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Snake-eyed skink close-up

A dark band runs along the flank, the legs are tiny.

(photo: Edvárd Mizsei)

The body of the EUROPEAN SNAKE-EYED SKINK is elongatedand cylindrical, total (tail+body) length up to 12 cm. The head is short, hardly distinct from neck, nose blunt. Eyelids immovable; it cannot blink. Small round scales on back and belly. Legs short and thin, forelegs and hind legs widely separated. Ground colour of back bronze or olive brown. Two black streaks, with white spots on the outer edge, run along the middle of the back from the nose to hind legs. Ventral side silvery grey. It is difficult to distinguish the sexes. Juveniles lighter, usually yellowish bronze, with an orange tail.

Distibution map by our National Herpetological Mapping Program:

European snake-eyed skink with regenerated tail

The snake-eyed skink can be easily recognized by its shiny, coppery skin and its slender short legs. The regenerated tail is less glassy as the original or the rest of the body.

(photo:Bálint Halpern)

Basking snake-eyed skink

Snake eyed skink inhabits rocky and loess slopes with short grass. Often basks on rocks.

(photo:Bálint Halpern)

Snake-eyed skink

The coppery shine of its skin is more noticeable in the setting sun.

(photo:Bálint Halpern)

Head of snake-eyed skink

From above its is dark brown. It is verry difficult to spot it in leaf litter or on a dark tree trunk.

(photo:Bálint Halpern)

Basking snake-eyed skink

It basks on rock to heat up for activity

(photo: Gábor Szelényi)

Portrait of a snake-eyed skink

There is no visible neck-area between its head and body.

(photo: Nikola Rahmé)

Close-up of a European snake-eyed skink

Its body is elongated, cylindrical shaped with tiny legs.

(photo: Nikola Rahmé)

European snake-eyed skink

It is occuring even in Budapest, on Sas-hill for instance.

(photo: Nikola Rahmé)

Snake-eyed skink portrait

Juveniles are really tiny, compared to the human fingers.

(photo: Bálint Halpern)