Common Five-lined Skink

Description

The Common Five-lined Skink occurs statewide and is probably the most common lizard in Tennessee.  It is a moderately large, shiny lizard (5.0 to 8.5 inches in length) with a highly variable color pattern.  Generally, the body is brown or black with 5 white or yellowish stripes extending onto the tail.   Adult males are uniformly brown or olive with faint stripes and reddish or orange coloration on the head during the breeding season.   Adult females are typically brown with faded stripes and a gray or blue-gray tail.   Juveniles have a bright blue tail and distinct stripes.

Similar Species: Easily confused with Broad-headed Skink and Southeastern Five-lined Skink; positive identification can only be assured by examination of the scales.  Broad-headed Skinks have 5 labial scales (along the upper lip between the nose and eye), and Southeastern Five-lined Skinks do not have an enlarged middle row of scales under the tail.

Habitat: Prefers moist wooded areas with plenty of cover and open areas for basking.  Often found on or under woody piles, stumps, logs, bark, rock piles, and abandoned buildings; occasionally climbing trees to avoid predators.

Diet: Mainly insects such as spiders, crickets, grasshoppers, termites, and beetles; occasionally frogs, smaller lizards, and newborn mice.

Breeding information: Courtship and breeding occur in the spring. Females lay 4-14 eggs under rotten logs, stumps, rocks, or leaf litter during the spring or early summer.  Females remain with the eggs for 1-2 months until they hatch.

Status in Tennessee: Common across the state with some isolated populations. Tolerant of human-disturbed habitats such as timber-harvested woods.

Best places to see in Tennessee: Any log or rock piles near wooded habitat.