Description
The Prairie Skink is brown with a series of light
stripes that run down its back onto the tail. Breeding males have
orange on their heads. Juveniles have bright blue tails. The
Prairie Skink can grow to just over 20 cm in total length, counting
the tail which can be longer than the body.
Confusing Species
There are no other lizards in Manitoba. The only other
skinks in Canada are found in British Columbia (Western Skink) and southern Ontario (Five-lined Skink).
Distribution
Prairie Skinks in Canada are disjunct from the main
distribution in the US. In Manitoba it is limited to a areas along
the Assiniboine River. To the south, the Prairie Skink is found in
a narrow band through the US to the Gulf Coast.
Habitat
In Manitoba, the Prairie Skink is limited to sandy
areas along the Assiniboine River. The soft sand allows the skink
to burrow down suffficiently into the ground to successfully
overwinter.
Reproduction
Breeding occurs in the spring and the female can lay
from 5-18 eggs. The female broods the eggs until they hatch during
the summer.
Natural history
The Prairie Skink is often found under rocks, boards,
or in leaf litter. It is an active hunter consuming a variety of
insects and other invertebrates. If attacked, the lizard's tail
will break off at a fracture plane. The twitching tail distracts
the potential preadator while the skink escapes. A new tail is
eventually re-grown.
Conservation Concerns
Limited to only a small area in Manitoba and
disconnected from populations to the south, the Prairie Skink faces
a number of risks. In addition to habitat destruction, it is at
the extreme limit of its distribution and can only survive within
specialized sandy habitats. COSEWIC has
designated the Prairie Skink Vulnerable in Canada.
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