Five-Lined Skink (Eumeces fasciatus)


Group	Lizards
Code	ARACH01050
Order	Squamata
Family	Scincidae
Author	(Linnaeus, 1758)
Rank	G5 (definitions)
Occurrence	P (definitions)
Scale	S (definitions)

County List:


Western UP	Menominee, Marquette, Delta, Dickinson
Eastern UP	Alger
Northern LP	all
Southern LP	all

Rule:

Forested or Mixed Forested/Nonforested Landscapes

1st alternative:
      (Assorted Hardwoods (Sm Saw or Lg Saw or Uneven))
      or (Northern Hardwoods (Sm Saw or Lg Saw or Uneven))
      or (Mixed Northern Hardwoods (Sm Saw or Lg Saw or Uneven))
      or (Mixed Upland Hardwoods (Sm Saw or Lg Saw or Uneven))
   containing:
      ((Dead Down Woody Debris or Rock) and (Stand/Gap Openings))

2nd alternative:
      (Assorted Hardwoods (Sm Saw or Lg Saw or Uneven))
      or (Northern Hardwoods (Sm Saw or Lg Saw or Uneven))
      or (Mixed Northern Hardwoods (Sm Saw or Lg Saw or Uneven))
      or (Mixed Upland Hardwoods (Sm Saw or Lg Saw or Uneven))
   containing:
      (Dead Down Woody Debris or Rock)
   adjacent to:
      Edge

3rd alternative:
      Savanna
   containing:
      (Dead Down Woody Debris or Rock)

view decision rule term definitions

Habitat List:

Habitats	Regen	Sap	Pole	Sm Saw	Lg Saw	Uneven
Aspen	no	no	no	no	no	-
Paper Birch	no	no	no	no	no	-
Oak	no	no	no	no	no	no
Assorted Hardwoods	no	no	no	YES	YES	YES
Northern Hardwoods	no	no	no	YES	YES	YES
Spruce/Fir	no	no	no	no	no	no
Hemlock	no	no	no	no	no	no
Jack Pine	no	no	no	no	no	no
Red Pine	no	no	no	no	no	no
White Pine	no	no	no	no	no	no
Conifer Plantations	no	no	no	no	no	-
Mixed Upland Hardwoods	no	no	no	YES	YES	YES
Mixed Northern Hardwoods	no	no	no	YES	YES	YES
Mixed Upland Conifer	no	no	no	no	no	no
Mixed Pine	no	no	no	no	no	no
Swamp Hardwoods	no	no	no	no	no	no
Balsam Poplar & Swamp Aspen & Swamp Birch	no	no	no	no	no	no
Bottomland Hardwoods	no	no	no	no	no	no
Tamarack	no	no	no	no	no	no
Northern White Cedar	no	no	no	no	no	no
Black Spruce	no	no	no	no	no	no
Mixed Lowland Hardwoods	no	no	no	no	no	no
Mixed Lowland Conifer	no	no	no	no	no	no
Non-Forested	Savanna
Special Features	Dead Down Woody Debris, Rock, Edges, Stand (Gap) Openings

view size class definitions

Literature:

Harding, J. H. and J. A. Holman. 1997. Michigan turtles and lizards a field guide and pocket reference. Co-operative Extension Service, Michigan State University. 94 pp.

Five-lined skinks are woodland animals, preferring edges and openings where there are stumps, logs, or other objects for cover or baking sites. They may be found in wet or dry habitats.

These lizards feed mostly on insects and spiders, though some captive Michigan skinks have been observed eating berries.

The males defend territories by chasing other males; they do not chase the females or young. Females lay from 5 to 15 eggs, usually under a log, loose bark, or rotten wood. They curl around their eggs and brood them until they hatch, turning and cleaning them, fending off small predators, and removing rotten eggs.

DeGraaf, R. M. and D. D. Rudis. 1986. New England wildlife: habitat, natural history, and distribution. GTR NE-108. Broomall, PA:USDA, Forest Service, Northeastern Forest Experiment Station. 491 pp.

Habitat: Mesic wooded areas, open or moderately dense with ground cover. Most abundant around old buildings and open woods. Frequently in damp spots, under logs, rock piles, leaf litter, sawdust piles. Suns for brief periods on warm days. Found on open talus slopes in mixed deciduous woodlands, New York. Primarily terrestrial, but will climb snags to find insects. Hibernates from October until mid-March in decaying logs or below the frost line, underground or under large rocks.

Special Habitat Requirements: Open woods with logs and slash piles