The Blue Tailed Skink or Five Lined Skink is a species of lizard that is native to the Eastern United States and parts of South-Eastern Canada.
There is a lot of confusion when it comes to skinks as many species share similar common names. In this article, we are referring to the species Plestiodon fasciatus and not the Blue Tailed Skink (Cryptoblepharus egeriae) from Australia’s Christmas Island.
As Adults, these lizards are also similar in appearance to the Western Skink and are often confused with each other outside of their native habitat.
Probably the most fascinating characteristics of the Five Lined Skink is that they undergo a dramatic color change as they mature.
Throughout this article we may refer to this lizard as the Blue Tailed Skink or the Five Lined Skink. These are simply two different common names for the same species.
Blue Tailed Skink Taxonomy
The Blue Tailed Skink belongs to the Scincidae family of lizards. This is simply the scientific name for the Skink family. This is a massive family of lizards with over 100 different genera and over 1500 species currently recognised.
This species can be found throughout most of the globe, except for the artic and sub-artic regions as it is too cold for them there. The most common characteristic of skinks is their proportionally small legs in comparison to their body.
With such a large number of species, it is easy to see why the behaviour of skinks is so diverse. They can be terrestrial, arboreal or a burrowing species. Some desert species are even ‘sand swimmers’.
The genus that the Blue Tailed Skink belongs to is called Plestiodon. This is a large genus of Skinks that contains 50 different species at the time of writing. The genus is part of the sub-family Scincinae.
Many of the species in this genus used to be classified under the closely related genus Eumeces. With such a large number of species in the genus, things are constantly changing and debate about different species will probably never end.
The Five Lined Skink was actually one of these species that was previously categorized under the genus Eumeces. They weren’t placed into the genus Plestiodon until 2004.
The scientific name for the Blue Tailed Skink or Five Lined Skink is Plestiodon fasciatus.
Blue Tailed Skink Description
The Blue Tailed Skink is a relatively small species of lizard that typically grows to around 5-8 inches in length. Around half of this length is made up of the tail which is very long and tapered.
The American Five Lined Skink goes through a dramatic change as the species matures. A baby lizard has a completely different appearance to a mature adult.
Juvenile Skinks are dark brown to black in color. They have five very distinct white or yellow lines that run the length of their body. This is where they get the common name Five Lined Skink.
The tail of a juvenile is bright blue in color. This blue coloration is particularly bright in younger specimens but starts to fades as the lizard ages. This is where the lizard gets its other common name, the Blue Tailed Skink.
As the lizard matures, the body color begins to brighten. This usually ends in a uniform brown coloration, although the 5 lines are still present and run the length of the lizard’s body.
The tail of the lizard also fades. This results in a dull brown or grey coloration in adults. Sometimes the 5 lines will be visible along the tail while other specimens will lose the markings on the tail.
Natural Habitat and Distribution
The Blue Tailed Skink or Five Lined Skink is native to much of the Eastern United States. They can also be found in parts of Southern Canada. This is one of the most common lizards within its range.
In the Northern portion of its range, this Skink can be found in parts of Southern Ontario, Michigan Ohio, Pennsylvania, Vermont, New York and Massachusetts.
It can be found throughout all of the coastal states extending down into Florida. This includes states such as Maryland Virginia, North and South Carolina and Georgia.
They can also be found further inland and their range covers all states extending as far West as Eastern Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska.
The Blue Tailed Skink can be found in a wide range of habitats but the tend to prefer wooded areas with plenty of fallen leaves and branches for cover and security.
This ground dwelling lizard will also inhabit rocky areas where they can retreat into crevices in the rock if they feel threatened. They can sometimes be found on roads basking in the sun.
This species shares much of its geographical range with other common species of reptiles including the Eastern Indigo Snake and the Eastern Racer.
Five Lined Skink Behaviour
An adult male Five Lined Skink or Blue Tailed Skink is an extremely territorial species and will defend their territory against other males. They will however tolerate females and juveniles.
Females of this species show a high level of maternal instinct in comparison to other species of reptiles. They are known to brood their eggs, meaning they will sit on or wrap around them in order to retain temperature or moisture.
In an attempt to distract predators, the Blue Tailed Skink has the ability to drop or detach their tail. This is done to buy them enough time to escape while the predator is distracted by the tail.
Blue Tailed Skink Diet
The majority of a Five Lined Skink diet will come from arthropods and insects such as spiders, crickets, ants, beetles and other insects.
The Blue Tailed Skink is even known to eat the occasional Pinkie Mouse. They will also eat frogs and even smaller lizards when the opportunity arises.
These lizards may also eat some fruit and vegetables. If keeping these Skinks in captivity, this will need to be offered as part of their diet. Gut Loading insects is also vital to ensure your lizard is getting all the nutrients they need.
Five Lined Skink Reproduction
The American Five Lined Skink generally lays its eggs during the summer months, between May and July. The clutch is laid around a month after the male and female lizards have mated.
After the female has laid her eggs, it takes another 4-6 weeks for the embryos to develop before they are ready to hatch. An average clutch size is around 15 eggs.
These eggs are usually laid on the floor with some form of protection over them. This can consist of a fallen log, loose piece of wood, or under a stone. They sometimes even lay their eggs in abandoned burrows.
