McCoy's Skink

McCoy's Skink

Anepischetosia maccoyi

Silhouette: David Orr · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR Endemic
Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
at Wilsons Promontory National Park

In 3 days ~30% in a week ~60%

7 Verified sightings at Wilsons Promontory National Park From 2019 to 2026
36 In all 2 parks
May Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the McCoy's Skink

Anepischetosia maccoyi, also known commonly as the highlands forest-skink, highlands forest skink, Maccoy's elf skink, and McCoy's skink, is a species of lizard in the subfamily Eugongylinae of the family Scincidae. The species is the only species in the monotypic genus Anepischetosia, and is endemic to Australia.

The specific name, maccoyi, is in honor of Irish zoologist Frederick McCoy. The generic name, Anepischetosia, was created by Australian herpetologists Richard W. Wells and C. Ross Wellington in 1985 to replace the generic name, Anepischetos, which was preoccupied by a genus of moths. Anepischetosia is in the subfamily Eugongylinae.

Anepischetosia maccoyi is found in the Australian States of New South Wales, South Australia, and Victoria. The preferred natural habitat of Anepischetosia maccoyi is forest. Anepischetosia maccoyi is terrestrial. It shelters under leaf litter and fallen logs.

Anepischetosia maccoyi appears to be ovoviviparous. The Reptile Database describes the species as being oviparous. However, Lucas and Frost, in their original description of the... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Great Otway National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~10%
2 Wilsons Promontory National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~10%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Melbourne 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%

Closest Relatives at Wilsons Promontory National Park

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a McCoy's Skink in Wilsons Promontory National Park?

With luck

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a McCoy's Skink sighting in Wilsons Promontory National Park on a given day, based on 7 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 11th most-seen of the 14 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 60%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a McCoy's Skink in Wilsons Promontory National Park?

May

In that month about 40% of wildlife watchers report a McCoy's Skink in Wilsons Promontory National Park on a given day, against under 5% in March–April, June, August–October and December–January, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see a McCoy's Skink?

Between 1 and 4 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most McCoy's Skink sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Wilsons Promontory National Park the best place to see a McCoy's Skink?

Among the best

Of the 2 parks where we can rate McCoy's Skink sightings, Wilsons Promontory National Park ranks 2nd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Great Otway National Park (Australia, about 10%).

Which relatives of the McCoy's Skink live in Wilsons Promontory National Park?

Same family: Scincidae

The closest relatives of the McCoy's Skink that you can see in Wilsons Promontory National Park (family Scincidae, Skinks) are Cool-temperate Water Skink (about 60%), White's Rock-skink (about 50%) and Blotched Bluetongue (about 40%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the McCoy's Skink sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the McCoy's Skink is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Wilsons Promontory National Park (7 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.

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