SUNDAY TERRITORIAN (Darwin, Australia) 27 January 08 Lizards lounge all over NT (Alison Bevege)

The Territory is crawling with rare and interesting lizards -- and nine new species of skinks have just been made official.

A study by NT herpetologist Paul Horner has found the Top End is a hot-spot for snake-eyed skinks.

Of the 17 new species discovered in Australia and Papua New Guinea, nine were found in the Territory.

Many of the creatures, whose scientific name is Cryptoblepharus, are unique to the Territory -- and some are very rare.

Dr Horner, a curator at the Museum and Art Gallery of the NT, said it was very exciting to come across a new species that was strikingly different.

"It's not easy to do these days,'' he said.

He said a spangled snake-eyed skink found only on Mount Borradaile in Arnhem Land was his most recent and "prettiest'' discovery.

"I was confident straight away that it was a new species,'' he said.

"It was so distinctly different I knew it was new -- usually it takes a lot of lab work.''

Snake-eyed skinks can be found in suburban gardens, Dr Horner said.
Lizards lounge all over NT

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