# Introduction and Identification



## Gangsterluff (Jun 18, 2013)

Hello there! I'm new to this forum and today I went on my first herping "adventure" if that's what you want to call it. I've owned axolotls for a few months and have become increasingly curious about amphibians and reptiles in general. I live in a very rural area so there's plenty of places to go looking for herps. Anyways I found a skink (I think it's a skink) today on my thirty minute voyage in the woods before it got dark today. I've never seen one like this before so I was hoping for help with identification. Here's some pics. (iPhone camera sorry!)














Anyways I glad to be a part of this community and I'm waiting hear back from y'all!


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## freekygeeky (May 25, 2007)

To start with where are you ?? 

And yes that looks like a skink


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## Gangsterluff (Jun 18, 2013)

Thanks!  I'm in north central Arkansas. I was thinking maybe a coal skink?


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## freekygeeky (May 25, 2007)

apparently these are all the lizards where you live...

Herps of Arkansas: Lizards


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## Gangsterluff (Jun 18, 2013)

Yeah that was the first place I checked. Couldn't seem to find one that looked as dark as the one I found so I thought I'd give it to y'all and see what other people thought.


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## Bradleybradleyc (May 7, 2012)

Welcome, nice find no idea what it is.

You can't go herping with a iPhone camera that's rule number 1 :Na_Na_Na_Na:


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## Gangsterluff (Jun 18, 2013)

Bradleybradleyc said:


> You can't go herping with a iPhone camera that's rule number 1 :Na_Na_Na_Na:


Haha no kidding! I have a better camera but it was charging and I wanted to get done before it got dark. But from now on only the good camera!


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## corvid2e1 (Jan 21, 2007)

Reptiles can be quite variable in their colour and pattern within a species. Looking at google images, many of the mature Southern Coal Skinks are mostly or completely missing the while lateral lines, and some individuals are quite dark, so I think you were probably right with your first thought. It certainly looks closer than any of the other species listed as native to your area in body shape and general colour/pattern.


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## Gratenkutzombie (Dec 28, 2012)

Keep your eyes and ears peeled for any BF knocking around.:2thumb:


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## Gangsterluff (Jun 18, 2013)

Oh I will! I'm sure I'll run into one before long


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