After more than 40 years of herpetofaunal surveys, which continue during our visits to Kiawah Island, only five other native species of lizards have been confirmed to be on the island. All are relatively common and for the most part easy to identify, making lizards an obvious part of Kiawah Island’ s natural biodiversity. Lizards can be enjoyed by residents and guests alike, and an understanding and appreciation for local animal species can readily complement anyone’ s experience of the natural diversity of the region.
Among reptiles, the total number of lizard species inhabiting tropical and temperate parts of the world exceeds that of all snakes, turtles, and crocodilians combined. Despite the high global diversity of lizards( more than 6,000 species placed in more than 40 families) a relatively small proportion are native to the southeastern United States. The abundance of lizards in the U. S. Southwest is much higher compared to the Southeast, which has only 18 native species. Nonetheless, among these, some are distinctive, such as the legless glass lizards, anoles that change color from green to brown, and skinks that have metallic cobalt tails when young. Representatives of each of these are found on Kiawah Island
One feature of lizards is their frequent appearance and seeming self-assurance around human habitation. Most of the six Kiawah Island lizard species are as likely to be found on the grounds around residences as they are in the wilder habitats of the dunes, maritime forests, or margins of wetlands. Knowing where and when to look can almost guarantee that anyone on Kiawah will eventually come face to face with each of the species found on the Island. No native lizards vocalize or commonly come out at night. But with the exception of the racerunners, which disappear during winter, any of them could possibly be seen on a sunny day in any month. During spring and summer, a chance encounter with a lizard is a likely event
Get to Know the Lizards of Kiawah Anyone interested in natural history can quickly become an expert in identifying the six native lizard species inhabiting Kiawah Island. Four different lizard families are represented. No lizards on Kiawah are venomous, although all will usually bite if captured
Green Anole( family Iguanidae). The ubiquitous green anole, also known as the Carolina anole is the most commonly encountered and obvious lizard on Kiawah Island. Anoles are seen around houses almost year round on trees, shrubs, decks, and other structures and unlikely to be confused with any other native lizard. These prepossessing little creatures are usually aware of your presence and may even cock their head to take a more careful look at you as you observe them. An individual of any size may change color in a
few minutes from bright green to brown or gray or vice versa based on environmental conditions, social interactions, or even mood. Green anole females lay one egg at a time at twoweek intervals during late spring and summer. Anoles are the only Kiawah lizards in which the male displays a bright red throat fan( dewlap) as a territorial signal, even toward people
Broadheaded Skink( family Scincidae). Adult broadheaded skinks are by far the largest tree-climbing lizards on Kiawah Island. Very large specimens may reach a foot or more in length. The juveniles have shiny black bodies with five yellow stripes and a bright blue tail. The stripes become more obscure on females as they mature, and the body of males becomes a coppery brown. Adult male broadheaded skinks have comparatively larger heads than females, a feature that becomes more distinctive in spring and early summer when the head turns a dramatic red color. Broadheaded skinks often lay their eggs in hollows of large trees and are consequently often associated with the live oak trees on the island. A fascinating behavior to observe during the warm-weather mating season is adult males that engage in combat with each other over territory or females. Juveniles and young adults of the broadheaded skink can be confused with the southeastern five-lined skink, but adult male and female broadheaded skinks get much larger and can be distinguished from the latter by careful observation. If captured, an individual can easily be identified by a simple scale count.
Southeastern Five-lined Skink( family Scincidae). This species is a miniature version of the broadheaded skink but is more likely to be found in drier habitats and is usually less common. They are usually smaller and more slender, but southeastern five-lined skinks that can be captured and examined exhibit a trait that allows positive identification. The scales down the center underside of the tail are all small and of approximately the same size as the other scales. The central row of tail scales is much wider on the other species of blue-tailed skinks, including the broadheaded variety. Southeastern five-lined skinks usually lay between four and 11 eggs in rotting logs, and the female stays with the eggs, protecting them from small predators
Southeastern five-lined skink
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