Description: The southern coal skink is secretive and few people know about it. This lizard is small, shiny, and brownish tan, with broad, dark stripes down the sides. The general color is tan, brown, or olive brown. The stripe on the side can be brown or black, is bordered by a thin light line above and below, and is 2 to 4 scales wide. There are no light stripes on the head. During the breeding season, adult males have dark orange on the sides of the head. Hatchlings are black with faint lines running down the back and sides.

Habitat: The more humid portions of wooded hillsides with abundant leaf litter or loose stones are favorite habitats. Coal skinks' habitat may also include areas around springs and rocky bluffs overlooking creek valleys. If pursued, they will take refuge in shallow water, going to the bottom and hiding under stones or debris.

Range: The southern coal skink can be found on the eastern Gulf coast from the Florida panhandle to Louisiana as well as west of the Mississippi from eastern Kansas and central Missouri to eastern Texas and northern Louisiana. Scattered intermingled occurrences of both subspecies occur in Alabama and in Georgia.

Found in these States: AL | AR | FL | GA | LA | MO | OK | TX |

Diet: Eats a variety of small insects and spiders.

Reproduction: The coal skink mates in spring or early summer, laying a clutch of 8 or 9 eggs. The young hatch after four to five weeks and are about 2.0 inches long. The hatchlings have a blue tail; those of the northern coal skink are striped like the adults. Mating ocurs in late winter and early spring. Lays clutch of about 6 to 11 eggs, April to June; eggs hatch in about 5 weeks; female attends eggs during incubation.

Status: Listed as Least Concern in view of the large and apparently relatively stable extent of occurrence, area of occupancy, number of subpopulations, and population size. No major threats are known.

Taxonomy: