Missouri Department of Conservation
Home » Discover Nature » Field Guide

Southern Coal Skink

Plestiodon anthracinus pluvialis
Family: 
Scincidae (skinks) in the order Squamata (lizards and snakes)
Description: 

Few people know about this secretive lizard. They have a wide, coal-black line along their sides. During the breeding season males have an orange head.

Size: 
Average length is from 5 to 6 inches.
Habitat and conservation: 
Occurs in forests near streams, rivers or sloughs. Seems to prefer open, damp, rock-strewn woods where it takes shelter under logs, bark, leaf litter or rocks. They are seldom seen because they quickly hide when approached.
Foods: 
Eats a variety of small insects and spiders.
Distribution in Missouri: 
Coal skinks live on rocky glades in the southern half of the state.

Other Content You May Like

  • Broad-Headed Skink

    This large, harmless, smooth-scaled lizard lives along the edge of forests and woodlots. It often makes its home in a large dead tree, sometimes using abandoned woodpecker holes or other cavities.

  • Five-Lined Skink

    Often called the "blue-tailed" skink, this is Missouri's most common skink. It has five light lines from the head to the base of the tail. Adult females have brighter stripes than adult males.

  • Great Plains Skink

    A tan or light brown lizard with most of the scales edged in black, making it look speckled. These markings may form irregular lines along the back and sides.

  • Little Brown Skink

    Little brown skinks are Missouri's smallest species of lizard, and they are brown! These ground-dwellers also have dark brown or black stripes and speckling along their sides. When walking along a forest trail, hikers may hear the sound of small lizards scurrying through dead leaves, but they seldom see them.

  • Northern Prairie Skink

    There are two subspecies of prairie skinks in Missouri, and they look quite similar. In general, they both have longer tails than all other Missouri skinks. In Missouri, these lizards are rare.

  • The Lizards of Missouri

    We have nothing to fear from Missouri's 13 species of lizards

  • Eastern Collared Lizard

    Video of an Eastern collared lizard in the wild.

MDC's Mission, Vision, Priorities

MDC protects and manages Missouri's fish, forest, and wildlife resources.

We also facilitate your participation in resource-management activities, and we provide opportunities for you to use, enjoy and learn about nature.

Find out more

don't move firewood
Shortened URL
http://mdc.mo.gov/node/6690
Serving Nature and You

MDC protects and manages Missouri's fish, forest, and wildlife resources.
We also facilitate your participation in resource-management activities, and we provide opportunities for you to use, enjoy and learn about nature.

Featured Pic

Check out the featured picture and other images at the MDC Media Gallery

Visit the media gallery
Popular Topics

Follow MDC on Twitter Facebook YouTube Flickr Pinterest Slideshare MDC RSS feeds

© 2013 Conservation Commission of Missouri. All rights reserved.