It is not a close relation to the Australian striped skink, Ctenotus taeniolatus.

T. striata is brown or bronze-coloured with two yellowish stripes that run lengthwise on either side of the spine.

Both sexes grow to a total length (including tail) of 25 cm (9.8 in).

[2] Their tails are often missing due to predators.

Former subspecies T. s. punctatissima, T. s. sparsa, and T. s. wahlbergii have been elevated to species level.