Plestiodon chinensis

Plestiodon chinensis, the Chinese blue-tailed skink, is a species of lizard which is found in China, western Taiwan, and northern Vietnam.

Entomology

P. chinensis was named after the skink's home in China.

Subspecies

There are four subspecies :
Plestiodon chinensis formosensis from eastern Taiwan were in 2017 found to be identical with Plestiodon chinensis leucostictus, now recognized as Plestiodon leucostictus.

Description

The Chinese blue-tailed skink has an average snout-to-vent length of 13 cm, with a total length of 35 cm. It is large and stout, with a broad head and a pale white underside. As juveniles mature, their body undergoes a change in color from a dark brown with three light dorsal stripes and a blue tail to a fully mature brownish green, complete with reddish spots on the flanks.