Skinks: Scincidae

Physical characteristics: Also known as the greater five-lined skink, the broad-headed skink is a brown to brownish gray lizard with darker, although often faint, stripes running from its wide head to the tail. The head of males turns reddish during the mating season. Adults grow to 9.8 inches (25 centimeters) in length.

Geographic range: Broad-headed skinks live mainly in the southeastern quarter of the United States.

Habitat: An excellent climber, the broad-headed skink lives in a variety of areas, including swamps, forests, and even near people, in everything from farm buildings to trash-filled city lots.

Female broad-headed skinks lay six to ten eggs at a time under leaves or in some other hiding spot and stay with them until they hatch. (©Larry L. Miller/Photo Researchers, Inc. Reproduced by permission.)

Diet: They spend much of their time looking for insects and other invertebrates (in-VER-teh-brehts), which are animals without backbones, to eat.

Behavior and reproduction: When broad-headed skinks feel threatened, which is quite often for these shy lizards, they quickly dart away. During the breeding season, males jump at and bite each other on the head, neck, or tail. Before long, one of the two fighting lizards will surrender and leave, and the other is left to mate with a female. Females lay six to ten eggs at a time under leaves or in some other hiding spot and stay with them until they hatch.

Broad-headed skinks and people: Most people see these lizards from a distance as they climb along fences or walk along tree branches. They are very shy and run when approached, so people rarely get a close look.

Conservation status: This species is not considered endangered or threatened. ∎