Eumeces
HumboldtHerps.com
| Skilton Skink - adult male with orange throat (breeding colors) Van Duzen River (Humboldt County) June 4, 2008 |
SKINKS: Family -
Scincidae
Scincidae
SKINKS: Family - Scincidae
| Coronado - two examples of tail re-growth |
Coronado - swimming in the dirt
Coronado Island Skink - sub-adult
Complete
| Great Basin Skink - picture pending |
Genus - Eumeces
SKINKS! Gotta Love 'em! It is
always a joy to come across
one of these small wonders.
Here in Northwestern California
we can find the Western or
Skilton Skinks. And if we search
well enough we should be able
to find them slinking throughout
the entire region including
higher alpine habitats up to
7000 ft. They avoid the moist
lowlands and dense
evergreens preferring dry oak
woodlands and in the
mountains southern
rock-outcroppings. They can
always a joy to come across
one of these small wonders.
Here in Northwestern California
we can find the Western or
Skilton Skinks. And if we search
well enough we should be able
to find them slinking throughout
the entire region including
higher alpine habitats up to
7000 ft. They avoid the moist
lowlands and dense
evergreens preferring dry oak
woodlands and in the
mountains southern
rock-outcroppings. They can
also be found in the open grasslands near these habitats providing there is ample
cover (rocks, logs, and other debris). Although they may be seen basking on a rock
or foraging through leaf litter during the day, a good portion of their time is spent
under cover.
The Western Skink (Eumeces skiltonianus skiltonianus) is a creature well adapted
for subterranean life. Similar in shape to our native alligator lizards, only smaller
(averaging 6 to 8 inches total length) and more cylindrical, they are adept
burrowers. Their scales, like all skinks as well as anguids, are made up of bony
plates called osteoderms which help protect the animal, especially during tight
escapes into rough rocky crevices. Unlike the alligator lizard, the skink's scales are
smooth. Skinks species throughout the world are known for having small legs, tiny
legs, or none at all. The Skilton Skink will often be found moving through grass and
the underbrush in slithering snake fashion with its legs resting down alongside its
body. Western Skinks are able to lose and regrow their tails.
The Western Skink can quickly be identified by a wide dorsal brown black or dk.
brown-bordered stripe running down the middle of its back; this stripe is bordered
by two light stripes (1/2 the width of the dorsal) which are in turn bordered by a
lateral broad darker brown stripe, and then once again bordered by light stripes
whose lengths parallel the belly. The light stripes are usually a solid cream or tan
color. The belly is cream-colored or light gray and often faintly mottled.
The most noticable characteristic of Western Skinks is their blue tails. Juveniles'
tails are bright blue. The color is considered to act as a distraction, so if the tail is
attacked by a predator, it snaps off, and its dying nerves keep it wiggling long
enough for its owner to escape. The blue color begins to fade as the skink
reaches adulthood, and the tail takes on the brown color of its dorsal band. Many
Skilton adults retain some of the blue. Older individuals often have tails that turn
gray.
In the spring breeding males will develop a reddish orange flush on their chins,
throat, and sides of their heads. Females may display this as well but it is much
more faint. These colors reflect the mating season which occurs between May and
June. Eumeces are egg-layers. This usually occurs in June or July. Unlike many
reptiles, female Western Skinks tend their eggs. After hatching in late July or August
"smart" baby skinks vacate the hatchery quickly before their mother forgets who they
are and begins to think of them as food.
The normal diet of the Western Skink is insects, spiders, other arthropods, and
earthworms.
Skinks play an important role in the food chain. Their size puts them near the
bottom. Understanding skink population densities is vital not only for the
preservation of the skink, but for all those species of animals which prey upon them
as well. . Skinks are often eaten by larger reptiles, especially snakes, as well as
smaller birds of prey and in the southwestern states roadrunners. Here in our
northwestern section skinks may fall victim to kingsnakes and mountain kings,
gopher snakes, racers, whipsnakes, and garter snakes. Near where the Klamath
River crosses from Oregon into California young skinks may be taken by night
snakes. Alligator lizards are also suspect. And of course bullfrogs eat anything
they can swallow. Large shore birds such as the egret may not turn down one of
these wrigglers as well. Any reduction in skink populations could affect the
numbers of predators in the area, especially lizard-eating snakes.
cover (rocks, logs, and other debris). Although they may be seen basking on a rock
or foraging through leaf litter during the day, a good portion of their time is spent
under cover.
The Western Skink (Eumeces skiltonianus skiltonianus) is a creature well adapted
for subterranean life. Similar in shape to our native alligator lizards, only smaller
(averaging 6 to 8 inches total length) and more cylindrical, they are adept
burrowers. Their scales, like all skinks as well as anguids, are made up of bony
plates called osteoderms which help protect the animal, especially during tight
escapes into rough rocky crevices. Unlike the alligator lizard, the skink's scales are
smooth. Skinks species throughout the world are known for having small legs, tiny
legs, or none at all. The Skilton Skink will often be found moving through grass and
the underbrush in slithering snake fashion with its legs resting down alongside its
body. Western Skinks are able to lose and regrow their tails.
The Western Skink can quickly be identified by a wide dorsal brown black or dk.
brown-bordered stripe running down the middle of its back; this stripe is bordered
by two light stripes (1/2 the width of the dorsal) which are in turn bordered by a
lateral broad darker brown stripe, and then once again bordered by light stripes
whose lengths parallel the belly. The light stripes are usually a solid cream or tan
color. The belly is cream-colored or light gray and often faintly mottled.
The most noticable characteristic of Western Skinks is their blue tails. Juveniles'
tails are bright blue. The color is considered to act as a distraction, so if the tail is
attacked by a predator, it snaps off, and its dying nerves keep it wiggling long
enough for its owner to escape. The blue color begins to fade as the skink
reaches adulthood, and the tail takes on the brown color of its dorsal band. Many
Skilton adults retain some of the blue. Older individuals often have tails that turn
gray.
In the spring breeding males will develop a reddish orange flush on their chins,
throat, and sides of their heads. Females may display this as well but it is much
more faint. These colors reflect the mating season which occurs between May and
June. Eumeces are egg-layers. This usually occurs in June or July. Unlike many
reptiles, female Western Skinks tend their eggs. After hatching in late July or August
"smart" baby skinks vacate the hatchery quickly before their mother forgets who they
are and begins to think of them as food.
The normal diet of the Western Skink is insects, spiders, other arthropods, and
earthworms.
Skinks play an important role in the food chain. Their size puts them near the
bottom. Understanding skink population densities is vital not only for the
preservation of the skink, but for all those species of animals which prey upon them
as well. . Skinks are often eaten by larger reptiles, especially snakes, as well as
smaller birds of prey and in the southwestern states roadrunners. Here in our
northwestern section skinks may fall victim to kingsnakes and mountain kings,
gopher snakes, racers, whipsnakes, and garter snakes. Near where the Klamath
River crosses from Oregon into California young skinks may be taken by night
snakes. Alligator lizards are also suspect. And of course bullfrogs eat anything
they can swallow. Large shore birds such as the egret may not turn down one of
these wrigglers as well. Any reduction in skink populations could affect the
numbers of predators in the area, especially lizard-eating snakes.
| E. s. skiltonianus - adult male Oroville, CA 05-29-2005 |
| Skilton Skink - juvenile - W/C Camp Kimtu, Trinity River, Willow Creek, CA 10-24-2005 |
Subspecies of the Skilton...
There are three subspecies of E. s. skiltonianus in California (1 in our range):
Western or Skilton Skink (E. s. skiltonianus)
Great Basin Skink (E. s. utahensis)
Coronado Island Skink (E. s. interparietalis)
The Western Skink (E. s. skiltonianus) has a wide range that begins in British
Columbia, Canada, and then ventures south through Central and Eastern
Washington, extreme Western Montana, North to Central Idaho (where it
intergrades with E. s. utahensis), most all of Oregon (except the far NW),
Northwestern Nevada, most all of Northern California south to the Bay Area latitude
where it then moves west along the coast and coastal mountains south to San
Diego County (where it may intergrade with E. s. interparietalis). The Skilton may
also be found on the Catalina Islands.
Here in the eastern part of Humboldt County we have observed numerous
specimens slinking around rocky areas skirting the shores of the Trinity River near
and upriver from Willow Creek, CA. Active primarily during the day, these
blue-tailed clowns would often be captured in our peripheral vision while we 'd be
drying off after a quick dip in the river. Hiking along the shore at mid-day we'd spot
them literally bouncing off the rocks from mid-summer to early fall when the
daytime temperatures are often in the high nineties or low hundreds. During the
hottest parts of summer most diurnal reptiles prefer the morning or late afternoon
hours to come out, and based on what we'd read about them in books, we were
entertained at finding them so close to the river's edge at high noon. It appeared
that they were coming down from the higher rockpiles to forage for food near the
shore. The rocks near the shoreline were still rather hot, and instead of crawling
over them we saw plenty of skinks doing tail-flung somersaults over them to avoid
contact with the extreme heat. The wet sands it seems, acted as the coolant
needed to avoid overexposure. I don't recommend trying to capture one of these
guys when they're doing these somersaults; it is extremely difficult, and you don't
really want to break their tails! While we are not certain that these movements are
indeed "tail-flung", we are convinced that the Western Skink has taken "wiggling
like a worm on dry land" to new heights!
Although not in our range, we would like to mention a few of the features of the
Great Basin Skink (E. s. utahensis)...for those of you with adventures further east.
This subspecies of the Western may be found intergrading with its species
namesake in Southwestern Montana and South-Central Idaho; it then continues
through most of North-Central and Eastern Nevada, Western Utah, and North
Central Arizona.
The Great Basin Skink is relatively similar to the Skilton except for these key
differences: The brown dorsal stripe is not outlined with a darker brown or black
border, thus it immediately borders the adjacent lighter stripes. These light stripes
also differ as they may be more than 1/2 as wide as the dorsal stripe. Widening
the field of the lighter stripes and eliminating some of the darker borders may
directly relate to an adapted need for the camouflage or sun refectivity needed in
harsher terrains (often high desert).
The Coronado Island Skink (E. s. interparietalis) is a subspecies we'll occasionally
mention due to our regular visits to the San Diego area. The Coronado may be
found throughout most of San Diego County; it reportedly meets the Skilton closer
to the coast. Its distribution continues south to Northern Baja California, Mexico. I
grew up in the northern inland areas of San Diego, and I didn't know about
subspecies back then. Recent sightings of this skink from "my childhood canyon"
have yielded plenty of photos showing the identifying characteristics of the
Coronado Island subspecies.
The Coronado Island Skink is similar to the Skilton in regards to presence of a
darkly outlined dorsal brown stripe as well the narrower bordering light stripes.
Unlike the Skilton, E. s. interparietalis' dark lateral stripe extends to at least 1/2 the
length of the tail. I've also found that the skinks in "my canyon" usually begin to
lose the blue by the time they are sub-adults. I've never encountered even the
faintest of blues on an adult. I've also found surprising variation within the confines
of this small wild parcel of land; I've found adult specimens with darker hues of
browns, and I have found quite a few with themes of a grayer tone. The light lateral
stripe bordering the belly is ill-defined in some specimens as well.
Western or Skilton Skink (E. s. skiltonianus)
Great Basin Skink (E. s. utahensis)
Coronado Island Skink (E. s. interparietalis)
The Western Skink (E. s. skiltonianus) has a wide range that begins in British
Columbia, Canada, and then ventures south through Central and Eastern
Washington, extreme Western Montana, North to Central Idaho (where it
intergrades with E. s. utahensis), most all of Oregon (except the far NW),
Northwestern Nevada, most all of Northern California south to the Bay Area latitude
where it then moves west along the coast and coastal mountains south to San
Diego County (where it may intergrade with E. s. interparietalis). The Skilton may
also be found on the Catalina Islands.
Here in the eastern part of Humboldt County we have observed numerous
specimens slinking around rocky areas skirting the shores of the Trinity River near
and upriver from Willow Creek, CA. Active primarily during the day, these
blue-tailed clowns would often be captured in our peripheral vision while we 'd be
drying off after a quick dip in the river. Hiking along the shore at mid-day we'd spot
them literally bouncing off the rocks from mid-summer to early fall when the
daytime temperatures are often in the high nineties or low hundreds. During the
hottest parts of summer most diurnal reptiles prefer the morning or late afternoon
hours to come out, and based on what we'd read about them in books, we were
entertained at finding them so close to the river's edge at high noon. It appeared
that they were coming down from the higher rockpiles to forage for food near the
shore. The rocks near the shoreline were still rather hot, and instead of crawling
over them we saw plenty of skinks doing tail-flung somersaults over them to avoid
contact with the extreme heat. The wet sands it seems, acted as the coolant
needed to avoid overexposure. I don't recommend trying to capture one of these
guys when they're doing these somersaults; it is extremely difficult, and you don't
really want to break their tails! While we are not certain that these movements are
indeed "tail-flung", we are convinced that the Western Skink has taken "wiggling
like a worm on dry land" to new heights!
Although not in our range, we would like to mention a few of the features of the
Great Basin Skink (E. s. utahensis)...for those of you with adventures further east.
This subspecies of the Western may be found intergrading with its species
namesake in Southwestern Montana and South-Central Idaho; it then continues
through most of North-Central and Eastern Nevada, Western Utah, and North
Central Arizona.
The Great Basin Skink is relatively similar to the Skilton except for these key
differences: The brown dorsal stripe is not outlined with a darker brown or black
border, thus it immediately borders the adjacent lighter stripes. These light stripes
also differ as they may be more than 1/2 as wide as the dorsal stripe. Widening
the field of the lighter stripes and eliminating some of the darker borders may
directly relate to an adapted need for the camouflage or sun refectivity needed in
harsher terrains (often high desert).
The Coronado Island Skink (E. s. interparietalis) is a subspecies we'll occasionally
mention due to our regular visits to the San Diego area. The Coronado may be
found throughout most of San Diego County; it reportedly meets the Skilton closer
to the coast. Its distribution continues south to Northern Baja California, Mexico. I
grew up in the northern inland areas of San Diego, and I didn't know about
subspecies back then. Recent sightings of this skink from "my childhood canyon"
have yielded plenty of photos showing the identifying characteristics of the
Coronado Island subspecies.
The Coronado Island Skink is similar to the Skilton in regards to presence of a
darkly outlined dorsal brown stripe as well the narrower bordering light stripes.
Unlike the Skilton, E. s. interparietalis' dark lateral stripe extends to at least 1/2 the
length of the tail. I've also found that the skinks in "my canyon" usually begin to
lose the blue by the time they are sub-adults. I've never encountered even the
faintest of blues on an adult. I've also found surprising variation within the confines
of this small wild parcel of land; I've found adult specimens with darker hues of
browns, and I have found quite a few with themes of a grayer tone. The light lateral
stripe bordering the belly is ill-defined in some specimens as well.
| Our Western |
| The Great Basin |
| The Coronado Island |
Skilton Skink (E. s. skiltonianus)
juvenile - [dark lateral stripe comparison
juvenile - [dark lateral stripe comparison
Coronado Island Skink (E. s. interparietalis)
juvenile - [dark lateral stripe comparison]
juvenile - [dark lateral stripe comparison]
Coronado Island Skink - [brown]
Coronado Island Skink - [gray]
Coronado Island Skink - [example of ill-defined
lower lateral light stripe]
lower lateral light stripe]
Skilton Skink - gravid female with
forked regrowth of tail
near Van Duzen River June 4, 2008
forked regrowth of tail
near Van Duzen River June 4, 2008
| Sightings |
| (for both Skilton and Coronado Island ssp.) |
| ...coming soon! |
In Captivity:
Western Skinks may fare well in
captivity providing they are given
living conditions comparable to
their native environments,
however...
In accordance with the Native
Reptile and Amphibian Captive
Propagation Laws and
Regulations of the California
Department of Fish and Game,
you are allowed up to 25 skinks
at any one time with a standard
up to date California fishing
license. Propagation is not
permitted. Being caught
propagating without permission
will result in fines as well as the
confiscation of the captive
collection and its destruction.
Both captively bred and kept
wild-caught specimens should
never be returned to the wild
without special permission and
professional supervision.
Many enthusiasts may go all the
way and indeed build the ideal
habitat. This is no guarantee
that the specimen will adapt,
especially those captured as
adults (often set in their ways
with behaviors, territory, and
preferred diets). Stress is a
major factor in captive deaths.
Parasites brought in with a
captive lizard may also speed
up its demise. Mites, which are
often removed during the
slinking and burrowing through
larger territories, multiply into
dangerous densities within the
confines of an artificial
environment. Mites can infest
other captive herps you may
have in your collection.
Wild caught skinks that are
returned to the wild often don't
survive simply due to the stress
endured trying to adapt in
captivity. Lowered immunities
result in sickness. Combined
with internal or external
parasites one sick specimen
released into the wild could
contaminate the local
population, especially if the
animal is released in a location
other than where it was found.
Western Skinks may fare well in
captivity providing they are given
living conditions comparable to
their native environments,
however...
In accordance with the Native
Reptile and Amphibian Captive
Propagation Laws and
Regulations of the California
Department of Fish and Game,
you are allowed up to 25 skinks
at any one time with a standard
up to date California fishing
license. Propagation is not
permitted. Being caught
propagating without permission
will result in fines as well as the
confiscation of the captive
collection and its destruction.
Both captively bred and kept
wild-caught specimens should
never be returned to the wild
without special permission and
professional supervision.
Many enthusiasts may go all the
way and indeed build the ideal
habitat. This is no guarantee
that the specimen will adapt,
especially those captured as
adults (often set in their ways
with behaviors, territory, and
preferred diets). Stress is a
major factor in captive deaths.
Parasites brought in with a
captive lizard may also speed
up its demise. Mites, which are
often removed during the
slinking and burrowing through
larger territories, multiply into
dangerous densities within the
confines of an artificial
environment. Mites can infest
other captive herps you may
have in your collection.
Wild caught skinks that are
returned to the wild often don't
survive simply due to the stress
endured trying to adapt in
captivity. Lowered immunities
result in sickness. Combined
with internal or external
parasites one sick specimen
released into the wild could
contaminate the local
population, especially if the
animal is released in a location
other than where it was found.
Information regarding scientific names; species and subspecies' ranges; color, pattern and scale
differences; and diet was cross-referenced using:
1. Pages 568, 576-577, and plates 421, 441, and 442, The Audubon Society Field Guide to
North American Reptiles and Amphibians, c. 1979.
2. Pages 130-133, Reptiles of the Northwest, c .2002
3. Pages 312-314, and 489, Western Reptiles and Amphibians. c. 2003.*
Web5. http://itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt
* The Petersen Guide makes no mention of E. s. interparietalis.
differences; and diet was cross-referenced using:
1. Pages 568, 576-577, and plates 421, 441, and 442, The Audubon Society Field Guide to
North American Reptiles and Amphibians, c. 1979.
2. Pages 130-133, Reptiles of the Northwest, c .2002
3. Pages 312-314, and 489, Western Reptiles and Amphibians. c. 2003.*
Web5. http://itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt
* The Petersen Guide makes no mention of E. s. interparietalis.
SOMEWHAT ADAPTABLE /
HIGH MAINTENANCE
HIGH MAINTENANCE
