The specific name, kingii, is in honor of Australian Phillip Parker King, who explored the coast of Australia while he was an officer in the Royal Navy.

King's skink is omnivorous and consumes mostly softer plant matter from the range of local vegetation, but supplements its diet with insects and birds' eggs.

[5] King's skink is prey for many animals including tiger snakes (Notechis spp.).

[6] A traditional name for King's skink is wandy, given by the Nyungar people of south-west Western Australia.

Juvenile mortality is high and growth to adult size is slow, so mature King's skinks can be quite long lived.