# Southern Water Skink?



## Stompsy (Sep 24, 2017)

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.


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## pinefamily (Sep 25, 2017)

Possibly eastern water skink, Eulamprus Quoyii.


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## Stompsy (Sep 25, 2017)

Thanks  they look very similar!


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## pinefamily (Sep 25, 2017)

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.


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## Stompsy (Sep 25, 2017)

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...


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## Bluetongue1 (Sep 26, 2017)

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!


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## Stompsy (Sep 27, 2017)

Bluetongue1 said:


> 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.


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## pinefamily (Sep 27, 2017)

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


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## Bluetongue1 (Sep 27, 2017)

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.


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## Sheldoncooper (Sep 28, 2017)

Stompsy said:


> 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 (Sep 28, 2017)

Sheldoncooper said:


> There use to be plenty of them down at seaford beach stompsy
> 
> Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk


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


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## Sheldoncooper (Sep 28, 2017)

Stompsy said:


> 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 (Sep 29, 2017)

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.


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## Stompsy (Sep 29, 2017)

Aussie_monitors said:


> 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!


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## pinefamily (Sep 29, 2017)

Photos, or it didn't happen!


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## Smittiferous (Sep 29, 2017)

@pinefamily As if we wouldn't take pics!


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## Wally (Sep 29, 2017)

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


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## pinefamily (Sep 29, 2017)

Lucky he's banned, Wally.


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## Smittiferous (Sep 29, 2017)

Wally said:


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





pinefamily said:


> Lucky he's banned, Wally.



Who's got some balloons and confetti?


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## Wally (Sep 29, 2017)

pinefamily said:


> Lucky he's banned, Wally.



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


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## Stompsy (Sep 30, 2017)

Wally said:


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


Thank goodness your nervousness was unfounded.


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