There are about 18 lizards, including 6 skinks, in Oklahoma. These skinks include the coal skink, the common five-lined skink, the broad-headed skink, the Great Plains skink, the prairie skink, and the little brown skink.
All but the broad-headed skink lack pronounced necks and their heads aren’t easily distinguishable from their body. These reptiles also have small limbs and long tails.
Most of the skinks are endemic to the eastern portion of Oklahoma with the Great Plain skink being endemic to the western portion of the state.
Apart from the broadhead skink, the skinks within the state aren’t commonly kept as pets.
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Skinks in Oklahoma
Family Scincidae
1. Coal Skink
- Trinomial Nomenclature: Plestiodon anthracinus pluvialis
- Adult Size: 5.1 to 7.1 inches (13 to 18 cm)
- Adult Snout-To-Vent Length: 2.8 inches (7.1 cm)
- Population Trend: Stable
- Conservation Statuses: S3 (Vulnerable), Least Concern on IUCN Red List
The species is endemic to the eastern United States. The species are endemic from New York to Florida and to Texas. The species is found as far west as Kansas and Oklahoma. In Oklahoma, the species is endemic to the eastern part of the state.
The range of individuals is tiny with a range of 27 m for males and 9 m for females. There are two subspecies of the coal skink. The subspecies endemic to Oklahoma is P. a. pluvialis (commonly known as the southern coal skink).
The species is endemic to palustrine wetlands such as forested wetlands and scrub-shrub wetlands and terrestrial woodlands which include mixed forests, mix woodlands, hardwood woodlands, hardwood forests, conifer woodlands, and conifer forests.
These habitats must have high humidity levels with loose rocks, and leaf litter that the reptile can hide under. In Oklahoma, they are probably active from March to September when temperatures are relatively warm.
The coal skink reaches a length of 5 to 7 inches and has a snout-to-vent length of 2.8 inches. The coal skink is a four-lined skink. This means that the species have four stripes on its upper body. These lines are light in coloration in contrast to its upper body’s dark background. there
2. Common Five-lined Skink
- Binomial Nomenclature: Plestiodon fasciatus
- Adult Size: 5 to 8.5 inches (12.7 to 21.6 cm)
- Adult Snout-To-Vent Length: 3 inches (7.6 cm)
- Population Trend: Stable
- Conservation Statuses: SNR (No Status Rank on NatureServe), Least Concern on IUCN Red List
The species is endemic from southern Ontario and New England to Minnesota and southwards to Kansas and Oklahoma to the Gulf Coast and northern Florida. The species is endemic to most of the eastern United States. In Oklahoma, the species is endemic to the east.
The species is endemic to the wooded areas of its range where there is abundant cover such as leaf litter and loose rocks, well-drained soils, and a humid climate. They are also known to inhabit flooded lowlands. The species is known to be arboreal in Texas. They are usually found in habitats with a permanent waterbody close by.
P. fasciatus is a medium-sized lizard that reaches a length of 5 to 8.5 inches (12.7 to 21.6 cm). The snout-to-vent length of the species is about three inches. Juveniles are black with five yellowish or whitish stripes. The species is known as the five-lined skink because of these five stripes on the upper body.
The tail of juveniles is bluish which lightens with age. The five stripes may also disappear with age. Most adults are brownish with no stripes.
The species have a life span of 6 years in the wild although most individuals likely die before reaching maturity.
3. Broad-headed Skink
- Binomial Nomenclature: Plestiodon laticeps
- Maximum Length: 12 inches (30.5 cm)
- Maximum Snout-To-Vent Length: 5.5 inches (14 cm)
- Population Trend: Stable
- Conservation Statuses: S3 (Vulnerable), Least Concern on IUCN Red List
The geographic range of the species is limited to the eastern united states. The range is quite extensive, regardless.
The species is endemic from Pennsylvania to Kansas to the west and then to Texas and central Florida to the south. The species occur in eastern Oklahoma. There may also be an isolated population in western Oklahoma.
The species is known as the broad-headed skink because the size of the males’ heads increases in size. The head also takes on a reddish-to-orange color during mating season.
Juveniles are dark in coloration with about five to seven stripes on the upper body. The stripes are light in color. The tail of the species is bluish. The females and juveniles closely resemble the five-lined skink.
P. laticeps is among the largest skinks. According to ADW, the skink is the second largest skink. The Great Plains skink which is mentioned in this article is larger than P. laticeps.
The maximum snout-to-vent length of the species is 5.5 inches while the maximum total length is 12 inches. These measurements are the maximum range lengths. There may be individuals larger than this although that is rare.
The species inhabit forested areas such as wooded areas as well as woodland edges. The species can thrive in a wide range of humidity and in locales with diverse soil types.
The species even inhabits swamps, barrier islands, and vacant debris-strewn lots. The species is semiarboreal and are adept climbers. They live in dead trees, rotting stumps, and other tree hollows.
The estimated life span of the species is 8 years. This is based on a single report and the exact lifespan of the species is currently unknown.
4. Great Plains Skink
- Binomial Nomenclature: Plestiodon obsoletus
- Adult Size: 14 to 40 grams (0.49 to 1.41 oz), 4 to 5.5 inches (10 to 14 cm)
- Adult Snout-To-Vent Length: 4 to 5.5 inches (10 to 14 cm)
- Population Trend: Stable
- Conservation Statuses: SNR (No Status Rank on NatureServe), Least Concern on IUCN Red List
The species is endemic to North America, specifically the midwest to the south.
The geographic range is Oklahoma, eastern Missouri, Kansas, New Mexico, and Arizona through southwestern Iowa, southern Nebraska, and northeastern Colorado. In Mexico, the species is endemic to eastern Chihuahua, Coahuila, and northern Durango.
The species generally hide under covers such as under loose rocks or logs. In the western portion of its range, the species live in semiarid regions in mountains, mesas, and canyons.
They are especially endemic to shrubby rock outcrops close to stream courses. Within the eastern half of the species range, they inhabit prairie regions including floodplains, sandhills, canyon bottoms, and rocky areas.
P. obsoletus is large and attains a snout-to-vent length of 4 to 5.5 inches (100 to 140 mm) and a total body length of almost 13.4 inches (34 cm). The species reaches a weight of 14 to 40 grams (0.49 to 1.41 oz).
This is one of the largest skinks. The coloration of the species is black, dark brown, and mottled light grey. Males have patches of orange on the sides of their heads.
P. obsoletus has a life span of 8 years in the wild.
5. Prairie Skink
- Binomial Nomenclature: Plestiodon septentrionalis
- Adult Length: 5 to 9 inches (13 to 22 cm)
- Population Trend: Stable
- Conservation Statuses: SNR (No Status Rank on NatureServe), Least Concern on IUCN Red List
The geographic range of the species is down the middle of North America. In Canada, the species is endemic to southern Manitoba. In the united states, the species was endemic to northwestern Louisiana, coastal texas to western Arkansas, Oklahoma, northern Missouri & Kansas, eastern Nebraska, Iowa, eastern Dakota to northwestern Wisconsin, Minnesota, and southern Manitoba.
In Oklahoma, the species is endemic to central to eastern Oklahoma.
There are two subspecies and these include Northern prairie skink (P. s. septentrionalis) and Southern prairie skink (P. s. obtusirostris). The subspecies endemic to Oklahoma is the southern prairie skink.
P. septentrionalis is a medium-sized skink that reaches a length of 5 to 9 inches (13 to 22 cm). Similar to other skinks, hatchlings, and juveniles have bright bluish tails.
This coloration on the tail fades with time. Adults have brown or tan backs with dark sides. The species also have stripes on their upper body.
Plestiodon septentrionalis is endemic to pine barens and grasslands, grassy dunes, woodlands, forest edges, rocky hillsides, and sandy banks.
6. Little Brown Skink
- Binomial Nomenclature: Scincella lateralis
- Other Common Names: Ground Skink
- Adult Length: 2.95 to 5.75 inches (7.5 to 14.6 cm)
- Adult Snout-To-Vent Length: 2.25 inches (5.7 cm)
- Population Trend: Stable
- Conservation Statuses: SNR (No Status Rank on NatureServe), Least Concern on IUCN Red List
S. lateralis is called the little brown skink because it is a tiny lizard. S. lateralis is considered the smallest lizard in the state.
Adults reach a snout-to-vent length of 2.25 inches. The range length of the lizard is 2.95 to 5.75 inches. The tail makes up about 50% of the total body length.
The upper body of the little brown skink is golden brown or light tan. The underside is yellowish or white. Similar to other skinks, S. lateralis is cylindrical with conical heads, short legs, and long tails. The species is capable of dropping its tails which then regenerate. Hatchlings and juveniles are bronze with black specks on their heads, tails, and body. The juveniles have the most specks on the tail.
The species is endemic to endemic to the eastern United States. The range extends from New Jersey to Kansas in the west, down to Texas, and peninsular Florida. The range within Oklahoma is quite large and covers most of the state. The species is absent from the northwestern regions of Oklahoma. The species is endemic to 22 states in the United States.
This lizard inhabits the Piedmont geographic provinces as well as the coastal plain in the United States. These habitats include deciduous forests with high humidity levels as well as dry upland woodlands close to water bodies such as ponds and streams.
The species isn’t arboreal and lives on the ground as one of its common names (ground skink) suggests. They live underground covers such as leaf litter, loose rocks, and loose soils. The species does burrow underground when temperatures are low.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the southern coal skink endemic to Oklahoma?
The coal skink endemic to Oklahoma is the southern coal skink. This skink is the Plestiodon anthracinus pluvialis which is one of two subspecies of the species Plestiodon anthracinus. The species is considered to be vulnerable according to NatureServe.
Is the little brown skink endemic to Oklahoma?
The little brown skink is another skink endemic to Oklahoma. This skink is the smallest in the state and reaches an average length of 3 to 5.75 inches as an adult. The snout-to-vent length is about 2.25 inches. The little brown skink is also known as the ground skink.
Is the skink a lizard?
Skinks are lizards. In fact, most lizard species are skinks as skinks make up 20% of all lizard species. Skinks belong to the family Scincidae as already mentioned. Since skinks are lizards they are also reptiles and have scales. Skinks characteristically have tiny limbs and no pronounced necks. As such, the heads are generally not distinguished from the body.
What are the lizards in Oklahoma?
There are many lizards in Oklahoma. Including skinks, there are about 18 lizards endemic to the state. Apart from skinks some of these lizards are green anole, house gecko, western earless lizard, texas horn lizard, greater earless lizard, prairie lizard, eastern collared lizard, slender glass lizard, gray-checkered whiptail, prairie racerunner, six-lined racerunner, and the common spotted whiptail.
Conclusion
There are about 6 skinks in Oklahoma and these consist of the coal skink, the common five-lined skink, the broad-headed skink, the Great Plains skink, the prairie skink, and the little brown skink.
These skinks aren’t commonly kept as pets apart from the broad-headed skink. As with most reptiles, in the wild, the skink is best left alone.
So what are skinks? Skinks are lizards that belong to the family Scincidae and these include about 1500 species. Skinks have long bodies, including long tails, and nonprominent necks. In most species, the head and the body are indistinguishable.
All the skinks in Oklahoma are considered not endangered according to the IUCN.
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