Rainbow Skink
Trachylepis margaritifera
Silhouette: David Orr · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassSquamata
- FamilyScincidae (Skinks)
- GenusTrachylepis (Afro-Malagasy Mabuyas)
- SpeciesTrachylepis margaritifera (Rainbow Skink)
About the Rainbow Skink
Trachylepis margaritifera, the rainbow skink, is a species of Afro-Malagasy mabuya or skink in the subfamily Lygosominae. Mabuya quinquetaeniata margaritifera, formerly a subspecies of Trachylepis quinquetaeniata (the five-lined mabuya, also known as the rainbow skink), was elevated to full species in 1998 (as Trachylepis margaritifera).
Trachylepis margaritifera is a medium-sized lizard reaching a length of about 20 centimetres (7.9 in). The coloration of this species is quite variable, depending on the gender and the age. The scales are glossy, with metallic reflections. The basic colour is usually olive-brown or dark brown, sometimes with pearly whitish spots and with three light yellow-orange longitudinal stripes running from the head to the electric blue tail. These stripes may fade and become indistinct in the adults.
The head shows a pointed snout and clearly visible ears holes. Just behind the ear opening, there are some black spots. Legs are dark brown, short and strong, with relatively long toes. The flanks are mainly yellowish and the underside of the body is whitish.
It is found in southern Africa, from KwaZulu-Natal in... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Rainbow Skink in Tsavo East National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Tsavo East National Park
Tree skink
Trachylepis planifrons
Speckle-lipped Mabuya
Trachylepis maculilabris
Sudan Mabuya
Trachylepis brevicollis
Grass-top skink
Trachylepis megalura
Variable Skink
Trachylepis varia
African Five-lined Skink
Trachylepis quinquetaeniata
African Striped Skink
Trachylepis striata
East-African Snake-eyed Skink
Cryptoblepharus africanus
Somali Writhing Skink
Mochlus somalicus
Kilimanjaro Five-toed Skink
Leptosiaphos kilimensis
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gonarezhou National Park | 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | |
| 2 | Kruger National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 3 | Hwange National Park | 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | |
| 4 | South Luangwa National Park | 🇿🇲 Zambia | |
| 5 | Tsavo West National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 6 | Tsavo East National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 7 | Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 8 | Ruaha National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 9 | Liwonde National Park | 🇲🇼 Malawi | |
| 10 | Gorongosa National Park | 🇲🇿 Mozambique | |
| 11 | Masai Mara National Reserve | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 12 | iSimangaliso Wetland Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 13 | Addo Elephant National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Rainbow Skink in Tsavo East National Park?
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Rainbow Skink sighting in Tsavo East National Park, based on 24 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Rainbow Skink in Tsavo East National Park?
December has the highest sighting rate for Rainbow Skink in Tsavo East National Park in our monthly data.