Attention All You Herpetologists - Can I Get an ID

[Lava Lamp]

I encountered this animal for the first time today. I'm pretty sure I know what he is, but would like a second opinion from Dr. Herp & Co.....

[paulnj]

looks like a 5 lined skink to me ;)

[Lava Lamp]

looks like a 5 lined skink to me ;)

I'm thinking broad-headed skink, but I'm no expert.

By the way, I saw a little more of NJ about two weeks ago -- went down the turnpike from Newark to a place called East Windsor (near Princeton). Didn't see much wildlife or get to do any shooting, but it looked like there were woods enough to be almost rural in places. There was a nature preserve on the map, but I was jus tin and out and couldn't stop.

[paulnj]

I googled the broud-headed and it seems they have a black band on it's face and broud banding. The five lined has the lines fade with age.I am not sure of the ID, but it looks 5 lined to me.

That would be Assumpink I bet, which is right near east windsor. You would have found very few spring birds 2 weeks ago, but maybe a few left over ducks, some bobwhite(elusive), swans, thrushes , osprey and eagle. Right now this state is on fire with migrants though. I know you come hear on business, but northern NJ and farther south are the less populated areas. Obviously the TP, parkway and major interstates have lots of population around them, but not far south and north. North is my birding area.

[almo]

Five Lined Skink, Eumeces fasciatus

They resemble broad heads, but they lack the "broad head", with a more typically lizard like shape. The females of both species lack the red heads of the males.



Here is a Broadhead Skink, Eumeces laticpes, for reference

[Lava Lamp]

Ah, thank you. I had prveiously only seen the juvenile and female varieties with the blue tails and more pronounced stripes. Also, this particular male was quite a bit larger than any of the blue tails I've seen.

Gotta go fidn that broad head now, I think...