West Canary Skink

chalcides viridanus

The West Canary Skink (Chalcides viridanus) is an enchanting, glossy reptile endemic to the western Canary Islands, including Tenerife, La Gomera, El Hierro, and La Palma. Known for its sleek, cylindrical body and metallic sheen, this small skink is a delightful sight for hikers and nature enthusiasts exploring the archipelago's diverse landscapes. Despite its short legs, it moves with surprising agility, slipping effortlessly beneath volcanic rocks and dense vegetation at the slightest hint of danger. Deeply integrated into the island ecosystems, the West Canary Skink plays a vital role as an insect controller. It has successfully adapted to a wide range of altitudes, thriving from sunny coastal shores to high-elevation pine forests. Its friendly presence in stone walls and gardens makes it one of the most commonly encountered and beloved reptiles of the western Canaries. Learn to recognize West Canary Skink in the wild using the Snappit field guide app.

Habitat: Typically found in sun-exposed volcanic rock fields, traditional dry-stone walls, open scrublands, coastal dunes, and suburban gardens across the western Canary Islands.

Appearance

This medium-sized skink features a highly polished, cylindrical body with short but fully developed five-toed limbs. Its coloration is striking and variable, ranging from a metallic olive-green or bronze-brown back to deep, dark brown or black flanks, often separated by a faint pale stripe. The underbelly can vary from bright yellow to a pale greenish-gray, and some individuals display magnificent golden flecks. Adults typically reach a total length of 15 to 18 centimeters, with their smooth, tightly overlapping scales giving them an exceptionally glossy, almost wet appearance.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumChordataClassReptiliaOrderSquamataFamilyScincidaeGenusChalcides

West Canary Skink

Interesting facts

Its species name 'viridanus' refers to its greenish sheen, which glistens brilliantly when hit by direct sunlight.

They are frequently found living in close proximity to humans, utilizing the crevices of traditional Spanish dry-stone walls as safe havens.

Unlike many lizards that lay eggs, the West Canary Skink is viviparous, giving birth to fully developed, live young.

When running at high speeds, they tuck their small limbs against their body and glide forward using a snake-like wriggling motion.

Special abilities

When threatened by a predator, the skink can discard its tail, which continues to wiggle and distract the attacker while the skink escapes.

With its elongated body and reduced limb size, it can fold its legs against its sides and swim through loose soil or dense leaf litter using serpentine movements.

It excels at rapidly absorbing heat from sun-baked volcanic rocks, allowing it to maintain peak agility even in cooler high-altitude environments.

Measurements & details

Length: 12+ cm
Weight: 0.01+ kg
Lifespan: 5+ years
Top Speed: 8 km/h
Clutch Size: 2+
Incubation: 60+ days

Diet & Feeding

Feeds opportunistically on a wide variety of small terrestrial invertebrates, hunting actively among leaf litter and rock crevices.

Primary Foods

Spiders
Beetles
Ants
Woodlice
Snails

Foraging Method

Foraging Block Feeding Reptile Style, Searching Under Debris. Check On Common Behaviors. Primarily Foraging. Let's List It As Foraging. Foraging Is Standard. Let's Make It Foraging. See If Standard. Yes. Correct. Let's Clean Up Key Fields As Standard String. Let's Keep Huntingmethod As Foraging. Correct. Let's Write Foraging. Let's Check Dietchangeswithage: 'juveniles Feed Exclusively On Very Small Soft Bodied Insects, Whereas Adults Can Consume Harder Shelled Beetles And Small Terrestrial Snails.' Now We Output Json With No Control Tokens. Let's Keep Things Clean. Let's Do Foraging. Correct. Let's Provide Plain String For Huntingmethod. Correct. Let's Go Ahead. Let's Make Sure It's Valid. Let's Verify Value: 'foraging' Is A Valid Option. Valid Values: Huntingmethod Can Be 'foraging'.

Ecological connections

eaten by

Eurasian Kestrel

Falco tinnunculus

Preys on the skink, especially young or basking individuals.

competitor

Canary Islands Wall Lizard

Gallotia galloti

Competes for food resources like small insects and shares basking spots.

eaten by

Feral Cat

Felis catus

An invasive predator that heavily hunts skinks in suburban and rural areas.

Traits

No trait badges are assigned for this object yet.

Also known as

No aliases listed yet.

Collections

Collections for this object will appear here as more themes are added.

Safety

Danger

1/5 · Very low

No special safety notes yet.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to identify West Canary Skink?

The easiest way to identify West Canary Skink is to use the Snappit nature identifier app.

How long is West Canary Skink?

12+ cm

How much does West Canary Skink weigh?

0.01+ kg

How long does West Canary Skink live?

5+ years

How fast can West Canary Skink move?

8 km/h

What does West Canary Skink eat?

Feeds opportunistically on a wide variety of small terrestrial invertebrates, hunting actively among leaf litter and rock crevices.

Where is West Canary Skink usually found?

Typically found in sun-exposed volcanic rock fields, traditional dry-stone walls, open scrublands, coastal dunes, and suburban gardens across the western Canary Islands.

How does West Canary Skink hunt?

Foraging Block Feeding Reptile Style, Searching Under Debris. Check On Common Behaviors. Primarily Foraging. Let's List It As Foraging. Foraging Is Standard. Let's Make It Foraging. See If Standard. Yes. Correct. Let's Clean Up Key Fields As Standard String. Let's Keep Huntingmethod As Foraging. Correct. Let's Write Foraging. Let's Check Dietchangeswithage: 'juveniles Feed Exclusively On Very Small Soft Bodied Insects, Whereas Adults Can Consume Harder Shelled Beetles And Small Terrestrial Snails.' Now We Output Json With No Control Tokens. Let's Keep Things Clean. Let's Do Foraging. Correct. Let's Provide Plain String For Huntingmethod. Correct. Let's Go Ahead. Let's Make Sure It's Valid. Let's Verify Value: 'foraging' Is A Valid Option. Valid Values: Huntingmethod Can Be 'foraging'.