Plestiodon chinensis
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
Plestiodon chinensis, the Chinese blue-tailed skink, is a species of lizard which is found in China, western Taiwan, and northern Vietnam. P. chinensis was named after the skink's home in China. There are four subspecies (though not all with universal recognition): Plestiodon chinensis chinensis (Gray, 1838) – China, Vietnam
Plestiodon chinensis daishanensis (Mao, 1983) – Zhoushan Islands, China Plestiodon chinensis formosensis Van Denburgh, 1912 – Taiwan Plestiodon chinensis pulcher Duméril & Bibron, 1839 – China Plestiodon chinensis formosensis from eastern Taiwan were in 2017 found to be identical with Plestiodon chinensis leucostictus, now recognized as Plestiodon leucostictus.
The Chinese blue-tailed skink has an average snout-to-vent length (SVL) of 13 cm, with a total length of 35 cm. It is large and stout, with a broad head and a pale white underside. As juveniles mature, their body undergoes a change in color from a dark brown with three light dorsal stripes and a blue tail to a fully mature brownish green, complete with reddish spots on the flanks. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
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More parks will be added in future updates.
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Chinese Skink sighting in Guangzhou on a given day, based on 9 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 22nd most-seen of the 28 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
March and June–August
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Chinese Skink in Guangzhou on a given day, against under 5% in April–May and September–February, the lowest months. Those are among Guangzhou's wettest months, with about 210 mm of rain a month against 30 mm in December.
4th of 4
Of the 4 cities where we can rate Chinese Skink sightings, Guangzhou ranks 4th at under 5%. The best odds are in Changsha (China, about 20%), Tuen Mun (China, about 10%) and Taipei (Taiwan, about 10%).
Same family: Scincidae
The closest relatives of the Chinese Skink that you can see in Guangzhou (family Scincidae, Skinks) are Reeves's Leaf-litter Skink (about 10%), Longtail Mabuya (about 10%) and Indian Forest Skink (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Chinese Skink is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Guangzhou (9 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
