Gilbert's Skink

Plestiodon gilberti

Reptiles & AmphibiansIn the app

A medium-sized skink reaching 3-4.5 inches in snout to vent length. It has smooth shiny scales and a long, heavy body. Juveniles start out with a dark body adorned with 4…

How to identify

A medium-sized skink reaching 3-4.5 inches in snout to vent length. It has smooth shiny scales and a long, heavy body. Juveniles start out with a dark body adorned with 4 longitudinal light stripes from the tip of the snout to the base of the tail. Their tail and legs are unmarked and pinkish orange. With age, the stripes fade away and the colors change to a solid greyish tan body and tail, with solid orange on the head and neck.

Range

Most of central and southern California, southern Nevada, west central Arizona, and northern Baja Peninsula.

Habitat

Occupies a wide variety of habitats within its range, including open woodlands, chaparral, grasslands, salt flats, and high desert. It prefers open rocky areas in the vicinity of permanent water sources.

Variations

Some adults lack the orange coloration and they are solid greyish tan all over. Some adults retain the orange coloration on the tail. Dark body coloration on juveniles can be chocolate brown to black, and the light lines are cream to yellow.

Similar species

Most similar to the broadhead skink (*Plestiodon laticeps*) or common five-lined skink (*Plestiodon fasciatus*), which range much further east in the US. They are somewhat similar to the great plains skink (*Plestiodon obsoletus*) or western skink (*Plestiodon skiltonianus*), which may both overlap in range.