Plestiodon tetragrammus
Silhouette: David Orr · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
The four-lined skink (Plestiodon tetragrammus) is a species of lizard, which is endemic to North America. It is a medium-sized member of the Plestiodon skinks. At least two subspecies are recognized, including the nominotypical subspecies:
Some herpetologists also consider the mountain skink (Plestiodon callicephalus) to be a subspecies of Plestiodon tetragrammus under the name P. t. callicephalus. Others, however, prefer to treat the mountain skink as a distinct species because its range is geographically distinct and there are morphological differences.
The two subspecies can be distinguished by their color and their stripes. The long-lined skink is gray to light brown in color and has light stripes from the eyes extending to beyond its forelegs, whereas the short-lined skink is darker in color and has stripes that end before the forelegs.
Juveniles of both subspecies have — like many Plestiodon — a blue tail; this color fades with age. Adults reach a maximum SVL (Snout-Vent-Length) of some 7.5 cm (about 3 inches), and a TL (total length) of about... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Big Bend National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Cumbres de Monterrey National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Four-lined Skink sighting in Cumbres de Monterrey National Park on a given day, based on 12 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 26th most-seen of the 43 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.
January–May and July–August
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Four-lined Skink in Cumbres de Monterrey National Park on a given day, against under 5% in June and September–December, the lowest months.
Between 10 am and 1 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Four-lined Skink sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Four-lined Skink sightings, Cumbres de Monterrey National Park ranks 2nd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Big Bend National Park (United States, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Four-lined Skink is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Cumbres de Monterrey National Park (12 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.
