The Broad-headed Skink is characterized by four limbs, an ear opening on each side of the head, flat, smooth, shiny scales covering its body, five yellow stripes on the back and sides, two yellow stripes on the head, and a sixth scale (counting back from the nose) on the upper lip which extends up to the edge of the eye. This lizard exhibits the same color changes with age as does the Five-lined Skink, and the two species are extremely difficult to tell apart. Male Broad-headed Skinks grow larger than females and develop an orange-red head during breeding.
These large lizards are seldom observed in Kansas, though they may be abundant where they occur. They are easily confused with the Five-lined Skink, but are twice as large from birth, and typically have 5 scales on the upper lip between the nose and eye (instead of 4). Sowards et al. (2022) found that this character held for 75% (62 of 84) of the Kansas specimens purportedly identified to species by mtDNA. One of the 84 specimens had 4 upper labials on each side; the remainder possessed some combination of 4 and 5 on the right or left sides.
The body is generally gray to dark brown, with five cream-colored stripes on the back and sides. Adults are often uniform gray to brown. Males develop enlarged orange heads in the spring. The young have bright blue tails and prominent stripes on an almost black background.
Adults normally 165-230 mm (6½-9 inches) in total length. The largest specimen from Kansas is a male (KU 222265) from Linn County with SVL of 116 mm and TL of 287 mm (11¼ inches) collected by Kelly J. Irwin, Emily C. Moriarty, Suzanne L. Collins, and Joseph T. Collins on 7 May 1994. The maximum length throughout the range is 323.9 mm (123⁄4 inches) (Powell et al., 2016).
Known from pockets along the Marais des Cygnes, Marmaton, Spring, and lower Neosho river basins in eastern Kansas.
Currently, the following areas are designated critical for Broad-headed Skinks:
(1) All stands of mature oak woodland in Bourbon, Crawford, Linn, and Miami counties.
(2) Stands of suitable timber anywhere within the skink's probable range may, upon field investigation, also be found to be essential for the conservation of the species.
This lizard inhabits forested regions in eastern Kansas, particularly near aquatic situations. It spends much of its time on the ground around logs and brush piles near standing trees but will ascend trees to escape danger and may use abandoned woodpecker holes as a retreat. Its yearly and daily activity cycles are similar to those of the Five-lined Skink. Collins (1982) discovered an adult male in Crawford County on the afternoon of 21 May; the lizard was crossing a highway bordered on both sides by forested hills. They spend much more time in trees (especially as adults) than other Kansas skinks. Males can be observed high up in trees basking and defending their territory. Younger individuals are most often observed on fallen trees along the woodland edge. They are occasionally discovered under flat rocks and trash.
Hullinger (2018) made habitat associations of 124 Broad-headed Skink observations in Kansas and found that they were associated with forest patches with larger dispersed mature trees and larger fallen logs. She also noted that Broad-headed Skinks were secondarily associated with forests that contained Black Walnut (Juglans nigra).
Very little is known of the breeding habits of this species in Kansas. Courtship, mating, and nesting are presumably similar to that of the Five-lined Skink. According to Fitch (1970), the number of eggs laid by female Broad-headed Skinks cannot be estimated because of a history of confusion of this species with the Five-lined Skink. Apparently, the Broad-headed Skink lays more eggs than does the Five-lined Skink. Whipple and Collins (1990) recorded a clutch of eight eggs from a female collected in Crawford County. Before capture, the female was observed copulating with a male on 30 May; she laid the clutch on 6 July, a gestation period of 38 days.
The Broad-headed Skink eats insects, smaller lizards and their eggs, small snakes, and newborn mice (Collins, 1993).
First reported from Kansas by Smith (1950: 308) in his list of "probable" species, however as that book went to press "... two specimens of this species were recorded from Murray Lake, Miami County, and four miles west of La Cynge [sic], Linn County, Kansas." Householder (1916) and Taylor (1920) considered P. laticeps synonymous with P. fasciatus [=Eumeces quinquelineatus]. In his monograph on Eumeces, Taylor (1935) listed no specimens from Kansas. The earliest existing specimen (KU 719) from Kansas was collected by Edward H. Taylor in Anderson County during August of 1910. Another (KU 701) was collected at Ottawa (Franklin County) in 1911. Presumably, both of the specimens were available to Taylor (1935). This species is nowhere observably abundant in the state, but this is probably due to its secretive and wary nature (i.e. the first Linn County specimen was collected only as recently as 1994 [Irwin and Collins, 1994]). Additional surveys are needed to locate new localities and assess historic sites.
Listed as a Kansas Threatened species in 1987. Platt et al. (1974) recommended a halt to lumbering operations in areas where this species has been found and protection of natural forest habitat containing stands of dead and decaying trees. No recovery plan has been completed for this species.
As defined by Kansas Administrative Regulations, critical habitats include those areas documented as currently supporting self-sustaining populations(s) of any threatened or endangered species of wildlife as well as those areas determined by the Kansas Department of Wildlife, and Parks to be essential for the conservation of any threatened or endangered species of wildlife. Currently, the following areas are designated critical for Broad-headed Skinks:
(1)All stands of mature oak woodland in Bourbon, Crawford, Linn, and Miami counties.
(2)Stands of suitable timber anywhere within the skink’s probable range may, upon field investigation, also be found to be essential for the conservation of the species.
Placed into Plestiodon (from Eumeces) by Smith (2005) and Brandley et al. (2005).
Based on a captive specimen, Snider and Bowler (1992) reported a maximum longevity for this lizard of seven years, eight months, and 22 days.
References
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