First Ever!

The Future Scientists discovered this skink at the Grand River Terraces (museum property) in Ashtabula County. Upon reviewing its identification with the museum's Vertebrate Zoology department, it was discovered that this was the first ever five-lined skink documented on the property! The pictures below can be used as photo vouchers to confirm the identity of this species at that location.
Maggie takes one for the team.
This skink had recently lost its tail and is regenerating a new one.

At first, this superficially appeared to be a broad-headed skink given its robust body and head, however its species range is more towards the Southern part of Ohio. Outside of species ranges, other more meticulous identifying characteristics could be used to confirm this to be a five-line skink, such as counting superior labial scales (number of scales above the lip) - five-lined skinks have four superior labial scales and broad-headed skinks have five labial scales. So if you are a herpetologist, you could be wrangling a venomous viper one minute, and counting lip scales the next. The excitement never stops!