Broadhead skink , Broadhead skink
The broad-headed skink or broadhead skink (Plestiodon laticeps ) is species of lizard, endemic to the southeastern United States. The broadhead skink occurs in sympatry with the five-lined skink (Plestiodon fasciatus ) and Southeastern five-lined skink (Plestiodon inexpectatus) in forest of the Southeastern United States. All three species are phenotypically similar throughout much of their development and were considered a single species prior to the mid 1930s.
The Broad-headed skink is a nonvenomous species of lizard, native to the United States. It gets its name from the wide jaws, giving the head a triangular appearance. Adult males are brown or olive-brown in color and have bright orange heads during the mating season in spring. Females have five light stripes running down the back and the tail. Juveniles are dark brown or black and also striped and have blue tails.
Broad-headed skins are found in the southeastern United States from the East Coast to Kansas and eastern Texas and from Ohio to the Gulf Coast. They prefer humid forest areas with abundant leaf litter, especially oak forests, and can also be found in urban areas.
Broad-headed skinks are solitary animals that only come together to mate. They are active during the day from April through November. Although they forage on the ground, Broad-headed skins are mainly arboreal and easily and often climb trees for shelter, to sleep, or to search for food. They find their food visually and by smell through tongue-flicking. When threatened, Broad-headed skinks will flee to the nearest tree or log; they may also detach their tails to distract potential predators and use the moment to escape.
Broad-headed skinks are carnivores (insectivores). They eat mainly insects and spiders, but will also feed on mollusks, rodents, and small reptiles.
Broad-headed skinks are polygynous which means that one male mates with more than one female. Males typically are larger than females. The larger the female, the more eggs she will lay. Males thus often try to mate with the largest female they can find, and they sometimes engage in severe fights with other males over access to a female. Breeding usually occurs in late spring. The female lays between 8 and 22 eggs, which she guards and protects until they hatch in June or July. The hatchlings have a total length of 6 to 8 centimeters (2.4-3.1 in) and leave the nest a few days later.
There are no major threats to Broad-headed skins at present.
The IUCN Red List and other sources don’t provide the number of the Broad-headed skink total population size. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are stable.
Broad-headed skinks feed on many insects and control their populations. They are also a food source for local predators such as birds, larger reptiles, and domesticated cats.