Squamata suborder
Sauria
Scincella lateralis -- Ground Skink
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Purple shade indicates vouchered specimens. Light blue (cyan)
shade indicates photographic records. Yellow shade indicates verified
sighting. Slanted hatch indicates pre-1980 records only
NOTE: Not all specimens upon which these maps are based have been verified.
Key Characters: Smooth scales; short limbs; a small transparent membrane on the lower eyelid; no supranasal scales.
Similar Species: A distinctive species not easily confused.
Description: A small (up to 13 cm TL), slender copper to chocolate brown lizard with a darker brown dorsolateral stripe on each side. Belly white.
Habitat: Forest and forest edge.
Natural History: Mating takes place in the spring and eggs are laid in late June to July. Clutch size is normally 1-5 eggs and hatching takes place in August or September. Hatchlings average 4 cm TL. Prey includes insects, spiders, and earthworms. The main predators are snakes and small birds.
Status: Common, especially in extreme southern Illinois.