Head to head
Berber Skink vs Five-lined Skink
Berber Skink
VS Five-lined Skink
The Berber skink and the five-lined skink are both common, recognizable skinks on their home continents, but they differ sharply in size, habitat, and how each one handles a close encounter with a predator.
| Berber Skink | Five-lined Skink | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Eumeces algeriensis | Plestiodon fasciatus |
| Size | One of North Africa's largest skinks | A smaller, common North American skink |
| Juvenile colouring | Not boldly patterned | Black with cream stripes and a bright blue tail |
| Tail defence | No decoy tail strategy | A blue tail that detaches and distracts predators |
| Habitat | Semi-arid scrubland and desert-edge | Moist woodland and forest edges |
| Diet | Omnivore, insects, small vertebrates, eggs, plants | Carnivore, insects and spiders |
| Behaviour | Forages openly on open ground by day | Fast and wary, hides in cracks and under bark |
| Conservation status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Berber Skink vs Five-lined Skink: common questions
Which skink has a decoy tail, the Berber skink or the five-lined skink?
The five-lined skink, whose juveniles have a vivid blue tail that detaches and keeps thrashing to distract a predator, a defence the Berber skink does not share.
Which is bigger, the Berber skink or the five-lined skink?
The Berber skink is bigger, ranking among the largest skink species in North Africa, while the five-lined skink is a smaller, more modestly sized lizard.
Do the Berber skink and five-lined skink live in similar habitats?
No, the Berber skink is native to semi-arid desert scrubland in North Africa, while the five-lined skink favours moist woodland and forest edges across the eastern United States.