South Carolina Department of Natural Resources: Lizards are a common sight throughout South Carolina; however, there are only 12 native species.
This page lists 15 lizards.
3 are nonnative. South Carolina Department of Natural Resources gives a total of 12; the 15 here are the lizards official sources name one by one.
No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
Size
FWC: can reach nearly 5 feet. UF/IFAS: 4 to 5 feet and as much as 10 pounds. Georgia DNR: up to 4 feet, with adults documented in the wild in Georgia averaging slightly less than 2 feet.
How to recognize it
Head and neck much thicker than a Nile monitor's; fleshy, forked red tongue
Rarely climbs more than a few feet off the ground; a strong swimmer
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.
JFMAMJJASOND
78 records by month.What the sources say
Habitat: They are found throughout the southeast from cypress swamps and moist hardwood forest to pine stands. (University of Georgia Savannah River Ecology Laboratory)
State: Non-Game Species in Need of Management (SCDNR FAQ)
What the sources say
Habitat: Within this region, they are found most often in moist forests and are usually associated with stream margins. (University of Georgia Savannah River Ecology Laboratory)
Habitat: While seldom found far from trees, fence lizards are most common in dry, open forests, particularly if there are abundant logs and stumps where they may hide. (University of Georgia Savannah River Ecology Laboratory)
Habitat: They are normally found in pine flatwoods but can be found in wetter habitats such as the edges of freshwater wetlands, salt marshes, and beaches. (University of Georgia Savannah River Ecology Laboratory)
Habitat: Five-lined skinks may be found in almost any habitat, but are most common in wooded areas with an abundance of fallen trees and stumps to hide in. (University of Georgia Savannah River Ecology Laboratory)
Habitat: They prefer areas with loose soil and abundant leaf litter and are often found beneath logs, boards, and other cover objects. (University of Georgia Savannah River Ecology Laboratory)
Habitat: Like the slender glass lizard, this species tend to prefer drier habitats than eastern glass lizards and is most common in sandy scrub habitats. (University of Georgia Savannah River Ecology Laboratory)
Habitat: Like the slender glass lizard, this species tends to prefer dry habitats and is most common in longleaf pine flatwoods. (University of Georgia Savannah River Ecology Laboratory)
No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
JFMAMJJASOND
32 records by month.What the sources say
Habitat: They prefer open and dry habitats from coastal sand dunes, longleaf pine, and some agricultural fields and forest clearcuts. (University of Georgia Savannah River Ecology Laboratory)
Habitat: Slender glass lizards tend to prefer drier habitats than eastern glass lizards and are common in old field and sandhill habitats. (University of Georgia Savannah River Ecology Laboratory)
Habitat: This species may be found on the ground or in trees and is often common in dry, wooded habitats where there are an abundance of fallen trees and stumps to hide in. (University of Georgia Savannah River Ecology Laboratory)
Young and females are very similar. Missouri: five-lined skinks do not grow as large, to only 5 to 8.75 inches. Illinois: the only reliable way to tell them apart is by counting lip scales, which usually requires a hand lens.
Broad-headed skink or Argentine black and white tegu (invasive)?
Georgia DNR: tegus might be confused with native reptiles such as broadhead skinks, although even adult native lizards would be no larger than a hatchling tegu.
UF/IFAS: black-and-white tegus have a grayish body with dark bands and many light spots; other tegus are marked similarly but their base color varies, and the gold tegu has a yellow-tan base color.
Photos show typical adults; individuals vary. Never get close to compare.
When lizards are active in South Carolina
Records of lizards in South Carolina peak in March to July. They show when people record lizards, not how many there are (about month bars).
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
1,107 records of lizards in South Carolina by month (GBIF, CC0 and CC BY records).
How to report
Alligator and other wildlife emergencies, injured manatees: SCDNR Operation Game Thief 1-800-922-5431. Herp questions: [email protected], (843) 527-8448. SCDNR does not remove nuisance snakes; it keeps a list of wildlife removal specialists. South Carolina Department of Natural Resources
About this list
The species list comes from Lizards of South Carolina and Georgia (University of Georgia Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (linked by SCDNR as its species information), undated web page; retrieved 2026-11-03). 15 more entries come from other official sources named on each card.
Venom labels come only from official sources and link to them; "Not stated" never means harmless. How labels work.
Reptiles and Amphibians of SC. South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. page footer 2020; checked November 3, 2026.
Lizards of South Carolina and Georgia. University of Georgia Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (linked by SCDNR as its species information). undated page; checked November 3, 2026.
Lizards in South Carolina. South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. page footer 2020; checked November 3, 2026.Quoted passages (1)
“Lizards are a common sight throughout South Carolina; however, there are only 12 native species.”
Broadhead Skink (Plestiodon laticeps). University of Georgia Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (linked by SCDNR as its species information). undated page; checked November 3, 2026.
Coal Skink (Eumeces [Plestiodon] anthracinus). University of Georgia Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (linked by SCDNR as its species information). undated page; checked November 3, 2026.
Eastern Fence Lizard (Sceloporus undulatus). University of Georgia Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (linked by SCDNR as its species information). undated page; checked November 3, 2026.Quoted passages (2)
“When pursued, the fence lizard will stay on the opposite side of the tree from the predator, in the same fashion as a squirrel.”
“Description: 4 – 7.25 in (10 – 18.5 cm).”
Eastern Glass Lizard (Ophisaurus ventralis). University of Georgia Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (linked by SCDNR as its species information). undated page; checked November 3, 2026.
Green Anole (Anolis carolinensis). University of Georgia Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (linked by SCDNR as its species information). undated page; checked November 3, 2026.
Ground Skink (Scincella lateralis). University of Georgia Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (linked by SCDNR as its species information). undated page; checked November 3, 2026.
Island Glass Lizard (Ophisaurus compressus). University of Georgia Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (linked by SCDNR as its species information). undated page; checked November 3, 2026.
Mimic Glass Lizard (Ophisaurus mimicus). University of Georgia Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (linked by SCDNR as its species information). undated page; checked November 3, 2026.
Slender Glass Lizard (Ophisaurus attenuatus). University of Georgia Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (linked by SCDNR as its species information). undated page; checked November 3, 2026.
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
_-_Flickr_-_2ndPeter.jpg){kind=link}