Lizards > Skinks > Red-sided Skink

Skinks (Scincidae; skinke, gladde akkedisse)

Red-sided Skink / Rooisy Skink

Trachylepis homalocephala

Size It is a medium-sized skink with adult snout-vent length ranging from 60-80 mm. No sexual size dimorphism has been recorded.

Description Like in other terrestrial skinks, the body is slightly elongated and tubular, the limbs relatively short, and there is no well-defined neck. In males, the head, body and tail are pencil-grey above with four longitudinal dorso-lateral black stripes on the body. The body scales between the stripes are distinctly outlined in black. Some of the scales on the head are also outlined in black, giving the impression of black markings on the head. Laterally, a broad black band, which also passes through the eye, separates the bright orange to reddish undersides and limbs from the grey-coloured dorsal parts. Females lack the orange undersides, although the hind legs are reddish-brown. Like in males, there are four dorso-lateral black stripes and a broader lateral black band passing through the eye. Below this black band, there is a distinct white line, passing underneath the eye in front. In females, the head and dorsal body are olive-grey with the scales outlined in black. The underside of the body is a pale grey.

Biology The Red-sided Skink is ground-living and shelters in tunnels that it digs at the base of bushes or boulders. It also favours any kind of debris to hide underneath. It is particularly fond of moist situations and are common along the banks of rivers and streams. It is an egg-laying species and up to six eggs are laid late November to early December. In the wild, it is fairly secretive and will more often be heard than seen. It is an active forager and hunts insects.

Distribution It occurs along the southern and eastern coastal regions of South Africa with isolated populations along the eastern escarpment mountains to as far north as the Wolkberg.

Distribution in the GCBC It is probably restricted to the central montane region of the GCBC. It is particularly common at the Algeria camping site along the banks of the stream flowing through the site.

Conservation status Not listed.

Threats None identified.

Current studies None.