Red-sided Skink
Trachylepis homalocephala
Silhouette: David Orr · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassSquamata
- FamilyScincidae (Skinks)
- GenusTrachylepis (Afro-Malagasy Mabuyas)
- SpeciesTrachylepis homalocephala (Red-sided Skink)
About the Red-sided Skink
Trachylepis homalocephala, commonly known as the red-sided skink, is a small, slender species of skink in the subfamily Mabuyinae. T. homalocephala is indigenous to Southern Africa, where it typically occurs in coastal thicket and leaf litter along the South African coast, from Cape Town eastwards along the coast as far as Mozambique. A few tiny isolated populations also occur in moist mountainous areas further inland.
This small, elegant skink has a shiny, brightly striped body. Males change colour in the breeding season, developing bright red stripes on their flanks. The adult female red-sided skink lays around six eggs in summer. T. homalocephala was first described in 1828 by Wiegmann (who named it Scincus homolocephalus), based on specimens at the Natural History Museum in Berlin that were collected in South Africa by Ludwig Krebs.
Red-sided skinks are popular in the pet trade. Boulenger GA (1887). Catalogue of the Lizards in the British Museum (Natural History). Second Edition. Volume III.... Scincidæ... London: Trustees of the British... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Red-sided Skink in Table Mountain National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Table Mountain National Park
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Garden Route National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | Table Mountain National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 3 | Addo Elephant National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Red-sided Skink in Table Mountain National Park?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Red-sided Skink sighting in Table Mountain National Park, based on 161 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Red-sided Skink in Table Mountain National Park?
November has the highest sighting rate for Red-sided Skink in Table Mountain National Park in our monthly data.