Juveniles are deep black with bright blue tails. Adult females are olive brown with gray tails.
Adult males are brown or olive brown.
The dorsal pattern, if present, consists of five light stripes down the length of the back and onto the tail. This skink is seen in urban areas, but is more commonly seen in damp, wooded areas with leaf litter and decaying logs. Breeding occurs in the spring. Females lay 6-12 eggs in rotting wood or under a rock. Female brooding is exhibited.