Plestiodon chinensis
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
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.
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Chinese Skink sighting in Taipei on a given day, based on 27 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 24th most-seen of the 35 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 40%, if each day is a fresh chance.
March–April and July–August
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Chinese Skink in Taipei on a given day, against under 5% in May–June and September–February, the lowest months.
3rd of 4
Of the 4 cities where we can rate Chinese Skink sightings, Taipei ranks 3rd at about 10%. The best odds are in Changsha (China, about 20%) and Tuen Mun (China, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Chinese Skink is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Taipei (27 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.
