Skinks are lizards recognized by their smooth, glossy scales, streamlined bodies, and relatively short limbs. The vivid, electric-blue tail of the young is the source of the common term “blue-tailed skink.” This name does not refer to a single species but describes the juvenile phase of several distinct populations across North America. Understanding their distribution requires knowing which specific species exhibit this striking coloration and the unique ranges they occupy.
Identifying the Species Commonly Called Blue-Tailed Skinks
The term “blue-tailed skink” most often refers to the juveniles of three species within the genus Plestiodon in the eastern United States: the Common Five-lined Skink (Plestiodon fasciatus), the Southeastern Five-lined Skink (Plestiodon inexpectatus), and the Broad-headed Skink (Plestiodon laticeps). Juveniles of all three species share a dark body color, five pale stripes, and a bright blue tail. This coloration is a key anti-predator adaptation. When threatened, the bright color attracts a predator’s attention to the tail, which detaches easily and continues to twitch, allowing the lizard to escape. The blue coloration typically fades as the skinks mature, changing to a more subdued gray, brown, or olive hue in adults.
Geographic Distribution Across North America
The distribution of these skinks spans a large portion of the eastern and central North American continent. The Common Five-lined Skink (P. fasciatus) has the most extensive range, stretching from southern Ontario in Canada south to the Gulf Coast of the United States. Its range extends east from the Atlantic seaboard and west into the central states, reaching Minnesota, Wisconsin, Missouri, eastern Kansas, and Texas.
The Broad-headed Skink (P. laticeps) occupies a slightly more southern and central range. Its distribution covers the southeastern states, extending from southeastern Pennsylvania and central Ohio south to central Florida and the Gulf Coast. This range extends westward into central regions, including Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, eastern Kansas, and Texas. This species is largely absent from the higher elevations of the Appalachian Mountains.
The Southeastern Five-lined Skink (P. inexpectatus) is restricted to the coastal plains and lowlands of the southeastern United States. It is found from northern Virginia, extending south through all of Florida, including the Florida Keys. Its western limit reaches eastern Louisiana and extends northward into southern Kentucky and Tennessee. Its distribution often overlaps with the other two skinks in the Southeast, which can make regional identification challenging.
Preferred Habitats and Microclimates
These three skinks thrive in distinct microclimates within their broader geographic ranges. The Common Five-lined Skink typically prefers moist, wooded areas, often utilizing forest edges and clearings. They depend on structural cover objects for shelter and thermoregulation, frequently using rocky outcrops, decayed logs, stumps, and loose bark for basking and refuge. Females often select secluded nest sites in large, rotting logs to maintain humidity for the developing eggs.
The Broad-headed Skink is the most arboreal of the group, spending a significant amount of time climbing trees. They prefer open forest habitats, particularly those with abundant dead or decaying tree matter, such as hollow trees and large rotting stumps. Their habitat choice often includes sunny openings, where they seek out standing dead trees or large logs, using the cavities for nesting and shelter.
In contrast, the Southeastern Five-lined Skink prefers much drier habitats than its relatives, which helps distinguish it where ranges overlap. These environments include dry pine forests, sandhills, and maritime forests along the coast. While they can be found climbing, they are often located beneath cover objects on the ground, such as logs and tree bark, in these drier woodlands.