The Florida sand skink (Plestiodon reynoldsi) is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae, the skinks. It is endemic to Florida in the United States.
Taxonomy and etymology
It was described as a new genus and new species by Leonhard Stejneger in 1910 and named in honor of a certain Mr. A.G. Reynolds of Gulfport, Florida, who had collected the holotype.
Description
thumb|In Highlands County, Florida
A unique lizard adapted to an underground existence, the Florida sand skink measures in total length and is a gray to tan color. Its forelegs are tiny and bear only one toe each; its hindlegs are small and have two toes. The tail comprises about half of the animal's total length. The sand skink has a wedge-shaped head, a partially countersunk lower jaw, body grooves into which the forelegs can be folded, and small eyes which have transparent windows in the lower lids. These features enable the lizard to move through loose sand.
Diet
The diet consists of surface-dwelling invertebrates, including termites, spiders, and the larvae of antlions and beetles. It is currently unknown of its diet includes any of the poorly studied regional endemic Florida scrub arthropods such as the Lake Placid funnel wolf spider (Sosippus placidus Brady, 1972), which itself is a species of conservation concern.
Reproduction
Florida sand skinks are most active in spring, during their mating season. They reach sexual maturity after one to two years and remain reproductively active for two to three years. About 55 days after mating, the female lays about two eggs, which hatch in June or July.