Gilbert's Skink

About the Gilbert's Skink

Plestiodon gilberti, commonly known as Gilbert's skink, is a species of heavy-bodied medium-sized lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, and grows to about 7 to 12 cm (3 to 4.5 in) in total length (including tail).

Plestiodon gilberti (formerly Eumeces Gilberti) was coined by John Van Denburgh in honor of Dr. Charles H. Gilbert, who was Denburgh’s professor at Stanford University and inspiration for his involvement in herpetology. Together with the western skink (P. skiltonianus), the San Lucan skink (P. lagunensis), and the four-lined Asiatic skink (P. quadrilineatus), Gilbert's skink belongs to the so-called "skiltonianus group". The exact taxonomy within this group is being questioned and may need revision following DNA analysis research.

There are five subspecies of Plestiodon gilberti, including the nominotypical subspecies. Plestiodon gilberti arizonensis (Lowe & Shannon, 1954) – Arizona skink Plestiodon gilberti gilberti (Van Denburgh, 1896) – greater brown skink

Plestiodon gilberti placerensis (Rodgers, 1944) – northern brown skink Plestiodon gilberti cancellosus... Wikipedia →