Appearance
The little brown skink is one of the smallest reptiles in North America, with a total length of only 3 - 5.5 inches . Its back is typically a coppery brown color with a white or yellow underside, and like most skinks has an elongated body and short legs. Transparent disks in the lower eyelids allow it to see with its eyes closed .
Naming
Common names for this species include the little brown skink and the ground skink. However, the common name, ground skink, may refer to any species in the genus ''Scincella''.
Status
The little brown skink is a widespread and common species in most of its range. It is of conservation concern only on the northern edge of its range and can be seen in grassland or forest.Behavior
The ground skink is a fossorial species, spending the majority of its time buried in leaf litter on the forest floor. Unlike other skinks, it seldom climbs trees. Its usual means of locomotion is to wriggle through the leaf litter with undulating movements. It may dive under water when pursued, although normally avoids wet areas. It is largely diurnal, but may be active at night as well. It hibernates during the coldest months, but may be active in almost any month of the year in North Carolina . As befits a tiny lizard, the home range of an individual may be as small as 20 square meters .Habitat
''S. lateralis'' lives in a variety of habitats, including deciduous or mixed deciduous/coniferous forests, hedgerows, and the edges of streams and ponds. It does require a deep substrate, such as leaf litter.Reproduction
Sexually mature ''S. lateralis'' females lay small clutches of 1-6 eggs in moist soil, rotting logs, falling logs, or under rocks. Eggs are laid during the summer, March through August in the Southern United States. There may be more than one clutch per year. In contrast to ''Eumeces'' species, the female ground skink does not guard its eggs . Eggs hatch in one to two months, and young are sexually mature at one year of age.Food
The diet of the little brown skink consists of small insects, spiders, and other arthropoda, such as isopods.References:
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