Italian three-toed skink facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Italian three-toed skink |
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Chalcides
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chalcides
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The Italian three-toed skink (also known as the cylindrical skink) is a unique type of lizard. Its scientific name is Chalcides chalcides. You can find this skink in Italy, including islands like Sicily and Sardinia. It also lives across northern Africa in countries like Algeria, Libya, Morocco, and Tunisia.
These skinks often live in sunny places with lots of plants, especially grass up to 40 centimeters tall. But they can also survive in dry, arid areas. They are quite long, growing up to about 48 centimeters. More than half of their length is their tail! Their body looks a bit like a snake's, usually brown or olive green. Some even have dark stripes on their back.
A cool fact about these skinks is their tiny legs. Each leg has three small toes. They are active during the day and mostly eat insects. Unlike many lizards that lay eggs, female Italian three-toed skinks give birth to live young. While their numbers are slowly going down, they are pretty good at adapting to changes in their home.
What Does the Italian Three-Toed Skink Look Like?
This skink might remind you of a snake because of its long, slender body. However, it has tiny legs with three toes on each foot. This is a key difference from its relative, the Western three-toed skink (Chalcides striatus). The middle toe on its back feet is longer than the others.
The Italian three-toed skink has a small head and a thick neck. It can grow to be about 48 centimeters long, with its tail making up more than half of that length. These skinks come in a few different colors:
- Some are plain silvery-grey.
- Others have four to six thin lines running down their body.
- Some have these lines plus a light-colored stripe along their side.
Where Do Italian Three-Toed Skinks Live?
The Italian three-toed skink is native to Italy, where it is quite common south of the River Po. This includes the islands of Sardinia, Elba, and Sicily. It also lives in North Africa, covering Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya.
These skinks prefer wet but sunny areas with thick, low plants. You might find them in meadows, along stream banks, in marshes, on grassy hills, or near hedgerows. In higher, mountainous areas, they can live in drier spots with low bushes and rocky slopes. They can be found from sea level all the way up to about 2,077 meters high.
What is the Skink's Conservation Status?
The Italian three-toed skink is common in good habitats across its wide range. However, it faces threats from cities growing and its natural homes being changed, especially near coastlines. Even so, it can handle some changes to its environment.
The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) has listed this skink as "Least Concern". This means that while its population might be decreasing, it's not happening fast enough to put it in a more serious danger category right now.
