THE CENTER FOR NORTH AMERICAN HERPETOLOGY

Reptilia    Squamata (part-other lizards)    Scincidae  

Ocellated Skink
Chalcides ocellatus (Forskål, 1775)
KAL-sih-deez — oh-sell-AY-tus

SSAR 9th Edition Comments:
 Native to the Mediterranean region, Middle East, and northern Africa. It is established in Arizona (Gunn et al., 2012, Herpetological Review 43: 551–553), California (Pauly et al., 2024, Herpetological Review 54: 402–403), and Florida (Krysko et al., 2011, Zootaxa 3028: 1–64; Enge and Krysko, 2019, Chalcides ocellatus. Pages 406–407 in Krysko et al. (Editors) Amphibians and Reptiles of Florida. University Press of Florida, Gainesville, Florida). (Krysko, Kenneth and Travis W. Taggart. 2025. Established Exotic Species. Pages 64-87 in Kirsten E. Nicholson (Editor), Scientific and Standard English Names of Amphibians and Reptiles of North America North of Mexico, with Comments Regarding Confidence in Our Understanding, 9th Edition. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, Lawrence, Kansas. 87 pp.)

Range maps are based on curated specimens and provided gratis by CNAH.
(Created by Travis W. Taggart; Version: 2024.07.03.09.37.43)
Download GeoJSON polygon range file: - 0.51 MB

Province/State Distribution:
United States: Arizona California

Taxonomic Etymology:
A shiny, burrowing skink with eye-like spots.
Chalcides — From Greek chalkos (χαλκός), “bronze” or “copper,” referencing the metallic or shiny appearance of the scales.
ocellatus — From Latin ocellus, “little eye,” referring to the ocelli—eyelike spots—along the flanks or back.

First instance(s) of published English names:
Eyed Galley-wasp (Tiliqua ocellatus: Gray, John E. 1830. A synopsis of the species of the class reptilia. Pages 1-110 in The Animal Kingdom Arranged in Conformity with its Organization by the Baron Cuvier, member of teh Institute of France, with Additional Descriptions of all the Species Hitherto Named, and of many not before noticed. Ninth Volume. Whittaker, Treacher, and Company, London, England. pp.);

Taxon Links:

  
Catalog of American Amphibians and Reptiles
  
The Reptile Database
  
NatureServe
  
iNaturalist
  
GenBank
  
USGS - Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database

Selected References:
1775 Forskål, Petrus. Descriptiones animalium, avium, amphibiorum, piscium, insectorum, vermium; quae in itinere Orientali observavit Petrus Forskål. [Descriptions of animals, birds, amphibians, fish, insects, worms; which Peter Forskål observed in his journey to the East.] Mölleri, Hauniae, . 164pp.
2011 Krysko, Kenneth L., Joseph P. Burgess, Michael R. Rochford, Christopher R. Gillette, Daniel Cueva, Kevin M. Enge, Louis A. Somma, Jennifer L. Stabile, Dustin C. Smith, Joseph A. Wasilewski, Guy N. Kieckhefer III, Michael C. Granatosky & Stuart V. Nielsen. Verified non-indigenous amphibians and reptiles in Florida from 1863 through 2010: Outlining the invasion process and identifying invasion pathways and stages. Zootaxa 3028(1):1-64
2012 Gunn, John, Robert W. Bowker, Keith O. Sullivan, and Brian K. Sullivan. An Old World Skink, Chalcides ocellatus, with a long history of anthropogenically assisted dispersal, now established in Mesa, Arizona, USA Herpetological Review 43(4):551–553
2024 Pauly, Gregory B., Joseph D. Kennedy, Dane R. Spurlock, and Myke Clarkson. Geographic distribution: Chalcides ocellatus. Herpetological Review 54(3):402-403

THE CENTER FOR NORTH AMERICAN HERPETOLOGY — Accessed: Friday 05 December 2025 15:56 CT