On a warm North Carolina spring night, after a refreshing rain, you may be serenaded by the most boisterous of symphonies. Northern and southern cricket frogs are the percussion section, and Cope’s gray treefrogs add their melodic, soprano trills. Green frogs pluck banjo strings, while Fowler’s toads add their rhythmic singsong. It is a wildlife chorus unequaled outside of the southeastern United States, which boasts more than half of the country’s reptile and amphibian species. Indeed, more than 100 species of reptiles and amphibians found in this region occur nowhere else in the world.
Amphibians and reptiles are an important part of the rich ecological heritage of North Carolina, and they play important roles in North Carolina’s ecosystems. As urban development continues to expand across the state, it is important that North Carolina citizens recognize the value of reptile and amphibian populations and learn how to conserve their habitats.
North Carolina is home to a diverse range of reptiles, including 13 fascinating species of lizards From the tiny ground skink to the massive glass lizard, these lizards occupy a variety of habitats across the state.
In this article, we’ll explore the lizards found in North Carolina, highlighting key identification features, behaviors, and distribution for each species. Read on to learn about the lizards sharing your North Carolina backyard!
Green Anole
The green anole (Anolis carolinensis) is one of the most common and recognizable lizards in North Carolina. Ranging 4-8 inches in length these slender lizards have the ability to change color from brown to vivid green. Males have a bright red or orange throat fan which they display to attract females and mark territory.
Green anoles are found statewide in a variety of habitats including forests, shrublands and suburban areas. These lizards feed on spiders insects, and other small invertebrates. With excellent climbing abilities, green anoles are often seen perched on branches, fence posts, and walls.
Fun fact: The green anole is the only anole species native to North Carolina.
Eastern Fence Lizard
As their name suggests, eastern fence lizards (Sceloporus undulatus) are commonly seen perched on fence posts, logs, and rocks. Males grow up to 8 inches long and have greenish-blue patches on their belly and throat during breeding season. Females and juveniles are brown or gray with a light stripe down the center of the back.
Found statewide, these active foragers feed on insects, spiders, and snails. When threatened, eastern fence lizards rely on camouflage and speed to escape predators. They prefer open habitats with plenty of basking spots including forests, fields, and suburban parks.
Six-lined Racerunner
The six-lined racerunner (Aspidoscelis sexlineatus) is named for the yellow-green stripes running down its back and tail. Their long slender bodies grow up to 7 inches in length enabling these lizards to move extremely fast, reaching speeds over 18 mph! Six-lined racerunners outrun danger rather than relying on camouflage.
These lizards thrive in open sandy areas where they can bury themselves at night and during extreme heat. Look for them along coastal dunes, pine flatwoods, and recently cleared forests throughout central and eastern North Carolina.
Eastern Glass Lizard
At first glance, the eastern glass lizard (Ophisaurus ventralis) appears to be a snake due to its legless body that grows up to 42 inches long. However, glass lizards have external ear openings and movable eyelids characteristic of lizards. Their brown bodies are marked with light flecks forming broken stripes down the neck and back.
Despite their name, glass lizards are not made of glass! They’re called glass lizards because their bodies and tails are brittle, allowing them to shed their tails when captured. Found coastwide in North Carolina, glass lizards live in sandy coastal habitats where they use their forked tongues to locate insect prey beneath loose soil.
Ground Skink
The ground skink (Scincella lateralis) is North Carolina’s smallest lizard growing just 3-5 inches long. Their brown bodies have a dark stripe bordered by white running along each side. With tiny legs, ground skinks look somewhat snakelike as they slither through loose soil and leaf litter hunting soft-bodied invertebrates.
These little lizards occupy wooded areas with moist soil throughout most of North Carolina. Their small size and speedy nature make them difficult to spot, but you may find one under a log or rock if you look carefully!
Five-lined Skink
Growing up to 10 inches long, the aptly named five-lined skink (Plestiodon fasciatus) has 5 pale stripes down its back which fade in adults. Young skinks are black with bright blue tails that also fade over time. During breeding season, males develop orange heads and necks.
Five-lined skinks occupy moist woodlands statewide where they forage for insects, spiders, berries, and tender shoots. Although fairly common, five-lined skinks are wary and quick to dart into vegetation or hide in crevices at the first sign of danger.
Broad-headed Skink
The broad-headed skink (Plestiodon laticeps) is North Carolina’s largest skink growing over a foot in length. As their name suggests, these hefty lizards have a distinctively wide triangular-shaped head. Their keeled scales come in a range of brown, gray, and olive hues with some individuals having faint striping on the back.
These terrestrial lizards forage among leaf litter in hardwood forests throughout western North Carolina. With powerful jaws, broad-headed skinks can eat tougher prey including snails, crayfish, smaller skinks, and nestling mice. Females lay eggs in loose soil or beneath logs and stumps.
Texas Horned Lizard
With its flat round body and crown of horns, the Texas horned lizard (Phrynosoma cornutum) looks like a miniature dinosaur! Texas horned lizards range 6-8 inches in length and come in a variety of colors like reddish-brown, yellow, gray, or olive green. Their undersides are white or pale yellow.
In North Carolina, small populations of these unique looking lizards occur in sandhills and coastal plains in the south-central region. Texas horned lizards forage for ants and other insects on open ground during the day and bury themselves in loose soil at night. When threatened, they puff up their bodies and squirt blood out of their eyes – definitely one of North Carolina’s most bizarre lizards!
Coal Skink
The coal skink (Plestiodon anthracinus) is a smooth-scaled lizard growing up to 8 inches long. Its black or dark brown body has five faint yellowish stripes running down the length of the back. During breeding season, males develop bright reddish-orange heads, necks, and sides.
Found in the mountains and western Piedmont, coal skinks occupy moist wooded areas where they hunt insects and other invertebrates amongst fallen leaves and rotting logs. Females lay eggs under rocks, logs, or inside rotted stumps.
Little Brown Skink
As their name implies, little brown skinks (Scincella lateralis) are petite brown lizards reaching just 4-6 inches in length. Their brown backs have two pale lines bordered by tiny black dots along each side. Little brown skinks use their long tails for balance as they hunt small prey like insects, spiders, and snails amid leaf litter.
Look for these tiny skinks under logs, rocks, and debris in moist wooded areas throughout most of North Carolina. They are common but rarely seen due to their secretive nature and incredibly speedy reflexes.
Mimic Glass Lizard
The mimic glass lizard (Ophisaurus mimicus) is a legless lizard that can reach 20 inches in length. Its light brown body has dark stripes and spots for camouflage within its sandy pine forest habitat. Mimic glass lizards use their pointed heads to burrow beneath the sand capturing insects, spiders, smaller lizards, and eggs.
Called “mimic” glass lizards for their resemblance to the deadly coral snake, these harmless lizards have a row of dark spots bordered by tan along their backs with alternating white and black-bordered brown stripes along the sides. Found only in southeastern North Carolina, mimic glass lizards are a sandhills specialty.
Slender Glass Lizard
Reaching lengths over 20 inches, the slender glass lizard (Ophisaurus attenuatus) is North Carolina’s longest lizard. Their brownish bodies have pale flecks forming indistinct stripes down the back. Slender glass lizards live in loose sandy soils where they use their snake-like bodies to tunnel just below the surface capturing insect larva, spiders, smaller lizards, and rodents.
Although fairly common in sandhills and coastal areas of central and southeastern North Carolina, glass lizards spend the majority of their time buried underground making observation difficult. Turning over logs and debris near sandy areas offers your best chance of crossing paths with one of these fascinating legless lizards.
Lizards Worth Watching For
North Carolina’s 13 native lizard species exhibit an incredible diversity of sizes, colors, and adaptations. From tiny skinks to the giant glass lizards, our native lizards occupy a variety of habitats from mountain forests to sandy coastlines. These reptiles play important roles controlling insect populations and serving as prey for larger predators.
With patience and a watchful eye, you’re likely to spot one of North Carolina’s lizards scurrying by or sunning itself in your yard or neighborhood park. Grab your binoculars and start exploring because you never know when you’ll have a close encounter with one of these fascinating local residents!
The Lives of Amphibians and Reptiles
Scientists combine amphibians and reptiles in a group called herpetofauna, or herps for short. This name comes from the word herpetology, which is the scientific study of reptiles and amphibians. Why combine reptiles and amphibians in the same group? It’s because they share some common characteristics. Unlike mammals and birds, many herps (along with fish) are ectotherms. Ectotherms (commonly called “cold-blooded animals”) do not rely on their metabolism or other bodily processes (such as sweating and shivering) to maintain a constant body temperature. Instead, ectotherms use behavior and the environment to regulate their body heat. For example, some of the more easily seen herps are pond turtles basking on logs and lizards sunning on fence posts or porch railings to raise their body temperatures. Conversely, a reptile or amphibian might slip into a shady pond to cool down.
Although basking turtles and lizards are fairly common sights, certain behaviors of ectotherms can make herps more difficult to find. Some hibernate during cold weather, which drastically slows down their body processes, and remain dormant and hidden until temperatures rise. Other herps aestivate (a behavior like hibernation) during hot, dry times when moving around might cause them to overheat.
Even when temperatures are favorable, reptiles and amphibians often remain hidden from view. Frogs such as the American bullfrog (Figure 1) spend much time in the water, where they quickly submerge when startled. Many snakes, such as the eastern hognose snake (Figure 2), box turtles, and toads are well camouflaged and blend easily into the colors of the forest floor. Salamanders dwell under logs, leaves, and rocks. Because ectothermic animals do not expend energy to regulate their body temperatures, they eat less often than endotherms, and are less likely to be seen foraging.
Habitat Loss and Fragmentation
Habitat is lost when a natural area is converted into a developed area that herps can no longer use. Filling in low-lying areas to level the land eliminates the pools used for breeding, hiding, or cooling off. Clearing forests removes sheltering trees, leaves, shrubs, and access to shelter areas that protect animals and provide safe nesting and hibernation sites.
Habitat is fragmented when roads, neighborhoods, shopping centers, or other developments divide them. Fragmentation increases risks exposure to predators, vehicles, and the weather as herps move between the smaller patches of habitat. Development that isolates a lake, pond, or stream from drier areas or disturbs high quality habitat can increase mortality rates for herps.
Nearly everyone has seen an eastern box turtle whose shell was crushed as it tried to cross a highway. Snakes basking on roads and frogs that are leaving their birth ponds also are frequent victims of vehicles. Herps have nearly no chance of surviving a trip across a heavily traveled (15,000 vehicles/day) road.
Sedimentation occurs when rain washes sediment such as dirt or silt into streams or other wetlands. Sedimentation increases during construction because exposed dirt erodes easily during rainstorms. After construction is complete, rainwater runs quickly across impervious surfaces such as concrete, asphalt, or buildings, and carries sediment and debris into nearby bodies of water. Sedimentation clouds the water and fills hiding places between rocks. Animals cannot get the oxygen and food they need from the muddy water, and the plants they eat cannot survive.
In addition to washing sediment into streams, rainwater washes toxins, such as insecticides, herbicides, fertilizers, and petroleum products, into waterways and low-lying wetlands. Toxins poison amphibians directly through their permeable skin or eggs, and herps that eat contaminated prey become sick. Fertilizers that are washed into ponds and streams can cause algal blooms that make laying eggs impossible for amphibians, reduce the amount of oxygen in the water, and kill the invertebrates that amphibians eat. Insecticides reduce herps’ food supply, because insects are much of the prey for both reptiles and amphibians.
Reptile Series: Lizards of North Carolina – North Carolina Wildlife Federation
FAQ
What is the most common lizard in North Carolina?
It is the state’s only native lizard that appears rough or spiny, and it is identified easily on that basis. The fence lizard is one of the most common and widespread lizards in North Caro- lina.
What attracts lizards to your yard?
Plants, we recommend sedum, succulents, cacti (a few), strawberries, and border plants that flower. Structures – river rock, terracotta pots, and you can recycle an old board. A small dish for water – both the lizards and bees will love the water dish.
What are the little lizards in NC called?
The anole is a small to medium-sized lizard, with a slender body. The head is long and pointed with ridges between the eyes and nostrils, and smaller ones on the top of the head. The toes have adhesive pads to facilitate climbing. Green anoles use jumping for their primary means of locomotion.
How can you tell a skink from a lizard?
Skinks are distinct from other lizards because of their tubular bodies and shorter legs. This skink is a five-lined skink. As juveniles, five-lined skinks have five white or yellow stripes and a bright blue tail.