''Lankascincus dorsicatenatus'', also known as the catenated lankaskink, is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

skink Skinks are lizards belonging to the family Scincidae, a family in the infraorder Scincomorpha. With more than 1,500 described species across 100 different taxonomic genera, the family Scincidae is one of the most diverse families of lizards. Ski ...

, a

lizard Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most oceanic island chains. The group is paraphyletic since it excludes the snakes and Amphisbaenia alt ...

in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Scincidae. The species is endemic to island of

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...

Taxonomy

''L. dorsicatenus'' was originally placed in the “

wastebasket taxon Wastebasket taxon (also called a wastebin taxon, dustbin taxon or catch-all taxon) is a term used by some taxonomists to refer to a taxon that has the sole purpose of classifying organisms that do not fit anywhere else. They are typically defined ...

” ''

Sphenomorphus The genus ''Sphenomorphus'' – vernacularly known as the common skinks – currently serves as a "wastebin taxon" for numerous skinks. While most or all species presently placed here are probably rather close relatives, the genus as pr ...

'', but was later moved to the

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

Lankascincus ''Lankascincus'' is a genus of lizards, commonly known as lanka skinks and tree skinks, in the family Scincidae. The genus is endemic to Sri Lanka. Species The genus ''Lankascincus'' comprises nine species. *'' Lankascincus deignani'' – D ...

'', which is a genus of skinks endemic to Sri Lanka.

Geographic range

''L. dorsicatenatus'' is found in southwestern Sri Lanka, the wet zone.

Habitat

The preferred natural

habitat In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...

of ''L. dorsicatenatus'' is

forest A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological function. The United Nations' ...

Reproduction

''L. dorsicatenatus'' is

oviparous Oviparous animals are animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive method of most fish, amphibians, most reptiles, and all pterosaurs, dinosaurs (including birds), and ...

Clutch A clutch is a mechanical device that engages and disengages power transmission, especially from a drive shaft to a driven shaft. In the simplest application, clutches connect and disconnect two rotating shafts (drive shafts or line shafts). ...

size is one egg.

References

External links

* Wickramasinghe LJM,

Rodrigo R Rodrigo is a Spanish, Portuguese and Italian name derived from the Germanic name ''Roderick'' (Gothic ''*Hroþareiks'', via Latinized ''Rodericus'' or ''Rudericus''), given specifically in reference to either King Roderic (d. 712), the last Vis ...

, Dayawansa N, Jayantha ULD (2007)
"Two new species of ''Lankascincus'' (Squamata: Scincidae) from Sripada Sanctuary (Peak Wilderness), in Sri Lanka"
''Zootaxa'' 1612: 1–24. Lankascincus Reptiles of Sri Lanka Endemic fauna of Sri Lanka Reptiles described in 1953 Taxa named by Paulus Edward Pieris Deraniyagala {{skink-stub