Trachylepis punctatissima
Silhouette: David Orr · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~80% in a week >90%
Trachylepis punctatissima, commonly called the montane speckled skink or speckled rock skink, is a lizard in the skink family (Scincidae) which is widespread in southern Africa. The common and adaptable species occurs in a variety of habitat types at middle to high altitudes. It was for a time treated as a southern race of the African striped skink, T. striata.
This skink is dark grey brown in colour with two golden brown stripes that run lengthwise on either side of the spine. The underside is dirty white or pale grey. Both sexes grow to a length of about 19 cm (7.5 in). They are diurnal and like to bask in the sun. Those in colder regions will spend a period in hibernation. They are ovoviviparous.
It is native to eastern Zambia, southern Malawi and Botswana, eastern Zimbabwe, central and northern South Africa, Lesotho and western Eswatini. The population on Mount Mulanje in southern Malawi was formerly included with Mabuya striata subsp. punctatissima, but is now treated as a full species, Trachylepis mlanjensis, while the Eastern Highlands population in Zimbabwe may similarly prove to be distinct. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Golden Gate Highlands National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | Pilanesberg National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pretoria | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | Johannesburg | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
Likely
About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Montane Speckled Skink sighting in Johannesburg on a given day, based on 210 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the most-seen of the 15 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 80%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
April
In that month about 60% of wildlife watchers report a Montane Speckled Skink in Johannesburg on a given day, against about 30% in May to September, the lowest months.
Between 11 am and 2 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Montane Speckled Skink sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 2 cities where we can rate Montane Speckled Skink sightings, Johannesburg ranks 2nd at about 40%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Pretoria (South Africa, about 40%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Montane Speckled Skink is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Johannesburg (210 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.
