Habitats include moist and dry areas (especially the former), including damp grassy areas, maritime forests, open and scrubby woods (mesic hammock, pine flatwoods), vacant lots in coastal towns (Schwartz and Henderson 1991, Palmer and Braswell 1995, Bartlett and Bartlett 1999). This lizard can be found under debris in fields and vacant lots near ponds, marshes, and estuaries. It favours areas with sandy friable soils and abundant shelter on ground. It is regarded as semi-fossorial. Eggs are laid under or at base of grass clumps (Ashton and Ashton 1985) or under debris on ground (Mount 1975).

This lizard is endemic to the southeastern United Statesa. Its range includes the Coastal Plain of the southeastern United States from southeastern Virginia to southern Florida, and west to eastern Louisiana (Conant and Collins 1991). The species was once reported from Grand Cayman Island, Cayman Islands, where it is introduced and possibly established (Schwartz and Henderson 1991).

This species occurs in many protected areas.