Hosmer's spiny-tailed skink

Hosmer's spiny-tailed skink (Egernia hosmeri), also known commonly as Hosmer's egernia and Hosmer's skink, is a species of large skink, a lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is a diurnal, rock-dwelling species native to Northern Australia.

Etymology
The specific name, hosmeri, is in honour of Australian herpetologist William Hosmer.

Description
Hosmer's spiny-tailed skink is mostly reddish-brown on top, with both scattered darker and paler spots along the back, legs, and tail. It has a darker brown head and neck, white abdomen, and a few dark brown blotches under the chin. The snout-to-vent (SVL) is 18 cm, with a round, tapering tail about 60% of the SVL. It is most closely related to Cunningham's spiny-tailed skink (Egernia cunninghami), however the tail of E. hosmeri is flattened and spinier than that of E. cunninghami.

Geographic range
Hosmer's spiny-tailed skin is found throughout dry, rocky regions of Queensland and the Northern Territory.

Habitat
The preferred natural habitat of E. hosmeri is rocky areas.

Behaviour
E. hosmeri is terrestrial.

Reproduction
Like some other reptiles, E. hosmeri is viviparous, giving birth to an average of four live young at a time.

Diet
Hosmer's spiny-tailed skink is omnivorous, eating insects, leaves, shoots, and berries.