Skink vs. Salamander — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on November 5, 2023
Skinks are smooth, shiny-scaled lizards with often-reduced limbs, while salamanders are slimy amphibians with fully developed limbs.
Difference Between Skink and Salamander
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Skinks are lizards belonging to the family Scincidae, characterized by their smooth, shiny scales and often reduced limbs, allowing them to burrow into the ground or slip through grass with ease. Salamanders, part of the group Urodela in the amphibian class, have moist, permeable skin and are typically found in moist or aquatic environments.
Skinks are reptiles, which means they are cold-blooded, lay eggs on land, and have a dry, scaly skin that does not require moisture. Salamanders, however, as amphibians, usually have a part of their life cycle that occurs in the water and they need to keep their skin moist to breathe.
The body shape of skinks is generally elongated with a tapered tail, and they rely on their external environment to regulate their body temperature. Salamanders have a slender body with a tail and both front and rear limbs of about the same size, which supports their movement both in water and on land.
While skinks tend to be more terrestrial and are often found basking in the sun to absorb heat, salamanders are rarely seen in open, sunny areas as direct sunlight can harm their sensitive skin. Salamanders are often more active at night or during rain when the risk of drying out is minimized.
Dietary habits of skinks and salamanders also differ, with skinks generally being omnivorous, feeding on a variety of insects, plants, and fruits, whereas salamanders typically eat insects, worms, and other small invertebrates, but some large species can be predators of small vertebrates as well.
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Comparison Chart
Classification
Reptile
Amphibian
Skin Type
Dry and scaly
Moist and permeable
Limbs
Often reduced
Well-developed
Habitat
Mostly terrestrial
Often aquatic or moist areas
Egg Laying
On land
Often in water or moist places
Compare with Definitions
Skink
A reptile known for its burrowing habits.
A skink disappeared into the sand as we approached.
Salamander
An amphibian with a slender body and tail.
The salamander slipped into the stream effortlessly.
Skink
An ectothermic creature commonly found in warm environments.
We saw a skink basking in the sun.
Salamander
A creature with moist, smooth skin and affinities for watery habitats.
After the rain, salamanders could be seen along the wet forest floor.
Skink
A lizard with a long, tapering tail that can sometimes be autotomized.
The skink lost its tail to escape from the predator.
Salamander
An animal that undergoes metamorphosis from larva to adult.
The salamander larvae developed legs as they grew.
Skink
A smooth-scaled lizard with a cylindrical body.
The skink scurried across the hot rocks.
Salamander
Salamanders are a group of amphibians typically characterized by a lizard-like appearance, with slender bodies, blunt snouts, short limbs projecting at right angles to the body, and the presence of a tail in both larvae and adults. All 10 present-day salamander families are grouped together under the order Urodela.
Skink
A member of the Scincidae family, often with reduced limbs.
That skink has tiny legs compared to other lizards.
Salamander
Any of various small, tailed amphibians of the order Caudata, having porous scaleless skin and usually two pairs of limbs of equal size, found chiefly in northern temperate regions.
Skink
Skinks are lizards belonging to the family Scincidae, a family in the infraorder Scincomorpha. With more than 1,500 described species across 100 different taxonomic genera, the family Scincidae is one of the most diverse families of lizards.
Salamander
A mythical creature, generally resembling a lizard, believed capable of living in or withstanding fire.
Skink
A smooth-bodied lizard with short or absent limbs, typically burrowing in sandy ground, and occurring throughout tropical and temperate regions.
Salamander
In the occult philosophy of Paracelsus, a being having fire as its element.
Skink
Any of numerous lizards of the family Scincidae, having a smooth shiny body and large scales on the head, and in some species, small or rudimentary legs.
Salamander
An object, such as a poker, used in fire or capable of withstanding heat.
Skink
A shin of beef.
Lean sirloin, skink and pot-roast
Salamander
(Metallurgy) A mass of solidified material, largely metallic, left in a blast-furnace hearth.
Skink
A soup or pottage made from a boiled shin of beef.
Salamander
A portable stove used to heat or dry buildings under construction.
Skink
Usually preceded by a descriptive word: a soup or pottage made using other ingredients.
Cullen skink
Salamander
A long, slender, chiefly terrestrial amphibian of the order Caudata, superficially resembling a lizard.
Skink
A lizard of the family Scincidae, having small or reduced limbs or none at all and long tails that are regenerated when shed; a sandfish.
Salamander
(mythology) A creature much like a lizard that is resistant to and lives in fire (in which it is often depicted in heraldry), hence the elemental being of fire.
Skink
(obsolete) A drink.
Salamander
(cooking) A metal utensil with a flat head which is heated and put over a dish to brown the top.
Skink
To serve (a drink).
Salamander
(cooking) A small broiler (North America) or grill (Britain) that heats the food from above, used in professional cookery primarily for browning.
The chef first put the steak under the salamander to sear the outside.
Skink
To give (something) as a present.
Salamander
The pouched gopher, Geomys tuza, of the southern United States.
Skink
Any one of numerous species of regularly scaled harmless lizards of the family Scincidæ, common in the warmer parts of all the continents.
Salamander
A large poker.
Skink
Drink; also, pottage.
Salamander
(metallurgy) Solidified material in a furnace hearth.
Skink
To draw or serve, as drink.
Bacchus the wine them skinketh all about.
Such wine as Ganymede doth skink to Jove.
Salamander
(construction) A portable stove used to heat or dry buildings under construction.
Skink
To serve or draw liquor.
Salamander
A fire-eater performer who pretends to swallow fire.
Skink
Alert agile lizard with reduced limbs and an elongated body covered with shiny scales; more dependent on moisture than most lizards; found in tropical regions worldwide
Salamander
To use a salamander (cooking utensil) in a cooking process.
Salamander
Any one of numerous species of Urodela, belonging to Salamandra, Amblystoma, Plethodon, and various allied genera, especially those that are more or less terrestrial in their habits.
I have maintained that salamander of yours with fire any time this two and thirty years.
Whereas it is commonly said that a salamander extinguisheth fire, we have found by experience that on hot coals, it dieth immediately.
Salamander
The pouched gopher (Geomys tuza) of the Southern United States.
Salamander
A culinary utensil of metal with a plate or disk which is heated, and held over pastry, etc., to brown it.
Salamander
A large poker.
Salamander
Solidified material in a furnace hearth.
Salamander
Any of various typically terrestrial amphibians that resemble lizards and that return to water only to breed
Salamander
Reptilian creature supposed to live in fire
Salamander
Fire iron consisting of a metal rod with a handle; used to stir a fire
Salamander
A member of the order Urodela.
Salamanders are fascinating subjects for herpetologists.
Salamander
Often found in temperate climates near water sources.
A salamander was hiding under the leaves near the pond.
Common Curiosities
Do skinks need to live near water?
No, skinks are mostly terrestrial and do not need to live near water.
Can salamanders live away from water?
Some salamanders can venture away from water but need a moist environment to survive.
Can skinks regenerate lost body parts?
Skinks can often regenerate their tails, but not limbs.
What do skinks eat?
Skinks typically eat insects, plants, and sometimes small animals.
Where are skinks found?
Skinks are found in a variety of habitats, mostly in warm, dry regions.
Where are salamanders found?
Salamanders are typically found in temperate zones near water or in moist environments.
How do skinks regulate their body temperature?
Skinks regulate their temperature through basking and seeking shade.
What distinguishes a skink from a salamander?
Skinks are scaly reptiles, while salamanders are moist-skinned amphibians.
Are skinks and salamanders related?
They are not closely related; skinks are reptiles and salamanders are amphibians.
Can salamanders regenerate lost body parts?
Many salamanders can regenerate limbs, tails, and other body parts.
Are all skinks legless?
No, not all skinks are legless; many have reduced limbs.
Do salamanders have scales?
No, salamanders do not have scales; their skin is smooth and moist.
What do salamanders eat?
Salamanders mainly eat insects, worms, and small invertebrates.
How do salamanders breathe?
Salamanders breathe through their skin and lungs, depending on the species.
Are skinks dangerous to humans?
Skinks are not generally dangerous to humans.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
