Land Mullet
Bellatorias major
Silhouette: David Orr · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassSquamata
- FamilyScincidae (Skinks)
- GenusBellatorias (Bellatorias Skinks)
- SpeciesBellatorias major (Land Mullet)
About the Land Mullet
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 →
Recent sightings of Land Mullet in Lamington National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Lamington National Park
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Bellatorias frerei
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Silvascincus murrayi
Eastern Water Skink
Eulamprus quoyii
Pink-Tongued Lizard
Cyclodomorphus gerrardii
Eastern Crevice Skink
Egernia mcpheei
Border Ranges Blue-spectacled Skink
Silvascincus tryoni
Short-limbed Snake-skink
Ophioscincus truncatus
Three-toed Snake-tooth Skink
Coeranoscincus reticulatus
Border Ranges Shadeskink
Saproscincus challengeri
Rainbow Skink
Lampropholis delicata
Gully Shadeskink
Saproscincus spectabilis
Dark Barsided Skink
Concinnia martini
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lamington National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Springbrook National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Land Mullet in Lamington National Park?
About 70% of wildlife watchers report a Land Mullet sighting in Lamington National Park, based on 315 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Land Mullet in Lamington National Park?
January has the highest sighting rate for Land Mullet in Lamington National Park in our monthly data.