''Lankascincus fallax'', also known
commonly as the common supple skink and Peters's tree skink, 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 ...
of
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
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...
to the 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 ...
.
Description
Fronto-parietal is fused, unlike in all other Lanka skinks (where it is divided on others). Midbody scales rows 24-28. Lamellae under fourth toe are 13-18.
Males are distinguish with red-throat. Dorsum pale to dark brown each dorsal scale with a pale stripe joining to form longitudinal line on dorsum. A yellowish brown stripe running from posterior edge of the eye to beyond middle of the tail. Throat color varies from red, blue or cream, with white spots, presumably depending on the reproductive status. Venter unpatterned creamy. Ventral scales with a frosted pattern, forming longitudinal lines.
Iris yellow in female and bright red in males.
Reproduction
Lay 1 egg laid per clutch in loose soil.
References
Further reading
*
Peters W (1860). "''Mittheilung über einige interessante Amphibien, welche von dem durch seine zoologischen Schriften rühmlichst bekannten österreichischen Naturforscher Professor
Schmarda
Ludwig Karl Schmarda (23 August 1819 – 7 April 1908) was an Austrian naturalist and traveler, born at Olmütz, Moravia.
Early life and education
Schmarda was born at Olmütz where he attended the Grammar School and the Philosophical Course a ...
während seiner auf mehrere Weltheile ausgedehnten, besonders auf wirbellose Thiere gerichteten, naturwissenschaftlichen Reise, mit deren Veröffentlichung Hr. Schmarda gegenwärtig in Berlin beschäftigt ist, auf der Insel Ceylon gesammelt wurden'' ". ''Monatsberichte der Königlichen Preussischen Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin'' 1860: 182–186. (''Lygosoma fallax'', new species, pp. 184–185). (in German).
External links
* http://biodiversityofsrilanka.blogspot.com/2013/05/common-lanka-skink-lankascincus-fallax.html
Two new species of Lanka Skink found from Adam's Peak, found by L.M Wickramasinghe et.al.Photos of Common Supple Skink
Reptiles of Sri Lanka
Lankascincus
Reptiles described in 1860
Taxa named by Wilhelm Peters
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