Broad-banded Sand-swimmer

The E.richardsonii is commonly spread throughout arid regions of Australia and has been identified in a range of States around Australia that have desert skinks. This includes areas of Western Australia such as the Nullarbor Plain and the Tanami. In New South Wales, some of these locations include the North Far Western Plains right through to the Southern Far Western Plains and many arid areas in between, with some isolated occurrences in the Northern North Western Slopes of the state. In the Northern Territory, distribution includes the Kimberly Desert and the Macdonnell Ranges, and within South Australia, this species can be found in the Simpson Desert and other arid regions. These skinks are not known to be located or to inhabit arid areas of Victoria. Although both species of the banded skinks inhabit sandy soils, the E.richardsonii can also be found on heavy and stony soils, not just limited to desert sands. This reptile has also been found in deep crevices and caves due to the nocturnal life that it lives and also other dark areas such as rabbit holes.

This sand swimmer’s diet consists of a variety of different animals that live around them which can include arthropods such as grasshoppers, moths, beetles, termites, and spiders, and has been described on occasion to eat other small lizards. These skinks also can eat fruit as part of its diet. When the E.richardsonii is agitated by waiting to capture its prey, the tail waves in a "cat like fashion" and the E.richardsonii forages over large distances and is an aggressive hunter.