Reptiles · Squamata · Scincidae

Orange-tailed Skink

Eumeces schneideri

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

Schneider's skink or golden skink is a robust lizard with smooth, shiny scales and orange markings on its flanks. It lives in arid areas of the Near East and Central Asia, where it digs burrows and feeds on insects, flowers and fruit. Its smooth, overlapping scales reduce friction as it moves across loose sand.

Size

30 cm – 45 cm

Lifespan

20 years

Diet

Omnivore

Combines animal and plant food depending on availability.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

DesertGrasslandOmnivore Diurnal Solitary Reptile Desert Grassland

14countries 11parks4same family

Fun facts

Its smooth, overlapping scales reduce friction so effectively that it can move through loose sand almost as if swimming, an adaptation shared by several desert skinks.
In some parts of the Near East it has traditionally been used in folk medicine, a practice that has led to animals being collected for sale in markets.
It is notably long-lived for its size: there are captive individuals that have passed twenty years.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (reptile)
Habitat & environment: Arid steppe, semi-desert and dry scrub of the Near East, Central Asia and North Africa
Sexual maturity: 2 years
Gestation / incubation: 50 days of incubation
Litter / clutch size: 10 eggs

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eumeces_schneideri