Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History (SNOMNH) Herpetology, hosted by the Oklahoma Biological Survey, University of Oklahoma: 82 species of reptiles
This page lists 17 lizards: all from Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History (SNOMNH) Herpetology, hosted by the Oklahoma Biological Survey, University of Oklahoma's Checklist of Oklahoma Amphibians and Reptiles — Lizards.
Which lizards can hurt you
Official sources single out these lizards in Oklahoma, in their own words:
Not venomous, but can inflict a painful bite that breaks the skin if handled (ODWC). “As a cautionary note, although not venomous, collared lizards can inflict a painful bite that usually breaks the skin of not handled carefully.” Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation
No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
Size
About 6.5 to 12.75 inches in total length. Oklahoma gives about 12 inches for large adults and SREL up to 13 inches. Males are larger than females.
How to recognize it
Large, wide head; breeding males have swollen orange-red jowls.
Smooth, glass-like scales, short legs and a stocky body.
Upper-lip scales separate it from five-lined skinks: Maryland, Tennessee and North Carolina count five labial scales between the nostril and the eye rather than four. Oklahoma and Missouri count differently, around 8 or 9 in the full lip row.
What the sources say
Habitat: In North America, the west-east distribution of broad-headed skinks extends from eastern Oklahoma and Texas to extreme southern Pennsylvania and north-south from southern Indiana and Ohio to the Atlantic Gulf Coast, including the northern half of peninsular Florida. (Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation)
No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
What the sources say
Habitat: In North America, the west-east distribution of coal skinks extends from eastern Oklahoma to western Pennsylvania and north-south from Pennsylvania to the Florida panhandle. (Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation)
Adult total length 8 to 14 inches (Missouri); up to about 14 inches (Colorado). Snout to vent up to 4.65 inches (Arizona).
How to recognize it
Large head, long tail about twice the body length, distinct black collar
Round tail in cross-section, separating it from the Great Basin collared lizard; inside of mouth and throat often black
Runs on its hind legs at top speed
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170 records by month.What the sources say
Venom: “As a cautionary note, although not venomous, collared lizards can inflict a painful bite that usually breaks the skin of not handled carefully.” (Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation)
Habitat: The distribution of eastern collared lizards in North America extends from northwestern Arizona through Missouri in the east and north-south from northern Kansas to at least north-central Mexico. (Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation)
ODWC field guide status: Species of Greatest Conservation Need
What the sources say
Habitat: In North America, the distribution of lesser earless lizards extends west to east from central Arizona to central Oklahoma and north to south from southern Nebraska into Mexico. (Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation)
No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
Size
5 to 8.5 inches
How to recognize it
Smooth, shiny scales
Enlarged middle row of scales under the tail (separates it from the southeastern five-lined skink)
Tail breaks off easily and twitches to distract predators; it grows back shorter
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56 records by month.What the sources say
Habitat: In North America, the west-east distribution of five-lined skinks extends from central Oklahoma and Texas to Vermont and north-south from southern Canada and northern Michigan to the Atlantic Gulf Coast, including the northern one-third of peninsular Florida. (Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation)
No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
Where in Oklahoma
Western slender glass lizards occur through much of Oklahoma, being absent from only the panhandle and the very western part of the state. Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation
What the sources say
Habitat: Western slender glass lizards occur through much of Oklahoma, being absent from only the panhandle and the very western part of the state. (Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation)
No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
What the sources say
Habitat: The North American distribution of Great Plains skinks extends from central Arizona in the west to far western Missouri and north-south from southern Nebraska into northern Mexico. (Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation)
Habitat: Northern green anoles are found across the southeastern United States, but are only found in the southeastern corner of Oklahoma. (Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation)
Habitat: The little brown skink occurs through most of Oklahoma with the exception of the far western part. (Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation)
ODWC field guide status: Species of Greatest Conservation Need
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57 records by month.What the sources say
Habitat: Texas horned lizards occur in all but the southeast corner of Oklahoma, but typically in open areas. (Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation)
NCWRC: broadhead skinks reach a much larger size. ODWC: juveniles can be told apart by counting the upper lip scales (five-lined: seven, with two post-labials; broad-headed: nine, with no post-labials). Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation
Oklahoma: its background color is tan to yellow, each scale bordered with black, giving the look of eleven irregular narrow stripes. Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation
Photos show typical adults; individuals vary. Never get close to compare.
When lizards are active in Oklahoma
Records of lizards in Oklahoma peak in May to June and August to September. They show when people record lizards, not how many there are (about month bars).
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
636 records of lizards in Oklahoma by month (GBIF, CC0 and CC BY records).
Call 911 or Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 right away. Poison Help connects you to your local poison center, any time of day.
How to report
Report wildlife sightings (including mountain lions and bears) to ODWC online at wildlifedepartment.com/wildlife/report-wildlife; report suspected invasive aquatic species to ODWC at (918) 200-4815 or online. Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation
About Us. Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. undated page; checked November 3, 2026.
Checklist of Oklahoma Amphibians and Reptiles. Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History (SNOMNH) Herpetology, hosted by the Oklahoma Biological Survey, University of Oklahoma. PDF created 2014-09-09, modified 2016-06-06; checked November 3, 2026.Quoted passages (1)
“…relatively large lizards with smooth, glass-like scales”
“…their background coloration is tan to yellow, and each scale is bordered by black, giving the impression that the skink has eleven irregular narrow stripes”
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