Show-Mer Skinks

Skinks are a large group of lizards that are found on every continent except Antarctica. Most skinks are small, skinny, and sleek — the perfect size and shape to crawl under rocks and into narrow nooks and crannies. There are over 1,500 kinds of skinks worldwide. Six species scurry across the Show-Me State.

Common Five-Lined Skink

This common skink takes its name from the five bright stripes that run from the head to the base of the tail on hatchlings and young adults. The stripes fade to tan and become harder to see when the little lizards grow up. Like most of Missouri’s skinks, young five-lined skinks have bright blue tails. (That’s why some people call them “blue-tailed skinks.”) Biologists think the bedazzling back end protects youngsters from being attacked by grown-up males. It acts like a neon sign to say: “Calm down! I’m not old enough to steal your girlfriend.”

Marvelous Moms

Many mama reptiles lay their eggs and leave. Mama skinks — with the exception of little brown skinks — guard their eggs until they hatch. In a nest under a rock or in a decaying log, mom curls her body around her clutch of eggs. She turns her eggs often so the babies inside grow the way they should. If an egg becomes spoiled, mom eats it so the smell doesn’t attract predators. When the eggs hatch, guard duty is over, and mom splits, leaving the newborn lizards to fend for themselves.

Northern Prairie Skink

Northern prairie skinks live up to their name. They’re found in the far northwestern corner of Missouri, and they prefer to live on prairies and other grasslands that are near water and that have lots of rocks to hide under. Although they’re about the same length as a five-lined skink, a prairie skink’s tail looks longer. They eat a variety of insects, like grasshoppers, beetles, and caterpillars, plus spiders, snails, and young lizards. Prairie skinks are one of the wariest skinks and quickly run under rocks or into burrows when they detect danger.

Broad-Headed Skink

Broad-headed skinks spend most of their time near trees. They climb well and often hide in tree cavities or abandoned woodpecker holes to avoid danger on the forest floor. During mating season, a male’s head swells up and turns reddish-orange. Female skinks seem to prefer the males with the biggest and brightest heads. Young broad-headed skinks look nearly identical to common five-lined skinks. Biologists tell them apart by counting the scales on a skink’s upper lip.

Great Plains Skink

The Great Plains skink is the largest skink in the United States, with adults growing over a foot long. Their tan scales are edged with dark brown or black, which makes them look speckled. One of Missouri’s rarest reptiles, Great Plains skinks are found in prairies on the far western edge of the state. They’re excellent diggers and spend most of their time underground, which makes them even harder to find!

Southern Coal Skink

This secretive skink lives in rocky glades and forests, mainly south of the Missouri River. Although coal skinks are fairly common, they’re rarely seen because they dart under rocks, logs, or leaves at the first sign of danger. They have good reason to be wary. Like most skinks, they’re preyed upon by dozens of predators, including snakes, other lizards, shrikes, hawks, shrews, skunks, and badgers. Newborn coal skinks have shiny black bodies, which is where they get their name. As they grow, they turn brown, except for a coal-black stripe that runs down each side of their body.

Tricky Tails

If a predator grabs a skink by the tail, the little lizard leaves its behind behind. By tightening special muscles, the skink snaps off its back end and pinches blood vessels shut so it doesn’t bleed much. While the detached tail twitches to keep the predator busy, the stumpy skink slinks to safety. A new tail eventually grows back, but it’s often shorter than the original and not as brightly colored.

Little Brown Skink

When a little brown skink hatches out of its bean-sized egg, it’s so tiny it can curl up on the face of a dime. Fully grown, Missouri’s littlest lizard rarely stretches longer than 5 inches from its nose to the tip of its tail. Because they’re so small, it’s often easier to hear these skinks than see them. They make quite a ruckus as they rustle through leaf litter in woods and forests, hunting for insects, spiders, and earthworms. Little brown skinks are the only lizards in Missouri that have transparent lower eyelids. The clear lids let a skink see while its eyes are closed and act like goggles so it can scurry through leaves without poking its eyes.