Family: Scincidae, Skinks view all from this family

Description 7 1/8-12 7/8" (18.1-32.6 cm). Yellow-brown, with 4 light stripes extending to base of tail; upper stripes cover adjoining edges of 2nd and 3rd scale rows counting from middle of back. Striping fades with age; some adults uniform brown or speckled. Tail blue or yellow-pink. Supraocular scales, 4; upper labial scales, usually 8. Juveniles have prominent striping and bright tail color. Breeding adults have reddish heads.

Subspecies Greater Brown Skink (E. g. gilberti), juvenile tail blue, adults lack stripes; c. portions of Sierra Nevada, California.
Variegated Skink (E. g. cancellosus), juvenile tail pink below and blue above, adults barred or speckled; wc. area of California, including e. Contra Costa and Alameda counties, sw. San Joaquin County, and nw. Merced County.
Northern Brown Skink (E. g. placerensis), juvenile tail blue, adults retain some striping on neck; nc. California in the foothills of the n. Sierra Nevada and the counties of Placer, Sacramento, Eldorado, Amador, and San Joaquin.
Western Red-tailed Skink (E. g. rubricaudatus), juvenile tail pink, adults uniform; s. Sierra Nevada and Coast Range, San Gabriel and San Bernardino mountains, and scattered populations into s. Nevada, and in n. Baja California.
Arizona Skink (E. g. arizonensis), juvenile tail yellow above and pink below, adults retain striping; c. Arizona in Yavapai and Maricopa counties.

Breeding Clutch of 5-9 eggs is laid in midsummer in burrows or rotting logs.

Habitat Open grassy areas, especially where rocks provide ready retreats. Also found in sunny woodlands and around streams and springs.

Range Sierra Nevada and Coast Ranges of c. and s. California; also scattered populations in mountains of e. California, s. Nevada, c. Arizona, n. Baja California.

Discussion Diurnal. Gilbert's Skink can often be encountered sunning itself or foraging in a sunny grassy plot. Prey consists of insects and spiders.