northern Many-lined SkinkPlestiodon multivirgatus multivirgatus
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Map accurate as of 1/31/2024
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General Distribution: This species can be found in southern South Dakota, northern and western Nebraska, and southeastern Wyoming southwest through eastern and southern Colorado, western Texas, throughout New Mexico, northeastern Arizona and the southeastern corner of Utah.
Colorado Distribution: The Many-lined Skink occurs in northeastern and east-central Colorado below 5,500 ft as well as south-central to southwestern Colorado below 8,500 ft elevation.
Colorado Distribution: The Many-lined Skink occurs in northeastern and east-central Colorado below 5,500 ft as well as south-central to southwestern Colorado below 8,500 ft elevation.
Conservation Status: Designated as a Non-game Species in Colorado. A Scientific Collection Permit from Colorado Parks & Wildlife is required to capture or handle this species (see State of Colorado regulations here). NatureServe rank: G5 (Globally Secure), S4 (State Secure). A threat to this species is loss of habitat to agricultural use. Hammerson (1999) considered populations in south-central and southwestern Colorado to be a different species than populations in northeastern Colorado, although this view has not been widely adopted to date.
Diagnostic Features
- Smooth, shiny cycloid scales with smooth edges that overlap tightly.
- The tail (when unbroken) is 1.5-2 times the body (snout-vent) length.
- Counting from the mid-dorsum, striped individuals have a white stripe in scale row 3.
- Juveniles are striped with a blue tail but have darker bodies than adults.
- Most individuals striped with alternating light and dark stripes.
- Unpatterned individuals (seen infrequently in populations outside of Colorado) are overall sandy buff to light gray in coloration (Bartlett & Bartlett 2013).
- In eastern Colorado, these skinks have dark markings on scale rows 1 & 2 that do not form a zig zag pattern, while in south-central and southwestern Colorado, individuals usually have conspicuous white dorsolateral stripes; dark markings along stripes appear to make a zig-zag pattern.
- Males in breeding coloration develop orange to red pigment on their labial (lip) scales.
- Juveniles have bright blue tails, dark bodies and a variable number of stripes.
Size: The maximum Snout-Vent Length (SVL) is 3 in. (76 mm), with the tail, when unbroken, 1.5 to 2 times the body length. Males have a smaller body size than females, with the male average SVL 1.8 to 3.1 inches (46–78 mm) and the female average SVL of 1.9 to 2.8 in. (49–70 mm; Livo 2009).
Habitat: Ranging in elevations from 1475 ft (450 m) up to 8500 ft (2,590 m), Many-lined Skinks occupy a variety of habitats, including high shortgrass plains and sandhills in the northeastern portion of their range. In the southern portion of their range these lizards may also occupy rocky areas, such as canyons or mountains, or wooded or brushy habitats, such as open coniferous forest or sandy greasewood, with plenty of cover (Hammerson 1999; Livo 2009).
Activity: Southern individuals may be active between February and October, though more northerly populations typically begin activity in April or May through September (Livo 2009). Hibernation takes place underground (Hammerson 1999). During the activity season the Many-lined Skink is diurnal (active during the day; Lewis 2011).
Reproduction: Little specific information is available for Colorado populations. Females of this species deposit 3 to 9 eggs (average 3–5) in a burrow between May and August after breeding. Eastern populations deposit eggs in mid-May to early-June, while western populations most likely deposit their eggs in June or July. Young emerge in mid-July in eastern Colorado and August in western Colorado (Hammerson 1999). The female remains with the eggs and continues to stay with the hatchlings for several days after hatching. The female helps regulate the humidity and temperature of the eggs to facilitate development by covering the eggs with debris and basking and then transferring the warmth to the eggs (Livo 2009; Lewis 2011).
Feeding & Diet: Many-lined Skinks eat small invertebrates such as spiders, grasshoppers and beetle larvae (Livo 2009).
Defenses from Predation: The tail of a young Many-lined Skink is bright blue and is thought to divert predators from attacking the main portion of the body. The tail is autotomous, meaning the lizard may detach its tail in order to escape from predators. The tail may be regrown after autotomy, but the regrown tail will not be as long as the original (Livo 2009). There is little information as to what predators may prey upon this species in Colorado, with one record of predation by an American Kestrel.
Cited & Additional Resources
Bartlett,R. D., P. P. Bartlett. 2013. New Mexico’s Reptiles & Amphibians A Field Guide. University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Degenhardt, W. G., C. W. Painter, and A. H. Price. 1996. Amphibians and Reptiles of New Mexico, First Edition. University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque, New Mexico. .
Dixon, J. R. 2013. Amphibians and Reptiles of Texas, Third Edition. Texas A&M University Press, College Station, Texas.
Fogell, D. D. 2010. A Field Guide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of Nebraska. University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska.
Hammerson, G. A. 1999. Amphibians and Reptiles in Colorado Second Edition. University Press of Colorado & Colorado Division of Wildlife, Niwot, Colorado.
Lewis, D. 2011. A Field Guide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of Wyoming. The Wyoming Naturalist, Douglas, Wyoming.
Livo, Lauren J. 2009. Many Lined Skink, pp. 452-455 in Lizards of the American Southwest. Editors Lawrence L. C. Jones, and Robert E. Lovich, Rio Nuevo Publishers, Tucson, Arizona.
Degenhardt, W. G., C. W. Painter, and A. H. Price. 1996. Amphibians and Reptiles of New Mexico, First Edition. University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque, New Mexico. .
Dixon, J. R. 2013. Amphibians and Reptiles of Texas, Third Edition. Texas A&M University Press, College Station, Texas.
Fogell, D. D. 2010. A Field Guide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of Nebraska. University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska.
Hammerson, G. A. 1999. Amphibians and Reptiles in Colorado Second Edition. University Press of Colorado & Colorado Division of Wildlife, Niwot, Colorado.
Lewis, D. 2011. A Field Guide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of Wyoming. The Wyoming Naturalist, Douglas, Wyoming.
Livo, Lauren J. 2009. Many Lined Skink, pp. 452-455 in Lizards of the American Southwest. Editors Lawrence L. C. Jones, and Robert E. Lovich, Rio Nuevo Publishers, Tucson, Arizona.
Account compiled by: Celina Bycenski
Reviewed by: Lauren Livo (text & map)
Last updated: 4/14/2022 by Rémi Pattyn
Reviewed by: Lauren Livo (text & map)
Last updated: 4/14/2022 by Rémi Pattyn
Suggested Citation
Colorado Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation. 2014. Species account for Many-lined Skink (Plestiodon multivirgatus). Compiled by Celina Bycenski. http://www.coparc.org/many-lined-skink.html [accessed date here]. Editor: Lauren Livo.
Colorado Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation. 2014. Species account for Many-lined Skink (Plestiodon multivirgatus). Compiled by Celina Bycenski. http://www.coparc.org/many-lined-skink.html [accessed date here]. Editor: Lauren Livo.
