Common Five-Lined Skink: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Skinks, Geckos and Snakes · day 1 of 7

Five facts

1. Baby five-lined skinks are almost black, with five pale stripes and a bright blue tail. As they grow, the blue fades and the stripes may vanish.
2. Chased by a hawk or a raccoon? This skink can drop its tail, which keeps wriggling while the lizard dashes off to hide.
3. A mother skink stays with her eggs, sometimes coiled right around them. When the soil is dry, she presses closer to keep them from drying out.
4. In shared nests, mothers can take turns: one goes off to find food while another guards, so the eggs are never left alone.
5. Adult males chase other males out of their patch. Scientists think a blue tail may tell them: I am young or female, leave me alone.

The quiz

1. What colour is a young five-lined skink's tail?

• Red
• Bright blue (correct)
• Green
• White

Young skinks are dark with five stripes and a bright blue tail.

2. What happens to the tail a skink drops?

• It grows a new head
• It turns to stone
• It keeps twitching (correct)
• It changes to red

The loose tail keeps twitching while the skink runs to shelter.

3. When does a mother skink press closer to her eggs?

• When the soil is dry (correct)
• When it rains
• Only at noon
• When the eggs hatch

Her body contact increases when the soil holds less moisture.

4. How can mothers in a shared nest keep the eggs safe?

• They bury the eggs in sand
• They carry the eggs on their backs
• They hide the eggs in water
• They take turns guarding and feeding (correct)

Mothers can alternate between finding food and guarding, so the eggs are always protected.

5. What might a blue tail tell an aggressive male skink?

• That food is nearby
• That its owner is young or female (correct)
• That a storm is coming
• That its owner is a rival male

Scientists think the blue tail signals a young skink or a female, which may prevent attacks.

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