The four-lined skink (Plestiodon tetragrammus) is from North America, a medium sized lizard, which is easily distinguished by their color and stripes. Four-lined Skink Image by David Barker via iNaturalist Younger skinks have vivid colors when compared to adults. Juveniles have bright blue tails that will fade and turn gray when they reach adulthood. They have another pale stripe starting on the upper jaw and carrying on down the first broad dark band on the side of the head and extends into the tail. These skinks are easily be identified apart from the other species by their broad brown or black band that starts on the side of the head and goes all the way down the body to past the back legs.Īdults have a brown strip on their back which is edged with black and bordered with white on each side. It is one of five lizard species found in Canada, spending their day soaking up the sun. The western skink (Plestiodon skiltonianus) is a smooth scaled lizard with small limbs that grows up to eight inches or twenty centimeters. Western Skink Western skink lizard with a blue tail Juveniles boast bright blue tails which fade as they age. This is a small lizard that only grows up to nine inches or twenty centimeters.Īdults are brown or tan with darker coloration on the sides and thin light stripes along the sides at the back. The prairie skink (Plestiodon septentrionalis) comes from the east of the Rocky Mountains and is one of seven lizard species found in Canada. Juveniles are either black or drank brown with bright blue tails. Males can be distinguished by the brown or orange coloration with bright orange heads during the mating seasons, while females have light stripes that run down the back and tail. These skinks have a very wide jaw which gives their head a triangular look. This skink can grow up to 9 inches or 33 centimeters. The broad-headed skink (Plestiodon laticeps) is native to the southeastern United States and is the largest of the Plestiodon skinks. These skinks tend to grow up to six inches or fifteen centimeters. Males show a spectacular orange on their sides when it’s mating season. Tail regeneration is common with these skinks, but when tails regrow or when the skink ages, the tail tends to change from bright blue to a pinkish color. The mole skink lizard, or better known as the bluetail mole skink is a cylindrical lizard that is shiny and brown in color with juveniles boasting a bright blue tail, bearing in mind the tail takes up more than half the entire reptile’s length. The mole skink (Plestiodon egregius) is from the Southeastern United States and is a small sized lizard. Mole Skink A juvenile mole skink lizard with its blue tail Juvenile Mountain Skinks have a strikingly blue tail, but unlike some of the other skink species, these do not lose the color as they age, it may fade but they hold onto the blue tail into adulthood. The head shows a distinct Y shape in a lighter colored pattern. These medium sized skinks can breach up to 3 inches or 7 centimeters with a brown body and black stripes down the side. The mountain skink (Plestiodon callicephalus) is a medium sized member of the Plestiodon skinks, which are native to North America. Mountain Skink Image by Nathan via iNaturalist Juveniles tend to have blue tails and are often called “scorpions” as their blue tails are believed to be venomous, but this is completely false and while the skink can give quite a nip, it is not dangerous to humans. Males have reddish sides to their heads during mating season. There is a light strip on the edge of the third and fourth row of scales. These skinks are identified by the large lateral stripe, which is approximately four scales in width with no light lines on the top of the head. The coal skink has four distinct stripes that extend to the tail. The coal skink (Plestiodon anthracinus) comes from North America, growing up to 7.1 inches (18 centimeters). Coal Skink Image by er-birds via iNaturalist These lizards may have striking blue tails that stay blue their entire lives, they may only have blue tails when they are juveniles or they may have a splash or dot of blue that makes them unique. There are 16 different lizards with blue tails you may come across, these include: Did you see a lizard with a blue tail and want to know what it is? There are a number of lizards with blue tails you may see in your yard or when you are out and about in the United States and Canada.
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