Ctenotus coggeri
Silhouette: David Orr · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~70% in a week >90%
The brown-backed ctenotus (Ctenotus coggeri), also known commonly as Cogger's ctenotus, is a species of lizard in the subfamily Sphenomorphinae of the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to the Northern Territory. The specific name, coggeri, is in honor of Australian herpetologist Harold Cogger.
The preferred natural habitat of C. coggeri is forest. C. coggeri is heavy-bodied and large for its genus. The maximum recorded snout-to-vent length (SVL) is 8.0 cm (3.1 in). C. coggeri is oviparous. Cogger HG (2014). Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia, Seventh Edition. Clayton, Victoria, Australia: CSIRO Publishing. xxx + 1,033 pp. ISBN 978-0643100350.
Sadlier RA (1985). "A New Australian scincid lizard, Ctenotus coggeri, from the Alligator Rivers Region, Northern Territory". Records of the Australian Museum 36 (3): 153–156. Wilson S, Swan G (2013). A Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia, Fourth Edition. Sydney: New Holland Publishers. 522 pp. ISBN 978-1921517280. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nitmiluk National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Kakadu National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
Likely
About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Brown-backed Ctenotus sighting in Nitmiluk National Park on a given day, based on 13 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 5th most-seen of the 13 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 70%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
March and November
In those months about 70% of wildlife watchers report a Brown-backed Ctenotus in Nitmiluk National Park on a given day, against under 5% in June to August, the lowest months.
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Brown-backed Ctenotus sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is seen both by day and at night.
Yes
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Brown-backed Ctenotus sightings, Nitmiluk National Park has the highest daily chance: about 40%. Next come Kakadu National Park (Australia, about 10%).
Same family: Scincidae
The closest relatives of the Brown-backed Ctenotus that you can see in Nitmiluk National Park (family Scincidae, Skinks) are Bauxite Rainbow Skink (about 60%) and Lined Firetail Skink (about 30%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Brown-backed Ctenotus is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Nitmiluk National Park (13 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.
