Fire Skink
ExploreReptiles
Fire Skink
Mochlus fernandi
Fire Skinks are beautiful lizards with bright orange and black stripes! They love to hide in the leaves and rocks.
Habitat: Tropical forests
Appearance
The Fire Skink has a dazzling display of color with a bright red or orange head and flanks, contrasting sharply with a black mid-body stripe. Its back is a glossy, iridescent brown, and a distinct white line runs along its side, making it highly conspicuous.
KingdomAnimaliaPhylumChordataClassSquamataOrderLacertiliaFamilyScincidaeGenusMochlus
Category
ReptilesRarity
Common
Danger
2/5 · Low
Snaps
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Interesting facts
Despite their flashy colors, they can be surprisingly hard to spot in their leafy forest homes.
Fire Skinks often live under logs or rocks, hiding from predators and hunting for food!
Their shiny scales help them slide easily through tight spaces like tunnels in the dirt.
When threatened, Fire Skinks might puff up their bodies to look bigger and scarier!
Special abilities
Ability
Quick Tail Escape
Fire Skink can drop its tail if grabbed, distracting predators while it flees to safety and later regrows a new one.
Ability
Burrowing Power
Fire Skink has smooth, glossy scales that help it burrow swiftly through leaf litter and loose soil to hide or hunt.
Ability
Regenerative Body Part
Fire Skink can regrow a lost tail, allowing it to recover from encounters with predators without permanent harm.
Measurements & details
- Length
- 30-38 cm
- Weight
- 0.1-0.25 kg
- Lifespan
- 10-15 years
- Top Speed
- 8 km/h
- Clutch Size
- 5-9
- Incubation
- 40-60 days
Diet & Feeding
These colorful skinks are hunters, mostly munching on tasty insects and other small critters found on the forest floor.
Primary Foods
- Crickets
- Grasshoppers
- Earthworms
- Slugs
- Spiders
- Small Snails
Foraging Method
- Foraging
Ecological connections
eaten by
Black-necked Spitting Cobra
Naja nigricollis
A predator of skinks in their African habitat.
hunts
Field Cricket
Gryllus campestris
A common insect prey for the Fire Skink.
hunts
Common Earthworm
Lumbricus terrestris
Often dug up and consumed by the skink.
eaten by
Brown Snake Eagle
Circaetus cinereus
This bird of prey hunts reptiles, including skinks.
Traits
Wildlife
Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats.
Arboreal
Arboreal animals live primarily in trees, utilizing them for shelter, food, and protection from predators.
Camouflaged
Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment.
Insectivorous
This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates.
Rainforest
This habitat trait refers to species found in tropical rainforests, characterized by high annual rainfall, high biodiversity, and dense tree cover.
Carnivorous
This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue.
Speedster
This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel.
Nocturnal
Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day.
Also known as
African Fire SkinkRed Skink
Collections
Safety
Danger
2/5 · Low
Look but don’t touch. Keep a safe distance and wash hands after exploring.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is Fire Skink?
30-38 cm
How much does Fire Skink weigh?
0.1-0.25 kg
How long does Fire Skink live?
10-15 years
How fast can Fire Skink move?
8 km/h
What does Fire Skink eat?
These colorful skinks are hunters, mostly munching on tasty insects and other small critters found on the forest floor.
Where is Fire Skink usually found?
Tropical forests
How does Fire Skink hunt?
Foraging
How many eggs does Fire Skink lay?
5-9
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