The blue-tongued skink, also known as the blue-tongued lizard, panana, or simply blue-tongue or bluey, is an Australasian genus of lizard from Australia and Indonesia. As suggested by the common names, the genus has a blue tongue used as a startle display against predators. The tongue can also deform and produce a thick mucus in order to catch prey.
Compared to other lizards, they are relatively shy, and slower due to their shorter legs.
History[]
The Evolution of Claire[]
Claire Dearing used to have a pet blue-tongued skink named Sally Ride. When she and her dorm roommate Regina are reminiscing about old times before they move out, Sally is brought up in the conversation. Regina walks up to her terrarium recalling the time she opened the mini-fridge to find a box of crickets, the purpose of which is to feed Claire's pet skink. It is adressed that Regina has an obsession on calling the lizard by her full name whenever she is mentioned. When Claire's sister, Karen Mitchell comes to the dorm room Claire and Regina are occupying to drive Claire to Scott (named Pete) and Karen's house. Sally is packed up in a travel terrarium and transported to the Mitchell household. Karen's dog, Earhart, is fond of Sally and follows Claire up the stairs to her old room, where Sally remains for the rest of the novel.
