# European Copper Skink (*Ablepharus kitaibelii*) The European Copper Skink is a small, shiny lizard that loves to hide under rocks and leaves. It has a beautiful coppery color that helps it blend in with its surroundings. - **Category:** [Reptiles](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/reptile) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![European Copper Skink](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Ablepharus_rueppellii_01.jpg&width=800) Photo: RickP 19:22, 13 May 2006 (UTC), CC BY 2.5 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ablepharus_rueppellii_01.jpg) ## Appearance The European Copper Skink is a small, sleek lizard with a distinctive shiny, bronze or coppery-brown body. It often has a subtle dark stripe along its flanks, and its smooth, polished scales give it a glass-like appearance, making it visually distinct from rougher-scaled lizards or snakes. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Squamata - **Order:** Lacertilia - **Family:** Scincidae - **Genus:** Ablepharus ## Interesting facts - Instead of running, it often wriggles like a snake to move quickly through grass! - It's so small, some adults are no bigger than your finger! - This skink never blinks! It has clear, fused eyelids, like built-in goggles! - When sunbathing, its coppery scales can shimmer, perhaps confusing a predator! ## Special abilities - **Regenerative Tail Escape:** European Copper Skink can detach its tail when caught by a predator, because it can regrow a new one, helping them escape danger. - **See-Through Eyes:** European Copper Skink has a transparent fused eyelid that allows them to see even when their eyes are closed, which helps them stay alert. - **Slippery Scale Slide:** European Copper Skink has very smooth, polished scales that help them easily slide through dense vegetation or burrow into loose soil. - **Legless Lookalike:** European Copper Skink has tiny, almost vestigial limbs, which helps them slither through tight spaces with snake-like fluidity. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 10-16 cm - **Weight:** 0.002-0.006 kg - **Lifespan:** 3-7 years - **Speed:** 8 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 2-6 - **Incubation:** 28-42 days ## Diet & Feeding A tiny hunter, it munches on small insects and other invertebrates found hiding in the leaves. - **Primary Foods:** ants, small beetles, spiders, crickets, larvae - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** Red Wood Ant (*Formica rufa*) — A common tiny snack for the skink. - **Eaten by:** Nosed Viper (*Vipera ammodytes*) — A venomous snake that preys on small lizards. - **Eaten by:** Common Kestrel (*Falco tinnunculus*) — A swift bird of prey hunting small reptiles. ## Traits - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Camouflaged](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/camouflaged): Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Regenerative](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/regenerative): Regenerative organisms possess the ability to regrow lost or damaged body parts, tissues, or organs. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. ## Collections - [Reptiles](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/reptiles) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low If you see a skink, watch it from a distance and don't try to catch it. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify European Copper Skink? Compare toes, scales, head shape, crests and tail proportions. Many lizards can drop and regrow their tails, so a short tail isn't always a species trait. Lizard Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is European Copper Skink? 10-16 cm ### How much does European Copper Skink weigh? 0.002-0.006 kg ### How long does European Copper Skink live? 3-7 years ### How fast can European Copper Skink move? 8 km/h ### What does European Copper Skink eat? A tiny hunter, it munches on small insects and other invertebrates found hiding in the leaves. ### Where is European Copper Skink usually found? Grasslands ### How does European Copper Skink hunt? Foraging ## More Reptiles - [Pond Slider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pond-slider) (*Trachemys scripta*) - [Western Fence Lizard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-fence-lizard) (*Sceloporus occidentalis*) - [Common Five-lined Skink](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-five-lined-skink) (*Plestiodon fasciatus*) - [Desert Spiny Lizard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/desert-spiny-lizard) (*Sceloporus magister*) --- Source: [European Copper Skink: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-copper-skink)