A small, shiny lizard with a thick neck, a small head, and small limbs. Coloration is copper, olive, or golden brown and the tail is bright blue. A wide, dark brown stripe runs along each side of the body extending from the eye to the hind limbs. This stripe is often bordered on its upper edge by a thin pale stripe. Many specimens, particularly juveniles and young adults, have pale lines that form a Y shape on top of the head. Adult males occasionally develop a reddish tint on the lips. The scales are large, rounded, smooth, and very shiny. This is the only skink in Arizona that retains its blue tail coloration into adulthood.