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Five-Lined Skink |
Scientific:
Eumeces
fasciatus L. Description:
L 20 cm ((8 in.) Only Ontario lizard species may be present in the
southwest region of the Lake Nipissing watershed. Five distinct
cream-colored stripes run the length of their greenish-black bodies.
Juveniles have a distinct bright blue tail that fades to a bronze color
with age. The scales are not keeled, giving them a smooth, sleek
appearance. Average maximum snout-vent length (SVL) is 86 mm and young
are about 25 mm SVL when hatched. If grasped, the skink can drop its
tail, which will continue to thrash for minutes and provide a
distraction while the skink escapes. Habitat:
Found in a diversity of habitats, including rocky outcrops, dunes
and sandy areas, and other early successional habitats such as open
forests and fields. They show a strong affinity for rocky, open areas.
Very specific microhabitat requirements: warm, humid areas, often near
permanent bodies of water. Cover objects, such as rocks and wood, are
important microhabitat for thermoregulation, hiding, and nesting. Life
History: Sexual maturity is reached around 21 months and they mate
in the late spring. During their breeding season, males develop bright
orange colouration around the jaws and chin that is used to identify the
sex of other skinks and to attract females. Females lay 9 to 10 eggs
(sometimes in communal sites). They guard their eggs, rarely leaving
them unattended, and will even relocate a nest if it is disturbed. Eggs
hatch from late July to early August. They hibernate in cavities in dead
wood or underground, often in communal sites. Similar
Species: Salamanders, five-lined skinks are reptiles and have scales
as opposed to the smooth, moist skin of amphibians (salamanders, newts,
frogs, etc). Ecology:
Active in the day and make short foraging trips. They move very
quickly and are excellent burrowers and climbers. They eat insects,
crustaceans, earthworms, arachnids, and may cannibalize other, smaller
skinks. Skinks have many natural predators, including hawks, racoons,
foxes, weasels, some small mammals, and snakes. Threats:
Habitat loss and degradation due to land development, microhabitat
loss from human disturbance, Illegal collection for the pet trade, nest
depredation by human-subsidized predators such as racoons and road
mortality What
you can do: Report sighting to the local OMNR, minimize disturbance
to skink habitat by leaving cover objects in place.
Compiled by: Joe Crowley, University of Guelph. |
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