Bryan McAllister’s personal reference notebook
July 30, 2026Short & citedBlog
Civic Viewpoint.
A quiet encyclopedia with a personal desk
Kept by Bryan McAllister — short guides, clear facts, and the Canadian angle when it matters.
Field Notes • Reptile

Skink

Skinks are lizards in the family Scincidae, one of the largest and most diverse families of lizards.

Updated July 30, 20261 min readCited sources

Skinks are lizards in the family Scincidae, one of the largest and most diverse lizard families. They are found worldwide except in arctic regions, with over 1,500 described species.

What is a skink?

Skinks belong to the family Scincidae within the order Squamata. With more than 1,500 described species across about 100 genera, they are among the most species-rich lizard families. They occur in a wide range of habitats globally, with especially high diversity in Australia, Southeast Asia, and temperate North America.

Physical traits and behaviour

Most skinks have smooth, glossy scales, elongated bodies, and short limbs. Some species are nearly or completely limbless, resembling snakes in form and movement. Many are secretive, ground-dwelling, or burrowing reptiles. Their diets vary and may include insects, other invertebrates, plant material, or small vertebrates.

Where skinks live

Skinks inhabit forests, deserts, grasslands, mountains, and leaf litter across most of the world, except arctic and subarctic regions. In Canada, several species occur, including the five-lined skink—the country’s only native lizard in Ontario—which is a species of conservation concern.

In short

  • Skinks are a large family of lizards with over 1,500 species.
  • Many skinks have smooth scales and reduced limbs; some are limbless.
  • They live in diverse habitats worldwide, including parts of Canada.
  • The five-lined skink is Canada's only native lizard and is of conservation concern.
Canadian angle

Several skink species occur in Canada, including the five-lined skink, which is the country’s only native lizard in Ontario and is a species of conservation concern there.[6]

Quick questions

What is a skink?
A skink is a lizard in the family Scincidae, a large and diverse group of reptiles.
How many species of skinks are there?
More than 1,500 skink species have been described, though counts vary slightly by source and date.
Where do skinks live?
Skinks live in many habitats worldwide, including forests, deserts, grasslands, mountains, and burrows, but they are absent from arctic and subarctic regions.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skink
    Supports: Family Scincidae, diversity, broad distribution, and general characteristics.
  2. Encyclopaedia Britannica — https://www.britannica.com/animal/skink
    Supports: Approximate species count, distribution, and habitat diversity.
  3. Encyclopedia.com — https://www.encyclopedia.com/environment/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/skinks-scincidae
    Supports: Taxonomy, family size, limb variation, and diversity.
  4. Earth and Animals — https://www.earthandanimals.com/animal_encyclopedia/params/category/173342/item/994094/
    Supports: Smooth body form, habitat range, and species count.
  5. Backyard Buddies — https://backyardbuddies.org.au/backyard-buddies/skinks/
    Supports: Australian diversity and size variation.
  6. Ontario Parks — https://blog.ontarioparks.ca/5-cool-facts-about-skinks/
    Supports: Canadian context, five-lined skink status in Ontario.