Lankascincus deignani
| Lankascincus deignani | |
|---|---|
Scientific 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] | |
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Lankascincus deignani, commonly known as Deignan's tree skink and the Deignan tree skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to the island of Sri Lanka.[1][2]
Etymology and taxonomy
[edit]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
[edit]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
[edit]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
[edit]L. deignani is found in moist leaf litter, under stones and logs in forests.[1]
Its diet comprises insects.[1]
Reproduction
[edit]L. deignani is oviparous.[2] Typically two eggs are laid per one time.[1]
References
[edit]- ^ 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) - ^ a b c d Lankascincus deignani at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 5 October 2021.
- ^ Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Lankascincus deignani, p. 68; L. greeri, p. 108).
- ^ Moonesinghe, Vinod. "The birth of the CIA". Daily News (Sri Lanka). 16 August 2012.
Further reading
[edit]- 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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