Little Brown Skink

About the Little Brown Skink

Scincella lateralis, formerly Lygosoma laterale is a small species of skink found throughout much of the eastern half of the United States, and into northern Mexico. The ground skink differs from the majority of North American lizard species in that it is generally considered a forest dweller. Common names for this species include the little brown skink and the ground skink. However, the common name, ground skink, may refer to any species in the genus Scincella.

The little brown skink is one of the smallest reptiles in North America, with a total length (including tail) of only 3 - 5.5 inches (7.5 - 14.5 cm)and 1 to 2 grams in body mass. Its back is typically a coppery brown color with a white or yellow underside, dark coloration running laterally from eyes to tail and like most skinks has an elongated body and short legs. Transparent disks in the lower eyelids allow it to see with its eyes closed (Beane 2006, Palmer et al. 1995). Females tend to grow faster and be larger than males. Teeth size and amount for this species is more strongly correlated with snout-vent length than head size. Scincella lateralis exhibits sexual dimorphism where the females are generally... Wikipedia →