Southern Water Skink?

[Stompsy]

Hi Guys!

Headed down to Wilsons Prom on Saturday and we came across this little guy basking. He/she let me get my phone 3 or 4 inches away for photos before scurrying off.

Can anyone confirm it's a Southern Water Skink?

Thanks.

 

[pinefamily]

Possibly eastern water skink, Eulamprus Quoyii.

 

[Stompsy]

Thanks they look very similar!

 

[pinefamily]

There is a few skinks that look similar, that's why I said possibly. It does look just like the two EWS we had previously.
They are great to keep.

 

[Stompsy]

It was about a cm wide and maybe 10 to 15 cms long. Didn't expect to find such a big skink down that way either...

 

[Bluetongue1]

It is not an Eastern Water Skink as they do not occur in Victoria other in the far NW along the Murray River. It also lacks the pale dorsolateral stripe characteristic of this species.

The two species that can possibly occur in the Wilson’s Promontory area the Southern Water Skink (tympanum ssp tympanum) and the Yellow-bellied Water Skink (heatwolei). The former has a pale anterior margin to the ear opening whilst the latter has a black anterior margin to the ear opening. Given that I believe you can comfortably take credit for having correctly identified the species. Well done Stompsy!

 

[Stompsy]

It is not an Eastern Water Skink as they do not occur in Victoria other in the far NW along the Murray River. It also lacks the pale dorsolateral stripe characteristic of this species.

The two species that can possibly occur in the Wilson’s Promontory area the Southern Water Skink (tympanum ssp tympanum) and the Yellow-bellied Water Skink (heatwolei). The former has a pale anterior margin to the ear opening whilst the latter has a black anterior margin to the ear opening. Given that I believe you can comfortably take credit for having correctly identified the species. Well done Stompsy!

Yay! Awesome. Thanks.

 

[pinefamily]

Thanks, Bluetongue. The trouble with these species is they do look very similar.

 

[Bluetongue1]

You are not wrong about that Pinefamily.
I look for the pale stripe above the eye to confirm if it’s an Eastern or not. It can be confusing determining whether there is a pale dorsolateral stripe on the body due to the sheen from the scales and the angle at which many photos are taken.

Stompsy, the distribution maps for heatwolei do not include Wilson’s Prom but they go close to it.

 

[Sheldoncooper]

It was about a cm wide and maybe 10 to 15 cms long. Didn't expect to find such a big skink down that way either...

There use to be plenty of them down at seaford beach stompsy

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[Stompsy]

There use to be plenty of them down at seaford beach stompsy

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Awesome. Might have to go down and see if I can find any!

 

[Sheldoncooper]

Awesome. Might have to go down and see if I can find any!

Yeh there's some good spots around that area where I've found, Jackie dragons/ blue tounges and lots of different smaller skinks. A few snakes too, red bellies and tigers. There's some good pockets of bushland around that area.

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[Aussie_monitors]

Yup plenty of water skinks along the foreshore at Seaford and the trails along the train tracks. Other good herping spots you can check out would be the Pines forest and also the flora and fauna reserve in Langwarrin. Jackies, blueys, tigers, red bellies, copperheads, various skinks. Also plenty of scorpions.

 

[Stompsy]

Yup plenty of water skinks along the foreshore at Seaford and the trails along the train tracks. Other good herping spots you can check out would be the Pines forest and also the flora and fauna reserve in Langwarrin. Jackies, blueys, tigers, red bellies, copperheads, various skinks. Also plenty of scorpions.

I'm planning on dragging Smitti to some of the reserves around here very soon. Hopefully we'll see lots more herps!

 

[pinefamily]

Photos, or it didn't happen!

 

[Smittiferous]

@pinefamily As if we wouldn't take pics!

 

[Wally]

I saw water skink and got a little nervous........

 

[pinefamily]

Lucky he's banned, Wally.

 

[Smittiferous]

I saw water skink and got a little nervous........

Lucky he's banned, Wally.

Who's got some balloons and confetti?

 

[Wally]

Lucky he's banned, Wally.

I don't think I could go through it a third time!