Five-lined Skink

Juvenile, 5 - 8.5 in (12.5 - 21.5 cm). Five-lined skinks are moderately large lizards with short legs and a streamlined body. The body is generally gray, brown, or black, in background color with five white or yellowish stripes (two on each side and one down the center of the back). Young have a bright blue tail while adult males often loose their stripes and develop reddish or orange coloration on the head. This species is very similar in appearance to the southeastern five-lined skink and broadhead skink and is usually only identifiable by close examination of the scales: five-lined skinks have an enlarged row of scales under the tail and four labial (along the upper lip between the nose and eye) scales. Additionally, the broadhead skink usually larger and the southeastern five-lined skink usually inhabits dry, sandy habitats.