Lankascincus deignani

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Lankascincus deignani

Critically Endangered  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Scincidae
Genus: Lankascincus
Species:
L. deignani
Binomial name
Lankascincus deignani
(Taylor, 1950)
Synonyms[2]
  • Sphenomorphus deignani
    Taylor, 1950
  • Lankascincus deignani
    — Greer, 1991
  • Lankascincus greeri
    Batuwita & Pethiyagoda, 2007
  • Lankascincus deignani
    — Batuwita, 2019

Lankascincus deignani,

Scincidae. The species is endemic to the island of Sri Lanka.[1][2]

Etymology and taxonomy

L. deignani is named after American ornithologist Herbert Girton Deignan,[3] being originally named Sphenomorphus deignani by Kansas University's Edward H. Taylor, based on a specimen collected by Deignan from Gannoruwa Mountain on November 12, 1944.[4] The synonym, L. greeri, was named in honour of Australian herpetologist Allen Eddy Greer.

Habitat and distribution

Deignan's Lanka skink is confined to the midhills, submontane and montane forests, at 600 to 1,700 m (2,000 to 5,600 ft) of elevation.[1]

Description

L. deignani is a rather large and robust Lanka skink. The midbody scale rows number 28. The lamellae under the fourth toe number 19–20.[2]

The

dorsum
is olive brown. There is a thick dark lateral stripe, edged above by a brownish yellow stripe, and below by 3–4 gray stripes extending from edge of the orbit to the tail-tip. The venter is cream white or pale pink. There are black spots on the upper jaw.

Ecology and diet

L. deignani is found in moist leaf litter, under stones and logs in forests.[1]

Its diet comprises insects.[1]

Reproduction

L. deignani is oviparous.[2] Typically two eggs are laid per one time.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Ukuwela K, Kannishka [sic] S, Kandambi D (2021). "Lankascincus deignani ". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2021: e.T157796345A123306509. Retrieved 5 October 2021.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ a b c d Lankascincus deignani at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 5 October 2021.
  3. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5
    . (Lankascincus deignani, p. 68; L. greeri, p. 108).
  4. ^ Moonesinghe, Vinod. "The birth of the CIA". Daily News (Sri Lanka). 16 August 2012.

Further reading

  • Batuwita S, Pethiyagoda R (2007). "Description of a new species of Sri Lankan litter skink (Squamata: Scincidae: Lankascincus)". Ceylon Journal of Science (Biological Sciences) 36 (2): 80–87. (Lankascincus greeri, new species).
  • Greer AE (1991). "Lankascincus, a New Genus of Scincid Lizards from Sri Lanka, with Descriptions of Three New Species". Journal of Herpetology 25 (1): 59–64. (Lankascincus deignani, new combination).
  • Taylor EH (1950). "Ceylonese Lizards of the Family Scincidae". University of Kansas Science Bulletin 33 (13): 481-518. (Sphenomorphus deignani, new species, pp. 497–500, Figure 3).



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