Great Basin Skink (Plestiodon skiltonianus utahensis)
Description: Small, thin, glossy lizards with light and dark stripes down the back and sides. Dark stripe extends onto the tail. Tail blue or gray. Skinks have a slim, cylindrical body with smooth, shiny, round scales, and relatively short legs. Body size 2 to 3 inches; total length to 8 inches, giving the impression of a long, thin body and tail. Dorsum striped: broad, light brown stripe down middle of the back; dark and light stripes down the sides. Stripes start ahead of the eye, and dark stripe extends onto the tail. Venter whitish or gray. Stripes fade with age, but always present. Scales round and smooth. Legs small. During breeding season, orange to pinkish margin of lower jaw and ventral side of tail. Juveniles: Stripes are brighter (more contrasting); a bright cobalt blue tail.
Habitat: Grassland, woodlands, pine forests, chaparral, especially in open sunny areas such as clearings and the edges of creeks and rivers. Prefers rocky areas near streams with lots of vegetation. Also found in areas away from water.
Range: Utah; Type locality: “souheastern edge of Cedar Valley, approximately half mile directly west of Chimney Rock, Utah County, Utah”
Diet: Their diet ranges widely, including spiders and beetles.
Reproduction: The reproductive season for this species varies geographically and from year to year depending on local conditions. Mating probably occurs in the spring soon after emergence. Males turn orange on the underside when they are breeding. Females lay 2–6 eggs during June and July. Western skinks' eggs hatch in the months of July and August; the exact time differs by geographic location. They reach sexual maturity at around 3 years, and live up to 9 years.
Status: Listed as Least Concern in view of its wide distribution, tolerance of a broad range of habitats, presumed large population, and because it is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category.
Disclaimer: ITIS taxonomy is based on the latest scientific consensus available, and is provided as a general reference source for interested parties. However, it is not a legal authority for statutory or regulatory purposes. While every effort has been made to provide the most reliable and up-to-date information available, ultimate legal requirements with respect to species are contained in provisions of treaties to which the United States is a party, wildlife statutes, regulations, and any applicable notices that have been published in the Federal Register. For further information on U.S. legal requirements with respect to protected taxa, please contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
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