Biology:Lankascincus fallax

Short description: Species of lizard

Common Supple Skink
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Family:	Scincidae
Genus:	Lankascincus
Species:	L. fallax
Binomial name
Lankascincus fallax W. Peters, 1860
Synonyms
Lygosoma fallax W. Peters, 1860 Lygosoma megalops Annandale, 1906 Lygosoma (Sphenomorphus) fallax — Deraniyagala, 1931 Sphenomorphus rufogulus Taylor, 1950 Sphenomorphus fallax — Taylor, 1953 Lankascincus fallax — Greer, 1991 Lankascincus deraniyagalae Greer, 1991 Lankascincus fallax — Austin, Das & de Silva, 2004

Lankascincus fallax, also known commonly as the common supple skink and Peters's tree skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to the island of Sri Lanka.

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.

Further reading

• Peters W (1860). "Mittheilung über einige interessante Amphibien, welche von dem durch seine zoologischen Schriften rühmlichst bekannten österreichischen Naturforscher Professor Schmarda 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

Wikidata ☰ Q3217582 entry