Long-tailed Skink

Inset: egg clutch

Description: A large skink, up to 40 cm in total length; 10-14 cm in snout-vent length. Back tan or reddish-brown; with dark brown stripe on each side, which extends from eye along the side to hind leg. Lower flanks whitish, tinged with green, thickly speckled with brown. Both juveniles and adults may have faint indications of black spotting or striping dorsally. Mid-dorsal scales keeled. Head rather long. Labials yellow with black barring. Underside greenish yellow or yellow. Tail very long and whip-like; with keeled scales. Legs brown.

Habits and habitat: Occurs in many areas of the territory, up to at least 500 m. Prefers dry hilly areas with tall grass or shrubland and many large boulders. A sun-loving lizard, often seen basking on boulders or retaining walls. Occasionally wanders about on warm nights. An extremely swift lizard; very alert and nervous. When alarmed, scurries rapidly over rocks into a crevice or thick undergrowth. Often bites when restrained.

Diet: Feeds on large insects such as crickets and grasshoppers as well as earthworms.

Reproduction: Breeds in spring and lays up to 16 eggs under rocks or in holes in walls, often alongside those of geckoes. Eggs oval in shape, about 1.8 cm long. They hatch in 1.5 months. Hactchlings about 8-10.5 cm in total length.

Distribution: Quite widespread in Hong Kong and fairly common in some areas of the New Territories. Also present on a number of small islands (Cheung Chau). In the Sokos is known from several tiny islets. Extends from extreme southern China including Taiwan, to Southeast Asia.

Diagnostic features: Large skink; back tan brown; wide black stripe on upper flanks extending to hind legs; lower flanks yellowish; mid-dorsal scales keeled; tail twice as long as body.