Sphenomorphus anomalopus
Silhouette: Gopal Murali · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~40% in a week ~70%
The long-toed forest skink (Sphenomorphus anomalopus) is a species of skink found in Malaysia and Indonesia (Nias, Sumatra, Pinang) which can be identified by an extended/elongated fourth hind foot. Presumably from the Greek anomalos (strange) plus pous (foot). The description emphasizes the abnormal hind foot, with extended toes with strongly keeled lamellae, and a lack of granules on the sole (replaced by imbricate scales).
Very little is known about the species, with just a handful of records, and none between 1915 and 2025, when it was rediscovered in Sumatra during a two-day trek made by Pablo Sinovas. This rediscovery also shed light on the species' “vibrant and contrasting” colouration, micro-habitat and natural history, which had remained a mystery for over a century following its original description. According to observations made in situ in Gunung Leuser National Park, the species inhabits the rain forest floor and, contrary to previous hypothesis, is not arboreal. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gunung Leuser National Park | 🇮🇩 Indonesia |
More parks will be added in future updates.
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Long-Toed Forest Skink sighting in Gunung Leuser National Park on a given day, based on 6 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 33rd most-seen of the 47 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 40%, and over a week to about 70%, if each day is a fresh chance.
October and December
In those months about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Long-Toed Forest Skink in Gunung Leuser National Park on a given day, against under 5% in January–February, July–September and November, the lowest months.
Between midnight and 3 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Long-Toed Forest Skink sightings with a recorded time, and about half of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is seen both by day and at night.
Only Gunung Leuser National Park, in our data
Gunung Leuser National Park is the only park on Wallace's Line with enough records to rate Long-Toed Forest Skink sightings: about 10% of wildlife watchers there report one on a given day.
Same family: Scincidae
The closest relatives of the Long-Toed Forest Skink that you can see in Gunung Leuser National Park (family Scincidae, Skinks) are Many-lined Sun-skink (about 40%), Olive Dasia (about 10%) and Rough-scaled Sun Skink (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Long-Toed Forest Skink is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Gunung Leuser National Park (6 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.
