The Southeastern Five-lined Skink
(Eumeces inexpectatus) is native to the southeastern
areas of the United States of America. Their conservation
status is unknown at this point as they have yet to
be evaluated by the IUCN.
The Southeastern Five-lined Skink grow to lengths of
8.5 inches and can be distinguished by the five-lines
they sport, as their name suggests. These lines run
down their back from their head to their tail. When
young, these skinks are a bluish color, and these stripes
tend to be orangish-red near the head and fade to black-dark
blue the rest of the way. As the Southeastern
Five-lined Skink ages, their color and stripes
tend to fade to a brownish color. The middle stripe
is narrower than the stripes on either side. Juveniles
also have a purple colored tail which darkens with age.
Diurnal
and terrestrial,
the Southeastern Five-lined Skink commonly
inhabits both damp and dry wooded areas, and areas with
a lot of dead leaf and tree litter. Small islands off
the southeastern coast are also home to this skink.
Their primary food source is insects, and they hunt
for larger ones like crickets,
grasshoppers or cockroaches
first.
An oviparous species, the Southern Five-lined Skink
lays eggs in clutches of 6 to 12. The female Southern
Five-lined Skink protects the eggs, which hatch
about 1 month later.
Take a look at our Southeastern
Five-lined Skink Pictures in our Lizard
Gallery.
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