Orange-throated Whiptail vs. Western Skink

Both live in the coastal sage scrub and chaparral of Orange, Riverside and San Diego counties, and the young of both have bright blue tails. A: Tiny, dull, grain-like scales; long legs; a fast runner in the Orange-throated Whiptail; smooth, shiny, rounded scales; short legs in the Western Skink. B: Five to seven narrow pale stripes close together; long legs in the Orange-throated Whiptail; two bold white stripes on each side of a broad brown or black band; short legs in the Western Skink. Adult whiptails have an orange throat; skinks never do.

Photographs via iNaturalist under Creative Commons licences; the photographers are credited on the sheet.

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