Foraging

## Ecological connections

- **Eaten by:** [Red Fox](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-fox) (*Vulpes vulpes*) — Introduced predator causing population declines.
- **Eaten by:** Wedge-tailed Eagle (*Aquila audax*) — Hunted by this large bird of prey.
- **Eats:** [Garden Snail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garden-snail) (*Helix aspersa*) — A favourite slow-moving invertebrate meal.

## Traits

- [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care.
- [Camouflaged](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/camouflaged): Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment.
- [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals.
- [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.
- [Thermoregulating](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/thermoregulating): Thermoregulating organisms maintain a stable internal body temperature despite fluctuations in the external environment.
- [Longevous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/longevous): This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind.
- [Armored](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/armored): Armored describes animals protected by a hard, external covering or shell for defense.
- [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night.

## Collections

- [Reptiles](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/reptiles)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always watch from a distance and don't try to touch wild lizards.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Shingleback?

Compare toes, scales, head shape, crests and tail proportions. Many lizards can drop and regrow their tails, so a short tail isn't always a species trait. Lizard Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How long is Shingleback?

25-35 cm

### How much does Shingleback weigh?

0.6-1.2 kg

### How long does Shingleback live?

10-30 years

### How fast can Shingleback move?

1.5 km/h

### What does Shingleback eat?

These lizards munch on plants, juicy fruits, insects, and snails for their meals.

### Where is Shingleback usually found?

Grasslands

### How does Shingleback hunt?

Foraging

## More Reptiles

- [Pond Slider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pond-slider) (*Trachemys scripta*)
- [Western Fence Lizard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-fence-lizard) (*Sceloporus occidentalis*)
- [Common Five-lined Skink](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-five-lined-skink) (*Plestiodon fasciatus*)
- [Desert Spiny Lizard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/desert-spiny-lizard) (*Sceloporus magister*)

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Source: [Shingleback: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/shingleback)