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.

Common Supple Skink
Scientific classification Edit this 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[1]
  • 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

Description

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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.[citation needed]

Reproduction

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Lay 1 egg laid per clutch in loose soil.[citation needed]

References

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  1. ^ Species Lankascincus fallax at The Reptile Database www.reptile-database.org.

Further reading

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  • 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).
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