Juveniles are deep black with bright blue tails.
Adults 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 arboreal skink is seen in urban areas, but is more commonly seen in damp, wooded areas with leaf litter and decaying logs. It is an adept climber. Breeding occurs in the spring. Females lay up to 16 eggs in rotting wood or under a rock.