Types of Lizards in Pennsylvania: 5 Native Species and How to Identify Them
October 5, 2026
Pennsylvania is better known for its snakes and salamanders than its lizards, and the numbers explain why. Pennsylvania is home to a diverse population of amphibians and reptiles, including 22 species of salamanders, 21 snakes, 18 frogs and toads, 13 turtles and four lizards. That makes lizards the rarest reptile group in the Commonwealth, and most residents go years without ever spotting one in the wild.
Understanding the types of lizards in Pennsylvania starts with knowing where these cold-sensitive reptiles can survive. Pennsylvania sits near the northern boundary of the range for many lizard species, meaning their populations are often scattered and restricted to specific, warmer microclimates, and the state is home to four native lizard species, three of which are skinks, which become progressively rarer toward the northern parts of the Commonwealth. This guide covers five ways to identify Pennsylvania’s native lizards, including the two common names used for the state’s widespread fence lizard population, plus the three skink species that share its rocky, sun-warmed habitats. Anyone tracking Pennsylvania’s other reptiles will find plenty of overlap with the state’s native snake species, which favor many of the same rock piles and woodland edges.
According to the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, the agency holds jurisdiction over the state’s reptiles and amphibians, including authority to protect species that become threatened. Before diving into each species, the table below breaks down the basics for quick lizard species Pennsylvania identification in the field.
| Common Name | Typical Length | Where Found in PA | Signature Feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coal Skink | 5–7 inches | Northcentral, northwestern, and southwestern PA (scattered) | Four light stripes, no center back stripe |
| Northern Fence Lizard | 4–7 inches | Same range as Eastern Fence Lizard | Regional name for the eastern population |
| Broad-headed Skink | Up to 12 inches | Southeastern corner only | Largest lizard in the state, highly arboreal |
| Eastern Fence Lizard | 4–7 inches | Southern PA, open forests | Rough, jagged scales; blue throat on males |
| Common Five-lined Skink | 5–8 inches | Crawford County to Bucks County, southward | Five pale stripes on dark body |
1. Coal Skink
The coal skink, or northern coal skink, is the least frequently seen of Pennsylvania’s native lizards. Plestiodon anthracinus measures a modest five to seven inches and has a distinctly streamlined body compared to its skink relatives. This skink measures five to seven inches long and has a streamlined body, and is distinguished by four light stripes, two on each side, bordering a broad, dark lateral band that runs from the neck to the tail; unlike the other two skinks, the coal skink lacks a stripe running down the center of its back.
That missing center stripe is the single most reliable way to separate this species from the far more common five-lined skink at a glance. Coloration also sets it apart: the body of the northern coal skink is brown, with two pairs of light stripes, each enclosing a dark band, extending from the neck onto the tail.
Finding one takes patience. The northern coal skink has the most fragmented range of Pennsylvania’s lizards, found in small, scattered populations primarily in northcentral, northwestern, and southwestern Pennsylvania. If you’re curious how skink diversity compares elsewhere, the lizard species found in Tennessee include several relatives that share the coal skink’s preference for damp, rocky woodland edges.
Pro Tip: Coal skinks and the state’s other skink species often show a bright blue tail as juveniles. This coloring fades with age and is thought to distract predators away from the head and body.
2. Northern Fence Lizard
“Northern fence lizard” is not a separate species from the eastern fence lizard covered later in this guide; it’s a regional common name with real taxonomic history behind it. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lists Sceloporus undulatus hyacinthinus under the common name Northern Fence Lizard, classifying it as a subspecies within the broader Sceloporus undulatus complex. Sceloporus undulatus hyacinthinus carries the common name Northern Fence Lizard and is classified as a subspecies of Sceloporus undulatus.
This naming pattern isn’t unique to Pennsylvania. Illinois herpetologists once used the same designation for their local population before taxonomy shifted. The Northern Fence Lizard, described as Sceloporus undulatus hyacinthinus by Green in 1818, was the subspecies formerly recognized in Illinois. Farther west, the story took a different turn entirely, which shows how much taxonomic revision has reshaped this lizard group over the past few decades. The genus Sceloporus also includes distinct western relatives, such as the species profiled in this guide to lizards found in Arizona.
Important Note: In Pennsylvania, “northern fence lizard” and “eastern fence lizard” describe the same population. The two names exist side by side in field guides and government records because of how the species was historically subdivided, not because two different lizards live in the state.
The name persists in casual use partly because Pennsylvania’s population sits at the eastern edge of the historic hyacinthinus subspecies range, a region researchers have studied since the mid-20th century. Regardless of which name a field guide uses, the physical traits and habitat described in the Eastern Fence Lizard section below apply directly to Pennsylvania’s population.
3. Broad-headed Skink
The broad-headed skink holds the title of largest lizard in the state by a wide margin. Plestiodon laticeps can grow far beyond the other skinks on this list. The Broad-headed Skink is the largest lizard in Pennsylvania, with some adults reaching up to 12 inches long.
Its range is the most restricted of any native Pennsylvania lizard. The Broad-headed Skink is the most geographically restricted, found almost exclusively in the southeastern corner of the state where temperatures are warmest. That warmth requirement also shapes its habitat preferences within that limited range.
This species is highly arboreal, particularly favoring open woodlands with plenty of decaying wood and large, standing snags. Decaying logs and loose bark give the broad-headed skink places to shelter, forage for insects, and bask without straying far from tree cover. Its range overlaps with lizard populations documented in states like the ones covered in this guide to lizards found in Florida, where the species remains far more common. Anyone drawn to skinks and fence lizards as backyard subjects rather than wild finds might also look into this overview of popular pet reptiles, several of which come from the same broader lizard families.
4. Eastern Fence Lizard
Sceloporus undulatus is the spiny-scaled lizard most Pennsylvanians are likely to encounter, and it’s the same population discussed under the “northern fence lizard” name above. According to the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, the eastern fence lizard varies from gray to brown, with belly colors ranging from whitish to greenish blue to pale blue, sometimes with dark wavy crossbars most evident on females, while males show a blue patch near the base of the throat; the scales on its back are keeled and pointed, jagged and rough to the touch, which explains its nickname, the “spiny” lizard.
You’ll want to check the right habitat to find one. Eastern Fence Lizards are most likely found in southern Pennsylvania in open forests with plenty of fallen logs and debris to hide in, and they’re most active during the early morning before it gets too hot. Their diet consists mainly of small insects, and their foraging habits keep them close to home base even when hunting ranges further.
Fire ants pose an unusual and serious threat to this species in parts of its broader range. According to Bird Watching HQ, bites from fire ants can kill an eastern fence lizard in less than an hour, and to combat these non-native insects, these spiny lizards have adapted longer arms and legs, thicker skin, and new behaviors like climbing trees to stay out of harm’s way. Pennsylvania’s population faces less fire ant pressure than populations farther south, but the evolutionary pattern illustrates how adaptable this species has been across its range. Readers curious about the insects sharing Pennsylvania’s woodlands with this lizard can check this guide to ant species found across the state.
5. Common Five-lined Skink
If there’s one lizard a Pennsylvania hiker is likely to actually see, it’s this one. The most frequently encountered lizard in the state is the Common Five-lined Skink, averaging between five and eight inches in total length. Plestiodon fasciatus earns its common name from an easy-to-spot pattern.
This skink is characterized by five light-colored stripes running longitudinally down a dark background, a pattern that tends to fade in older males. Older males often develop an olive-brown or grayish wash that mutes the stripes, so younger, more vividly striped individuals are usually the easiest to identify with confidence.
This is also the most widely distributed of Pennsylvania’s native lizards. The Common Five-lined Skink is more widespread, occurring throughout much of the state south of a line running from Crawford County in the northwest to Bucks County in the southeast, and it favors humid woodlands and wooded edges where it can bask on sun-exposed rocks, logs, or stumps. According to the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission’s skink profile, this species belongs to a family known for smooth, glossy scales that feel almost slippery to the touch, a helpful contrast when distinguishing skinks from the state’s rougher-scaled fence lizard.
Common Mistake: Many people mistake five-lined skinks for salamanders because of their glossy skin and quick movements. Skinks are true reptiles with dry, scaled bodies and clawed toes, while salamanders are amphibians with moist skin and no claws.
Woodland edges that support this skink often support other small wildlife worth knowing about. Readers who enjoy spotting common lizards in Pennsylvania alongside other backyard species might also want to check this guide to spiders found throughout the state or this rundown of Pennsylvania’s firefly species, both of which favor the same humid, sun-dappled edges these skinks call home.
Beyond these five profiles, Pennsylvania’s lizard story includes a few newcomers worth a brief mention. Even formerly invasive species like the Italian wall lizard and the Mediterranean house gecko have thrived in Pennsylvania, though neither is part of the state’s official native lizard count. Wildlife agencies continue to track all of these populations closely. The Pennsylvania Amphibian and Reptile Survey helps determine the distribution and status of all amphibians and reptiles, including lizards and skinks, throughout Pennsylvania.
The Commonwealth’s broader reptile picture puts these four native lizards in context. As of 2024, there are 38 native reptiles in Pennsylvania, according to the list maintained using Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission data, and lizards make up the smallest slice of that total.
Anyone who develops an interest in keeping lizards after learning to spot them in the wild might enjoy browsing this guide to uromastyx lizard varieties kept as pets, a completely different family from anything native to Pennsylvania but a popular next step for reptile enthusiasts.
Whether you’re checking under a sun-warmed rock in Bucks County or scanning a woodpile in the southwest corner of the state, patience and a slow, quiet approach are the two things every one of these species rewards most.