Head to head
Mole Skink vs Ground Skink
A mole skink and a ground skink both count among the more overlooked small lizards of the southeastern United States, each spending far more time hidden away than out in the open where anyone might actually notice one.
| Mole Skink | Ground Skink | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Plestiodon egregius | Scincella lateralis |
| Primary habitat | Loose sandy soil | Forest floor leaf litter |
| Movement style | Typical limbed walking | Snake-like slithering |
| Distinctive juvenile feature | Bright pink tail | None distinctive |
| Eye adaptation | None distinctive | Transparent lower-eyelid window |
| Range | Florida and adjacent southeast | Eastern and central United States |
| Tail autotomy | Yes | Yes |
| Conservation status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Mole Skink vs Ground Skink: common questions
Which skink is harder to spot, the mole skink or the ground skink?
Both are genuinely difficult to spot, but for different reasons: the mole skink spends much of its life burrowing beneath loose sandy soil out of sight entirely, while the ground skink stays within leaf litter on the surface but moves so quickly with its slithering gait that it is easily mistaken for a small snake and overlooked before a clear look is possible.
Why does the ground skink have a window in its eyelid?
The ground skink has a transparent, disc-shaped window in its lower eyelid, allowing it to retain some visual awareness even with its eyes closed while pushing through dense leaf litter, an adaptation the mole skink does not share since it burrows through sand rather than surface debris.
Do both skinks lose their tails to escape predators?
Yes, both the mole skink and the ground skink can voluntarily detach their tails when grabbed by a predator, with the discarded tail continuing to wriggle as a distraction, though only the mole skink's juvenile tail carries the additional bright pink colouration thought to help direct an attack away from the body in the first place.