| Southeastern five-lined skink | |
|---|---|
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| Male | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Family: | Scincidae |
| Genus: | Plestiodon |
| Species: | P. inexpectatus |
| Binomial name | |
| Plestiodon inexpectatus (Taylor, 1932) | |
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| Synonyms | |
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Plestiodon inexpectatus, the southeastern five-lined skink is a common skink in the southeastern United States.
The specific name, inexpectatus ("the unexpected"), is possibly a reference to the unexpected discovery of this species in 1932, almost 175 years after Linnaeus described Plestiodon fasciatus , commonly known as the American five-lined skink.
As their common name suggests, southeastern five-lined skinks have five characteristic narrow stripes along their bodies that become lighter with age. The middle stripe tends to be narrower than the others, and the dark areas between stripes are black in young skinks but become brown with age. A similar lizard, the common five-lined skink ( Plestiodon fasciatus ), is slightly smaller than the southeastern five-lined skink and has broader stripes. However, it is difficult to discriminate between these two species on the basis of physical appearance.
Young southeastern five-lined skinks have a bright blue or purplish tail, especially towards the tip. Also, stripes become a bright reddish orange towards the head. Juvenile coloration may persist into adulthood, giving the head of the animal an altogether orange-brown appearance.
Southeastern five-lined skinks are common inhabitants of wooded areas of the southeastern United States. They are commonly found on small islands off the southeastern coast even in the absence of fresh water and vegetation.
They are diurnal ground-dwelling animals.
Like other skinks of the genus Plestiodon, they feed primarily on insects, preferring larger prey such as grasshoppers.
This skink species is easy to maintain in captivity. It has the same requirements as the common five-lined skink, although it can tolerate dryer conditions.
Southeastern five-lined skinks are oviparous; the clutch size varies from 6 to 12, with the number of eggs diminishing with higher latitudes. The female broods the eggs and protects them from predators, including other skinks. The hatchlings appear about one month after the eggs have been laid near the beginning of summer.
The Florida sand skink is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae, the skinks. It is endemic to Florida in the United States.
Plestiodon egregius, the mole skink, is a species of small lizard endemic to the Southeastern United States.
The western skink is a species of small, smooth-scaled lizard with relatively small limbs. It measures about 100 to 210 mm in total length. It is one of seven species of lizards in Canada. They spend much of their day basking in the sun. Their diet ranges widely, including spiders and beetles. Western skinks will bite if grasped and will flee if they feel threatened. It is a common but secretive species whose range extends from southern British Columbia and throughout Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming and into western Montana and northern Arizona and Missouri. They can also live in some areas of Texas It is widespread in northern California but primarily restricted to the coast in central and southern California. Found in a variety of habitats, this lizard is most common in early successional stages or open areas of late successional stages. Heavy brush and densely forested areas are generally avoided. Western skinks are found from sea level to at least 2,130 m (7,000 ft). This diurnal reptile is active during the warm seasons.
Plestiodon anthracinus, the coal skink, is a species of lizard which is endemic to the United States.
The broad-headed skink or broadhead skink is species of lizard, endemic to the southeastern United States. The broadhead skink occurs in sympatry with the five-lined skink and Southeastern five-lined skink in forest of the Southeastern United States. All three species are phenotypically similar throughout much of their development and were considered a single species prior to the mid-1930s.
Plestiodon gilberti, commonly known as Gilbert's skink, is a species of heavy-bodied medium-sized lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, and grows to about 7 to 12 cm in total length.
The Great Plains skink is a species of lizard endemic to North America.
The prairie skink is a species of skink endemic to the prairies east of the Rocky Mountains in North America. It is one of only seven species of lizards that occur in Canada.
The (American) five-lined skink is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to North America. It is one of the most common lizards in the eastern U.S. and one of the seven native species of lizards in Canada.
The four-lined skink is a species of lizard, which is endemic to North America. It is a medium-sized member of the Plestiodon skinks.
Plestiodon callicephalus, commonly known as the mountain skink, is a species of lizard, a medium-sized member of the Plestiodon skinks, endemic to North America.
Plestiodon multivirgatus, commonly known as the many-lined skink, the northern many-lined skink, or the variable skink, is a medium-sized species of lizard, a member of the North American skink genus Plestiodon in the family Scincidae. The species is native to the western United States.
Plestiodon is a genus of lizards in the family Scincidae (skinks). The genus contains many species formerly classified under the genus Eumeces, except those now placed in Mesoscincus. They are secretive, agile animals with a cylindrical body covered with smooth, shiny scales. They are distributed from East Asia to throughout North America from southern Canada south to Mexico, including oceanic islands such as Bermuda.
Lampropeltis getula, commonly known as the eastern kingsnake, common kingsnake, or chain kingsnake, is a harmless colubrid species endemic to the United States. It has long been a favorite among collectors. Four subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here. All of these taxa had originally been described as distinct species and recognized as such for up to 101 years.
The eastern glass lizard is a species of legless lizard in the family Anguidae and the longest and heaviest species of glass lizards in the genus Ophisaurus, endemic to the Southeastern United States. The streamlined, legless species is often confused with snakes. Glass lizards differ from snakes as they possess a moveable eyelid and an external ear opening as well as a lateral groove that separates the different types of scales on the animal, all three of these features are absent in snakes. Snakes also have flexible jaws while lizards do not. Ventralis comes from the Latin "venter" meaning belly; this is in reference to the snake-like movement.
Plestiodon barbouri, also known commonly as Barbour's blue-tailed skink and Barbour's eyelid skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to the Ryukyu Islands (Japan).
Plestiodon japonicus is a species of lizard which is endemic to Japan. The IUCN lists the species as least concern.
The Okada's five-lined skink or Far Eastern skink is a species of lizard which is endemic to Japan.
