Reptiles of North Carolina

Scientific Name:	Common Name:		Family (Alpha):

NC Records
Scincidae Members:
Scincella lateralis - Little Brown Skink

Photo: Z. Lunn, J. Baxley

Photo: A. Early

Photo: M. Shields

Taxonomy

Class: Reptilia

Order: Squamata

Family: Scincidae

Subfamily: Lygosominae

Other Common Name(s): Ground Skink


Taxonomic Comments: This is the sole member of this genus occurring in North America (SSAR, 2017) and the only member of the subfamily Lygosominae. Powell et al. (2016) includes it in a separate family, the Sphenomorphidae (Forest Skinks), from our other skinks.
Species Comments:

Identification

Description: Our smallest lizard and recognizable as a skink by its smooth, polished scales and relatively short legs. Although it is similar in overall morphology and coloration to some of our Plethodontid salamanders, it has dry, scaly skin rather than the moist, unscaled skin typical of salamanders.
It can usually be identified by good quality photographs showing the head or the body in dorso-lateral view.

Field Marks: This small, completely brown-shaded skink is likely to be confused only with the Coal Skink in North Carolina, and only in the small area in the southern mountains where the ranges of these two species intersect. Both are similar in size and have a tan dorsal surface and a dark band on the sides. However, the dark band in the Coal Skink is bounded by light stripes, which are lacking in the Little Brown Skink. Juvenile Coal Skinks, like other member of Plestiodon have bright blue on the tails and males of this species develop red shading on the sides of the head, which does not occur in Scincella.

Morphological Features: This species differs from members of Plestiodon in its possession of a transparent area in the lower eyelid. Maximum head-body length in NC: 1.7" (42mm), males; 2.0" (50mm), females (Palmer and Braswell, 1995).

Technical Reference: Palmer and Braswell (1995)

Field Guide Descriptions: Beane et al. (2010)

Online Photos: Google iNaturalist GBIF

Observation Methods: Little Brown Skinks are often detected by the rustling sounds they make in running through the leaf litter. They can also be found by turning over woody debris or trash.

Distribution in North Carolina

Distribution Comments: Little Brown Skinks occur across most of the state, from the Blue Ridge Escarpment to the Barrier Islands. Most records from the mountains are from fairly low elevations (below 4,000').
Distribution Reference: Palmer and Braswell (1995); NCMNS Herpetology Collection Database (accessed 2023-01)
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.

Key Habitat Requirements

Habitat: Little Brown Skinks are ground-dwelling species that need abundant leaf litter or other ground cover for foraging and sheltering. Although they have been observed in open fields (Palmer and Braswell, 1995), they appear to be associated primarily with forests, particularly those dominated by hardwoods or having a mixture of hardwoods and conifers. The presence of hardwood leaf litter, under which they shelter, appears to be a main requirement, although Brooks (1967) found more individuals in areas with more pines. Most of our records come from upland habitats, including dry maritime forests and sandhills, mesic slopes, and dry ridges. Additionally, we have at least a few from floodplain habitats, including records from the floodplains of the Roanoke and Tar Rivers (Hall, pers. obs.). Palmer and Braswell note, however, that they avoid "excessively wet areas." Records appear to be absent from extensive areas of pond pine woodlands and other peatlands, as are records from cypress-gum swamp forests.

Environmental and Physiological Tolerances: The range of this species in North Carolina appears to be limited primarily by low temperature, with populations in the mountains occurring only at relatively low elevations and only in the southern tier of counties.

Adaptations to Natural Disturbances: Sutton et al. (2014) and others have found substantial decreases in population size in Little Brown Skinks following a fire, possibly related to a decrease in leaf litter. Population levels are restored to pre-burn levels fairly quickly, however, within the year following the burn.

Biotic Relationships: Little Brown Skinks feed mainly on small arthropods. In Georgia specimens examined by Hamilton and Pollack (1961), beetles, true bugs, and spiders were the most commonly consumed prey, with Lepidopteran caterpillars, Hymenoptera (probably mainly ants), and Orthoptera (probably mainly ground crickets) also making up appreciable fractions. Additionally, myriapods and isopods are eaten as are mites and molluscs (small land snails and slugs). Little Brown Skinks themselves are the prey of several snakes and birds; the larger wolf spiders also feed on them.

Life History and Autecology

Terrestrial Life History: Little Brown Skinks occupy permanent home ranges, the spatial knowledge of which helps guide them to refuges when predators threaten (Brooks, 1967). The home ranges of males are larger and overlap between individuals. Females may be territorial, occupying smaller, non-overlapping ranges which they may defend against intrusions by other females. Dispersal appears to be done mainly by young individuals.

General Ecology

Community Ecology: Little Brown Skinks belong to detritivore food web, feeding on many species of leaf-litter invertebrates and fed upon by larger predators, including snakes, larger lizards such as Broad-headed Skinks, birds, and mammals.

Adverse Environmental Impacts

Habitat Loss: Vast areas of the state that once supported the forests occupied by this species have been converted to agriculture or urbanized areas and no longer support this species.

Habitat Fragmentation: As in our other terrestrial reptiles, major highways probably represent impassible barriers to the movements of this species.

Status in North Carolina

NHP State Rank: S5

Global Rank: G5

Populations: The distribution of this species is probably fairly continuous across most of the state, at least within wooded areas, but may be naturally divided by some of the larger rivers, especially those with extensive, frequently inundated floodplains.

Status Comments: As an abundant inhabitant of most types of forests, this species appears to be secure within the state.

Photo Gallery for Scincella lateralis - Little Brown Skink		12 photos are shown.
	Recorded by: Erich Hofmann and Kayla Weinfurther New Hanover Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Travis McLain Montgomery Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Tom Howe Swain Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Tom Howe Swain Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Tom Howe Swain Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Travis McLain Stanly Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Travis McLain Burke Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Travis McLain Rowan Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Travis McLain Cabarrus Co. Comment:	Recorded by: A. Early Stanly Co. Comment: MOMO - Obs. in Family Campground
	Recorded by: Z. Lunn, J. Baxley Scotland Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Mark Shields Onslow Co. Comment:

Scincella lateralis - Little Brown Skink

Photo Gallery for Scincella lateralis - Little Brown Skink

12 photos are shown.