The Inflected Skink is the finely spotted lizard of the north, defined by a pattern that rewards close inspection. At twelve to sixteen centimetres in length, it is a medium-sized skink, with brown to greyish-brown colouration and fine pale spots and darker markings. The belly is pale cream, and the eyes are dark and watchful. This is a skink of the rock and the sun. The Inflected Skink is found throughout the North Island and the northern South Island, in native forests, scrublands, grasslands, coastal dunes, and rocky outcrops. It is a diurnal species, active during the day, and it basks on sun-warmed rocks and logs, soaking up the heat that will fuel its hunting. Biologically, the Inflected Skink is a viviparous species, giving birth to live young. Females produce three to five offspring each year, a relatively high reproductive rate that allows the species to recover quickly from disturbance. The young are born in late summer and are miniature versions of the adults, independent from birth. The Inflected Skink is not threatened. It is widespread and common in the North Island and northern South Island, with healthy populations throughout its range. But it is still vulnerable to predation by introduced rats, cats, and hedgehogs, and to habitat loss from land development. To see an Inflected Skink is to see a lizard that has made itself at home across the north. It is a survivor, a creature of the sun and the rock, and its fine spots are a reminder of the beauty of detail.