Plestiodon anthracinus (Baird) – Coal Skink
Plestiodon anthracinus (Baird) – Coal Skink

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Legend
     Exact locality, based on specimen(s) or photographs examined
     Exact locality, based on literature record believed valid
     Approximate locality based on specimen(s) or photographs examined
     Approximate locality based on literature record believed valid
     County record only, based on specimens or photographs examined
     County record only, based on literature report believed valid
     Type locality
?      Questionable and/or problematic record

Taxonomy:  Two subspecies of this lizard are recognized: P. a. anthracinus (Northern Coal Skink) and P. a. pluvialis (Southern Coal Skink) (de Queiroz and Reeder 2012). Both of these, along with an intergrade population are known from Tennessee (Conant and Collins 1998). 

Distribution:  Populations of P. a. pluvialis have been documented from four counties (Benton, Henderson, Humphreys, and McNairy) astride the Tennessee River in western Tennessee, whereas records of P. a. anthracinus exist from Blount, Sevier, and Green counties in East Tennessee's Great Smoky Mountains. Intergrades are known from Polk County in the state’s extreme southeastern corner (Saunders and Jacob 1980). 

Museum Records by Counties: Benton—APSU 16350. Green—APSU 19659.  Henderson—APSU 5991, 5992. Humphreys—APSU 4456.   McNairy—APSU 19672.  Polk—NCSM 8591; UTKVZC 6300, 6313, 6402. 

Literature Sources by Counties: Benton—Jacob (1981), Jacob and Sanders (1980). Blount—Tilley and Huheey (2001).   Green—Carter et al. (2016).  Henderson—Butterfield et al. (1999).  McNairy—Butterfield et al. (2016).  Sevier—Niemiller (2013). 

Questionable and/or Erroneous Records: None. 

Conservation Status: Tennessee populations of Plestiodon anthracinus are considered Wildlife in Need of Management by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission (Proclamation 00-14, Wildlife in Need of Management) and are given a state ranking of S1 (very rare and imperiled within the state, six to twenty occurrences, or few remaining individuals, or because of some factor(s) making it vulnerable to extinction) by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Division of Natural Heritage (Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation 2016).

Posted: 14 July 2008

Latest Revision: 28 August 2017

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