sexing Fire Skinks

Can you sex a fire skink just by the color and pattern? When I was researching fire skinks, I've read that male and female color patterns are similar, just that males are larger with broader heads and more aggressive.

I just acquired a book titled "Insect-Eating Lizards" published by T.F.H. On page 92 it has 2 pictures of fire skinks, it reads the top photo is a male fire skink and the bottom photo is a female fire skink. I am very confused because the photo of the female has no stripe pattern on the sides and colors are duller - does not look like a fire skink. If the difference between the 2 sexes were so dramatic wouldn't it be really easy to tell the sexes apart? Other then looking for a larger, aggressive skink with a broader head.

On another note, the photo of the "female" fire skink actually looks like an African red-sided skink.

I guess my question is, are female fire skinks dull with no pattern like the book shows or is it that different skink all together?


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Male + female fire skinks look very similar, there should be no difference in the color. When they hatch,both sexes also have a blue tail along with the striking red + black body, but the blue tail fades and they all develop pretty much the same.