Plestiodon elegans (Boulenger, 1887)
Five-striped Blue-tailed Skink 藍尾石龍子

Plestiodon elegans
Order
Suborder		 Squamata 有鱗目
Lacertilia 蜥蜴亞目
Family Scincidae 石龍子科
Genus Plestiodon
Species Plestiodon elegans
Other name -
Chinese name 麗紋石龍子(台灣)
Total length Total length 15 cm
Description Dorsal scale brown to black. Ventral greyish white.
Similar in coloration to Blue-tailed Skink (Plestiodon quadrilineatus), but differ from it in having five yellowish-white stripes - three dorsal and two lateral - and no pink streak on lower labials.
Also, unlike P. quadrilineatus, mid-dorsal stripe becomes divided into a two-pronged fork marking on the head.
The two species also differ in scalation.
Tail blue in colour but will fade with age. Scales smooth and glossy.
Habitat

Occurs on the edges of broad-leaf woodland, secondary forest and high-altitude grassland.
Sometimes also found in the interior of large forests with gaps in the vegetation to permit sufficient sunlight.

Behaviour Diurnal. Usually seen basking in the sun or scuttling through leaf litter. Occasionally found hiding under objects.
If threatened, quickly darts into leaf litter. Can discard tail for self-defense.
Diet Feeds on small insects. In captivity feeds on crickets and mealworms.
Reproduction Oviparous. A female from Taiwan was reported to lay 7-10 eggs in a nest, in which she remained until the young hatched.
Distribution Generally rare in Hong Kong. First recorded on Tai Mo Shan in 1981.
Since then has been recorded in central and western New Territories (Tai Po Kau Nature Reserve, Beacon Hill, Grassy Hill, Shing Mun, Mau Ping and Kwun Yam Shan). Is fairly common in some areas.
Seems to be absent from Hong Kong Island and Lantau Island.
Occurs in central and southern China including Taiwan, and southern Ryukyus.
Conservation Status IUCN Redlist: NE (Not Evaluated)
More images on Google