Which Australian skink is also called the shingleback?

The bobtail is the Australian skink also called the shingleback.

Tiliqua rugosa is widely known in Australia by several common names, including bobtail, shingleback, sleepy lizard, and pinecone lizard. It has a short, blunt tail that resembles its head, a heavily armored body, and a broad blue tongue used in threat displays.

This skink is found across much of southern and central Australia. Unlike many reptiles, it gives birth to live young rather than laying eggs. The young are relatively large and well developed at birth, an adaptation associated with the species’ reproductive strategy.

The names can cause confusion because “blue-tongued skink” is also used for several related Tiliqua species. The bobtail is specifically Tiliqua rugosa, recognized by its stumpy tail and rough, keeled scales.