Bellatorias major
Silhouette: David Orr · PhyloPic
In 3 days >90%
The land mullet (Bellatorias major) is one of the largest members of the skink family (Scincidae). The species may reach total lengths of up to 60 cm (23.6 inches). They are uniform glossy black to brown, with a paler ring around the eye. Their colour, along with their large size, allow them to maintain a body temperature of 30 degrees Celsius; they spend much of the day basking in the sun. Adult males have slightly shorter bodies but slightly longer forelimbs and heads than adult females. The ventral side (belly) ranges in colouration from auburn (orange-brown) to white Juveniles have prominent cream lateral spots.
It is long-lived - with one captive female lizard known to have lived for at least 23 years. The common name "land mullet" is said to date back to Longman (1918), who reported it to be in common usage for the species around Tamborine Mountain. The name probably alludes to the superficial resemblance to the homonymous fish, which has a similarly blunt head, large scales and is of similar size and coloration.
Native to Australia, they are generally restricted to the rainforest of south-eastern Queensland, Australia. The... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lamington National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Springbrook National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Healesville Sanctuary | 🇦🇺 Australia |
Very likely
About 70% of wildlife watchers report a Land Mullet sighting in Lamington National Park on a given day, based on 326 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 2nd most-seen of the 38 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
November to February
In those months about 80% of wildlife watchers report a Land Mullet in Lamington National Park on a given day, against under 5% in June and July, the lowest months. Those are among Lamington National Park's wettest months, with about 140 mm of rain a month against 40 mm in August.
Between 11 am and 2 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Land Mullet sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Land Mullet sightings, Lamington National Park has the highest daily chance: about 70%. Next come Springbrook National Park (Australia, about 50%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Land Mullet is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Lamington National Park (326 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.
