CHARACTERISTICS OF THE LITTER OF THE GIDGEE SKINK, EGERNIA-STOKESII

The viviparous birth of Egernia stokesii, an Australian skink, is desc ribed. Data from 29 litters over three years from a population near Ha wker, South Australia, are presented. Females produced an average 5.07 young per litter in February or March. Litters were produced over an average 2.8 days. Newborn juveniles weighed an average 8.15 g and had an average snout-vent length of 6.73 cm. Juveniles in larger litters w ere smaller, when the effect of the size of the mother was taken into account. The average relative clutch mass was 16.5% when the weight of the litter was taken as a proportion of mass of gravid female, or 20. 1% considering mass of post-partum female. The data are discussed in t he context of life-history patterns of Australian skinks.