Plestiodon tetragrammus
Species of lizard
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The four-lined skink (Plestiodon tetragrammus)[3] is a species of lizard, which is endemic to North America. It is a medium-sized member of the Plestiodon skinks.
| Four-lined skink | |
|---|---|
| |
| Plestiodon t. tetragrammus, municipality of Aldama, Tamaulipas, Mexico | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Family: | Scincidae |
| Genus: | Plestiodon |
| Species: | P. tetragrammus |
| Binomial name | |
| Plestiodon tetragrammus Baird, 1859 | |
 | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Taxonomy
At least two subspecies are recognized, including the nominotypical subspecies:
- Long-lined skink, P. t. tetragrammus Baird, 1859
- Short-lined skink, P. t. brevilineatus (Cope, 1880)
Some herpetologists also consider the mountain skink (Plestiodon callicephalus) to be a subspecies of Plestiodon tetragrammus under the name P. t. callicephalus. Others, however, prefer to treat the mountain skink as a distinct species because its range is geographically distinct and there are morphological differences.
Description
The two subspecies can be distinguished by their color and their stripes. The long-lined skink is gray to light brown in color and has light stripes from the eyes extending to beyond its forelegs, whereas the short-lined skink is darker in color and has stripes that end before the forelegs.
Juveniles of both subspecies have — like many Plestiodon — a blue tail; this color fades with age.
Adults reach a maximum SVL (Snout-Vent-Length) of some 7.5 cm (about 3 inches), and a TL (total length) of about 18 cm (7.1 in).
Geographic range
Habitat
Both subspecies live in lightly wooded areas, with the short-lined skink having a preference for rocky areas, whereas the long-lined skink is also found in grasslands.
Reproduction
The female lays about 5 to 12 eggs once a year, which she broods. Males develop orange (short-lined skink) to red (long-lined skink) coloration of the head during the breeding season.