Liopholis whitii
White's Skink at Cotter River, ACT
Identify this sighting
| Liopholis whitii | WillO | 21 Feb 2021 | |
| Liopholis whitii | wombey | 20 Feb 2021 | |
| Unverified | KMcCue | 20 Feb 2021 |
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User's notes
Not cooperative - I got one photo before it scarpered off into the dense undergrowth.
6 comments
20 Feb 2021
This could also be L. montana. I will make further comment in the morning after having another look at the image and getting details from Kevin on the site elevation etc.
21 Feb 2021
I am in agreement with John, this is L. whitii. The large circular black ocelli (circular markings) with a white interior on the side of the body are typical of whitii and by comparison are fully dark in L. montana. L. whitii can occur quite high in Namadgi National Park (for example I have seen them at 1550 m on the western side of Mount Scabby in the ACT). This is another high record. Kevin would you be able confirm the elevation of your sighting? I will go ahead and accept the id. Cheers Will.
21 Feb 2021
The elevation is not bad, we were in the Snowgum Arboretum on the top of the range, removing pine wildings. The skink was sunbaking on a long-felled pine. The white eye ring is distinctive and size about 200mm are other clues.
21 Feb 2021
The topo map shows the elevation of the Snowgum Arboretum to vary from 1400 to 1425m. The skink I photographed was near the top of the arboretum and 1m above the ground so my iPhone reading of 1426.6m is consistent.
21 Feb 2021
Thanks Kevin - all good. I know that area quite well and the habitat is right for L. whitii. Good work on getting that high elevation.
Location information
- Coordinates 148.773239-35.442222
- Altitude 1426.6m
- Maps Bimberi Nature Reserve
- Places Cotter River, ACT
Sighting information
- 1 Abundance
- 20 Feb 2021 11:45 AM Recorded on
- KMcCue Recorded by
Collections
- My flagged sightings KMcCue Canberra & Southern Tablelands NatureMapr Liopholis whitii Skinks Reptiles and Frogs
Species information
- Liopholis whitii Scientific name
- White's Skink Common name
- Not Sensitive
- Local native
- Non-invasive or negligible
- Up to 1468.5m Recorded at altitude
Record quality
Quality score
4 / 7
- Images or audio
- Verified by an expert moderator
- GPS evidence of location
- Description
- More than one media file
- Nearby sighting(s) of same species
- Additional attributes