Prehensile-tailed skink
Corucia zebrata
Quick Facts
Found: Solomon Island
Size: 32 inches long
Weight: 25 ounces
Diet: plants, leaves, flowers, fruit
Life Span: approximately 15 years
Status: Unknown
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The prehensile-tailed skink is the largest of the known skinks. Unlike some lizards, it does not have the ability to regenerate if its tail should it break off when caught by predators. However, their tails are prehensile, meaning that they can curl them around objects such as branches and hold onto them for balance. Although they are normally docile, if bothered persistently they will
rise up on their front legs, emit loud hissing noises and can deliver a
nasty bite. The young
develop within an egg inside the female until ready to hatch, then a single (rarely 2) baby is
born live. The babies are huge in comparison to the adult. When born, a
prehensile-tailed skink is about 1/2 the size of the adult (approx. 24 inches). The baby will stay close to
the parents for about six months after birth. Females and males have
both been observed defending their young against predators, which is
highly unusual for reptiles.
