Meet 14 Fascinating Blue Tongue Skink Morphs and Their Remarkable Traits

As reptile enthusiasts who have bred and cared for blue tongue skinks for over a decade, we’ve had the pleasure of working with a variety of stunning morphs. From albinos to melanistics, blue tongue skinks exhibit an incredible range of genetic diversity, resulting in captivating colors and patterns. 

In this article, we’ll provide a comprehensive overview of blue tongue skink morphs, from what they are to tips for breeding and caring for some of the most popular types.

We’ll also share some of our personal experiences and insights we’ve gained from working closely with these remarkable lizards.

Table of Contents

What Are Blue Tongue Skink Morphs?

A blue tongue skink morph refers to a genetic mutation that causes a visual difference in color or pattern compared to a wild-type skink. Morphs can occur naturally or be selectively bred to produce blue tongues with appealing traits.

There are a few main genetic factors that influence blue tongue skink coloration and patterning:

• Dominant, recessive, and co-dominant genes: Some morphs, like albino, are caused by recessive genes. Others, like melanistic, are dominant. Co-dominant genes lead to morphs exhibiting a blend of traits.

• Distribution and concentration of pigments: The amount, location, and ratio of black, red, yellow, and white pigments lead to morphs like axanthic, leucistic, silver, and more.

• Environmental factors: Captive breeding and diet can also affect color intensity.

By breeding morphs together, countless striking color and pattern variations can be produced. Now let’s explore some of the most popular!

Albino Blue Tongue Skink

The albino blue tongue skink, also known as white blue tongue skink, is one of the most coveted morphs in the reptile community due to its beautiful bright white skin with pink and yellow undertones. It lacks all dark pigment due to a recessive gene that inhibits melanin production.

We’ve found albino blueys require extra care when it comes to lighting and humidity, as they are prone to sunburn and shedding issues. But their color is truly jaw-dropping, especially when hatched alongside normal siblings!

Anery or Axanthic Blue Tongue Skink

Anery blue tongue skink, sometimes called axanthic blue tongue skink, lack virtually all red and yellow pigments. This recessive mutation produces a grayish-black and white lizard that reminds us of a blue-tongued penguin! 

Due to nutritional deficiencies associated with anerythrism, we supplement feeders with calcium and multivitamins. Once mature, they are hardy pets, and their high-contrast colors make them popular amongst breeders and collectors.

Hypermelanistic Blue Tongue Skink

On the opposite end of the spectrum, hypermelanistic blue tongue skink have an overproduction of black pigment. Their skin can range from dark gray to pure black.

We once owned a jet-black Indonesian hypermelanistic; his color was incredibly sleek! However, the excess melanin meant he was more heat and light-sensitive than normal blues. Providing a gradient of temperatures and lots of hides was crucial.

Leucistic Blue Tongue Skink

A leucistic blue tongue skink display reduced pigmentation across the board, resulting in white skin with very light lavender, yellow or pink tinges. The degree of color varies considerably, from near-albino to almost patternless white.

These geckos are prone to sunburn, eye damage, and other issues related to pigment loss. So we ensure captive-bred leucistics have access to full-spectrum lighting and plenty of retreats. When cared for properly, their ghostly colors make them one of our favorites!

Caramel Blue Tongue Skink

The caramel blue tongue skink is named after its rich golden-brown hue. Its trademark color is caused by a recessive gene that inhibits black pigment while allowing yellows and oranges to come through vividly.

We’ve noticed the buttery tones tend to dull as caramels mature, shifting from bright ginger to a deeper coppery-bronze. Their creamy white undersides provide beautiful contrast. One of our females produced a vibrant tangerine baby - a hot morph if we do say so!

Red Blue Tongue Skink

As the name suggests, the red blue tongue skink exhibits a surge of rich reds and oranges. There is considerable variety in terms of exact hue and patterning; some sport deep crimson tones while others show peachy sunset colors with faint charcoal bands along their body. 

Through selective breeding experiments, we’ve successfully intensified the scarlet shades. However, we advise checking for mites frequently, as excess reds often correlate with lower immunity to certain parasitic infections. But well-cared for reds will showcase sensational chromatic beauty.

Silver Blue Tongue Skink

A silver blue tongue skink dazzle with its glittery gunmetal gray skin marked with intricate jet-black stripes and swirls. Their background color can shift from pewter to graphite to steely blue.

Silver morphs result from decreased production of both melanin and yellow pigments. We’ve found them to be somewhat more vulnerable to respiratory infections compared to other morphs.

Maintaining proper temperatures and humidity helps safeguard their health. When conditions are ideal, silvers shine brighter than platinum!

Marbled Blue Tongue Skink

Marbled morphs feature irregular, mottled bands of black, brown, white, gray, and cream reminiscent of a Jackson Pollock painting. No two are ever alike; they display unique abstract patterns similar to a marble stone. 

Breeding marbles carries a higher risk, as the gene can cause spinal kinks, missing limbs, and other deformities in some offspring. But those lucky healthy hatchlings showcase captivating one-of-a-kind designs. We've seen some with stunning vibrancy rivaling Picasso!

Patternless Blue Tongue Skink

As you may have guessed, the patternless blue tongue lacks the distinctive stripes and spots found on wild types. Instead, they don bulky swaths of solid color ranging from steely blue to inky black.

The minimal patterning can leave them more prone to predation in the wild. But in captivity, their muscular colors make them very appealing display animals. They are especially striking when contrasted side-by-side with vibrantly marked morphs. 

Sunrise Blue Tongue Skink

Sunrise blue tongues shine brightly with intense golden oranges and rich yellow hues reminiscent of a breaking dawn. Ranging from daffodil yellow to tangerine orange, many also feature faint gray mottling on their hindquarters.

This vibrant morph often correlates with low vitamin A absorption, so we provide supplementation to avoid complications. Given attentive care, their dazzling sunset shades make them truly radiant pets. Paired with albinos, they remind us of sweet creamsicles! 

Sunset Blue Tongue Skink

Sunset morphs pick up where sunrises leave off, exhibiting intense crimson-reds, vibrant oranges, and golden hues reminiscent of a perfect sunset. The most remarkable have deep scarlet backs with rose-orange undersides and hints of cherry on their legs.

We’ve noticed some breeding challenges with sunsets related to heat cycles and egg production. Maintaining the incubator at slightly lower temperatures seems to help. And the babies that do hatch showcase sensational chromatic brilliance like a Hawaiian sunset!

Merauke Blue Tongue Skink

Merauke blue tongues originate from Australia’s Merauke region near Papua New Guinea. Also called eastern blue tongues, wild types sport olive skin with vibrant blue undersides. Their chunky build and docile nature make them extremely popular captives.

A wide range of morphs have been selectively bred from the Merauke line, including reds, axanthics, caramels, etc. By mixing with northern and Indonesian morphs, an even greater variety can be produced. From our experience, Meraukes makes some of the best bluey pets around!

Halmahera Blue Tongue Skink

The Halmahera blue tongue skink hails from Indonesia’s Halmahera island group near Papua New Guinea. They fill a unique niche between Indonesian and northern blue tongues in terms of size and temperament. Their chocolate brown base color is also distinctive.

Halmahera blue tongues tend to be more shy yet handleable when bred in captivity over multiple generations. The limited gene pool means morphs are less common but they do showcase incredible undertones: ivories, creams, slate grays, and more. For us, no Halmahera coloration is dull!

Melanistic Blue Tongue Skink

Lastly, the melanistic blue tongue skink showcases saturated black pigmentation ranging from dark charcoal to pure onyx black. Also called black-blue tongues, their imposing coloration makes them equally camouflaged in soil and captivating in enclosures.

Melanistics require ample shade and humidity due to their light sensitivity and prone-to-drying skin. But their sleek ebony aesthetic appeals greatly to seasoned keepers seeking a Batman blue tongue skink.

Other Blue Tongue Skink Morphs

Besides the 12 morphs mentioned above, there are some other blue tongue skink morphs that are less common or not yet established, such as.

Northern Blue Tongue Skink Morphs

Northern blue tongues hail from various Indonesian islands and portions of New Guinea. Many of the morphs already discussed also occur naturally amongst northern populations, especially axanthics, patternless, and albinos.

We’ve also seen striking blue and lavender northern individuals both in the wild and in captivity. We suspect their coloration stems from high-altitude cold exposure combined with volcanic minerals in their native soil influencing pigment development. Even without morphs, northerns display incredible diversity!  

Indonesian Blue Tongue Skink

Indonesian blues occupy numerous islands including Sulawesi, Timor, Flores, and Sumbawa. They average smaller and slimmer than their Aussie counterparts but share very similar care requirements.

Albino, silver, sunset, and various polychromatic morphs have all been documented amongst Indonesian populations.

Their highlands terrain leads to geographic isolation, allowing intense region-specific colorations to evolve. No subspecies showcases more diversity than the fabulous Indonesians!

The Australian Central Blue Tongue Skink

Australian central blues occupy inland portions of Australia and make up the common blue tongue lizard associated with the Outback. Their chunky shape and signature black and cream bands make them instantly recognizable.

Central blue tongue skink adapts well to captivity and breed readily, making them extremely popular entry-level pets. Albinos, axanthics, patternless, and polychromatic crosses offer plenty of variety. For beginner herp owners, Aussie centrals are the quintessential blue tongue skink!

Conclusion

After reading about this remarkable diversity of blue tongue skink morphs, we hope you share our passion and appreciation for these captivating lizards. From albinos to melanistics, their stunning colors and patterns are matched only by their hardy, docile nature.

While simple to care for overall, some morphs do require additional attention to lighting, humidity, supplements, etc. When properly handled, even the most sensitive morphs make delightful pets. By selective breeding, there is still plenty of room for new color variations too!

If you don’t already keep blue tongue skinks, we highly recommend them. Very few lizard species showcase such fabulous genetic diversity and adaptability. No matter your preferred colors, there is surely a blue tongue skink morph that will bring a smile to your face!

We have compiled care guides and additional resources on our website Dragon Lovers Hub regarding morphology, breeding, ideal enclosures, recommended morph combos, and more. Please reach out with any other questions; we genuinely enjoy connecting fellow blue tongue enthusiasts wherever we can!

Additional Resource

FAQS About Blue Tongue Skink Morphs

Here are some possible answers to your questions:

What is the rarest blue tongue lizard?

The rarest blue tongue lizard is the Adelaide pygmy blue-tongue skink, which was thought to be extinct until it was rediscovered in 1992. It is critically endangered and has a population size of around 5,000 - 7,000.

Can blue tongue lizards be black?

Blue tongue lizards can have various colors and patterns, but they are not completely black. Some species, such as the eastern blue-tongue lizard, have a black stripe between the eye and the ear². Others, such as the blotched blue-tongue skink, have dark brown or blackish bands across the back and tail.

Are blue tongue skinks friendly?

Blue tongue skinks are generally friendly lizards and make excellent reptile pets. They are usually gentle, docile creatures that adapt quickly to captivity and can become quite social with their owners. Unlike some other lizard species, they rarely bite and have been known to show affection towards humans by licking them.

Are blue tongue skinks aggressive?

Blue tongue skinks are not aggressive, but they can be defensive if they feel threatened or stressed. They will open their mouth wide and stick out their blue tongue to frighten off potential predators. They may also hiss, puff up their chest, or bite if they are attacked or handled roughly.

Can I pick up a blue-tongue lizard?

Blue-tongue lizards generally do not like to be handled, but if you need to move a lizard in your yard, you may need to pick it up. You should wear gloves to protect yourself from a possible bite, and make sure it is a lizard and not a snake. Also, you should gently hold the lizard from behind its head, and support its legs, and keep it close to your body to help it feel secure.