western skink california

Decked out in smooth, shiny scales, the brown back and grey sides contrast with the 4 creamy stripes running from head to tail, 2 along the back and 1 along each side. I've never had problems approaching Five-liners so I figured snapping a picture of this western species would be easy. This is not always the case, as you can see on the lizards below. A second pale stripe, starting on upper jaw, occurs low on each side and is separated from the first by a broad dark brown or black band originating on side of head and usually extending well out onto tail. A Western Skink usually has 7 supralabial scales and 4 enlarged nuchal scales. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Little is known about this species’ population size or structure, but in general, where Skinks and Alligator Lizards coexist, Skinks appear to be the less abundant species. But some herpetologists wonder whether making yourself so conspicuous can really be a good thing predation-wise, so perhaps there's another explanation for the color. This one was under a rock on a fairly chilly February day. This is not always the case, as you can see on the lizards below. Typically these chambers are located under surface objects, especially flat stones, logs, and sometimes in or near rock outcrops.[4]. Skinks inhabit many of the same habitats as the Northwestern Alligator Lizard. Maybe I just need to get out more? Yet another youngster with a tail of blue. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Fish and Wildlife. They tend to mate and feed within a small radius of the den. (Unpatterned juvenile alligator lizards are sometimes mistaken for skinks, especially the ground skink common in the East.). Found in a variety of habitats from sea level to at least 2,130 m (7,000 ft), the western skink is commonest in early successional stages or open areas within habitats in which it occurs. Western skinks are very adaptable. Parque Nacional Constitución de 1857, Baja California, Mexico, Parque Nacional Sierra de San Pedro Mártir, Baja California, Mexico, Andrew Molera State Park, Monterey County, California, Del Monte Forest, Pebble Beach, Monterey County, California, Garland Ranch Regional Park, Monterey County, California, Robert Louis Stevenson State Park, Napa County, California, Fort Ord Public Lands, Monterey County, California, Lake Sonoma Recreation Area, Sonoma County, California, The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Reptiles & Amphibians, Scientific and Standard English Names of Amphibians and Reptiles of North America North of Mexico, with Comments Regarding Confidence in Our Understanding, Eighth Edition, Handbook of Lizards: Lizards of the United States and Canada, Reptiles of North America: A Guide to Field Identification, Peterson Field Guide to Western Reptiles and Amphibians, Third Edition, Snakes and other Reptiles of the Southwest, 4th Edition, Reptiles and Amphibians of Zion National Park. These skinks are generally fond of moist habitats, including rocky areas in forests and near water, but they will often be found under rocks, bark, or woody debris in areas which get direct sunlight. If you look closely you can see that it has little beads of moisture on its body. [4], Tetrapoda: Amniota: Reptilia: Squamata: Scincidae. The exact taxonomy within this group is being questioned and may need revision following DNA analysis research. (2) Morey, S. (n.d.). utahensis(W. Tanner, 1957) Occurs in Utah. They grow to a … Baird and Girard described Skilton's skink in 1852 and named it in honor of Dr. Avery J. Skilton, who had sent them specimens. The reproductive season for this species varies geographically and from year to year depending on local conditions. Adults in breeding condition develop a reddish wash on the head, throat and tail, and sometimes on the side. See the notes below. (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA). Environment Canada, Ottawa. You can copy this taxon into another guide. Broad brown stripe down back, edged with black and bordered on each side by conspicuous whitish to beige dorsolateral stripe that begins on nose and extends over eye and back alongside body onto tail. Their diet ranges widely, including spiders and beetles. Click here to visit the Western Skink Photo Gallery. Copyright © 2004 - 2020, Reptiles of BC. ), In a 2013 paper 1, Shedd and Richmond presented data that shows that the use of the side-stripe length to differentiate the two species is not accurate in all areas: "However, like the other characters used to differentiate P. skiltonianus and “gilberti,” we have detected notable variation in the extension of the lateral tail stripe in populations of both species, and below we present data that describe how the character fails to differentiate the two in certain parts of the range." Of the various skink species with bright blue tails as youngsters, this is the first adult I've seen that still has a blue tail, but only on the very tip. (Some adult Gilbert's Skinks, especially females, may have some striping, but it is not as distinct as the stripes of most adult Western Skinks or as the stripes on juvenile skinks of both species.) Beware that the side stripes of adult Western Skinks with tails that have been re-grown may not continue very far past the rear legs, as you can see here. When not hunting or basking, Western Skinks stay under cover, either in their burrows, or under debris such as leaf litter. This color fades after the breeding season is over. If seized by a predator its tail is deliberately cast and wriggles violently attracting attention while the lizard may escape. One way to tell them apart from Western Skinks which also have blue tails is by looking at the dark stripes on the side of the body. The Western skink (Plestiodon skiltonianus) is a relatively common and widespread lizard in Southern California. The fading blue tail indicates that this skink is transitioning into adulthood. Skinks are most striking as juveniles. Tanner (1957) identified the subspecies interparietalis and utahensis. [7] It is a good burrower and sometimes constructs burrows several times its own body length. The western skink(Plestiodon skiltonianus) is a species of small, smooth-scaled lizard with relatively small limbs. The general consensus is that this attracts the attention of predators towards the disposable tail and away from the significantly less disposable head and body. [8], Western skinks can be found from southern British Columbia, Canada, to the tip of Baja California, and throughout most of Great Basin to extreme Northern Arizona; central Utah to the Pacific Coast. Skinks, like Alligator Lizards, do not travel far from their hibernacula. SKINK AT LAST Already back in April when late afternoon sunlight warmed a nearby roadcut I began seeing a certain blue-tailed skink. In some areas juvenile Gilbert's Skinks have a blue tail. Skinks don’t appear to be particular about whom they bed down with: there are records of Western Skinks hibernating not only with other skinks, but also with Northwestern Alligator Lizards, Rubber Boas, and possibly Rattlesnakes. Juveniles iv p. + Annex. Heavy brush and densely forested areas are generally avoided. Public domain. Management Plan for the Western Skink (Plestiodon skiltonianus) in Canada [Proposed]. Young western skinks probably hatch in late summer, and sexual maturity may occur at 2 years of age, but most individuals probably do not reproduce until they are 3 years old. It is one of five species of lizards in Canada. (However, it has been shown that the use of this side stripe characteristic is not accurate in some areas of the state. There are three recognized subspecies, including the nominotypical subspecies:[2]. (c) J. Maughn, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by James Maughn. It measures about 100 to 210 mm (about 4 to 8.25 inches) in total length (body + tail). This skink was found in an area that could potentially have either Plestiodon skiltonianus or Plestiodon gilberti.Some populations are easy to identify; for instance, some but not all Plestiodon gilberti have pink tails as youngsters, whereas all Plestiodon skiltonianus have blue tails as youngsters. During winter, Western Skinks hibernate in communal dens (hibernacula). while the stripes on the side of the Western Skink extend farther past the rear legs. [6] Prey is sometimes stalked and cannibalism has been reported. Western Skinks are an exquisitely coloured lizard with a body form similar to that of the Northwestern Alligator Lizard. They grow to a … Within these habitat types, Western Skinks need abundant plant cover, as well as rocks, logs, stumps, and bark for foraging and cover, sunny openings for basking, and south facing slopes and rocks for nesting and hibernacula. Click here to see the Western Skink Range Map. Reptiles, Amphibians and Fish of the Kaibab National Forest, International Union for Conservation of Nature, http://www.flickr.com/photos/18024068@N00/3314980199, http://www.inaturalist.org/photos/3106770, http://www.inaturalist.org/photos/3106771, http://www.inaturalist.org/photos/3106772, https://www.flickr.com/photos/jmaughn/25267214389/, https://www.flickr.com/photos/jmaughn/24943299844/, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plestiodon_skiltonianus.