Lizards of Kentucky

Sceloporus undulatus

Common Name: Eastern Fence Lizard

Family: Phrynosomatidae

ID: Strongly keeled, overlapping scales; grayish dorsum; males with blue blotches on venter and under throat

Statewide Distribution

Males highly territorial, using push-ups to defend territories and in courtship

Hemidactylus turcicus

Common Name: Mediterranean House Gecko

Family: Gekkonidae

ID: small scales; pinkish to tannish semi-translucent body; lack eyelids; numerous tubercles

Restricted to urban settings

Nocturnal, only active on warm nights

Podarcis muralis

Common Name: Common Wall Lizard

Family: Lacertidae

ID: flattened body with small scales; grayish to brownish green dorsum, often with 3 diffuse stripes

Native to Europe

Found in Cincinnati metro area

Introduced

Aspidoscelis sexlineatus

Common Name: Six-lined Racerunner

Family: Teiidae

ID: slender bodied with 6 thin yellow stripes from eye to base of tail; plate-like ventral scales larger than dorsal scales; bright green/blue sides on adult males; femoral pores

Most active during warmest part of the day

Fastest lizard

Scincella lateralis

Common Name: Little Brown Skink

Family: Scincidae

ID: slender; short limbs; smooth, shiny overlapping scales; two dark dorsolateral stripes from eye to tail; lower eyelid transparent; as with all skinks the dorsal and ventral scales are the same size

Basically statewide

Primarily fossorial

Plestiodon anthracinus

Common Name: Coal Skink

Family: Scincidae

ID: shiny, smooth, overlapping scales; broad dark stripes (4 scale rows wide) and two yellow stripes along each side; single postmental scale on lower jaw; 6-7 labial scales

Restricted range mostly SE KY

SGCN

Plestiodon inexpectatus

Common Name: Southeastern Five-lined Skink

Family: Scincidae

ID: smooth, overlapping, glossy scales; 5 stripes fade with age; no enlarged scales in middle row of tail; two postlabial scales; usually four labial scales before eye

Oviparous

Eats mostly invertebrates

Restricted range

Plestiodon fasciatus

Common Name: Common Five-lined Skink

Family: Scincidae

ID: smooth, overlapping, glossy scales; stripes fade with age; enlarged scales in middle row of tail; usually four labial scales before eye

Statewide distribution

Plestiodon laticeps

Common Name: Broad-headed Skink

Family: Scincidae

ID: overlapping, smooth scales; stripes fade with age; enlarged scales in middle row of tail; males have large jaws; usually 5 labial scales

Statewide Distribution

Eat invertebrates, other skinks, and some small vertebrates

Ophisaurus attenuatus

Common Name: Slender Glass Lizard

Family: Anguidae

ID: legless; tail 2/3 of TL; dark middorsal stripe; lateral fold along body

Limited Distribution

SGCN

Eat arthropods and vertebrates