scincks

The island of Sri Lanka has an amazingly diverse and highly endemic Scincid assemblage. However although the family Scincidae with 30 species accounts for a considerable portion of the tetrapod reptiles in the country, only very little research has been done on the taxonomy, ecology and distribution of these tetrapod reptiles. The lack of clearly illustrated publications, the similarity in their overall colour patterns and the complex identification characters have resulted in field identification often being confused.

All species in Sri Lanka are either terrestrial or fossorial in habit except for Dasia heliana, which is mostly sub-arboreal. Of the Sri Lankan Scincidae, the nine relict taxa belonging to Acontianinae (genera Chalsidospes and Nessia) are the most unique to the island as their closest relatives inhabit South Africa and Madagascar but not the adjacent Indian sub-continent.

Genus Lygosoma (Gray,1839) [Riopa]

The endemic Lygosoma singha is a very rare species known from the North-east coast of the country, but Riopa punctatus is a common sub-fossorial species, particularly in the arid regions (though it occurs in all climatic zones of the country). They burrow swiftly into loose sand or decaying vegetation and the fragile, pink-coloured tail provides protection as it easily gains the attention of a predator and detaches. In more recent literature these species have being assigned to genus Lygosoma under the common name 'Supple skinks'.

Lygosoma punctatus (Gmelin, 1799); Dotted garden skink/ Spotted supple skink (E); Tit hiraluhikanala (S)
Lygosoma singha (Taylor 1950); Taylor’s skink/ Sri Lankan supple skink (E); Taylorge hiraluhikanala (S). Endemic

Genus Chalcidoseps Boulenger ,1887

The only member of this relict genus, Chalsidoceps thwaitesii has only four toes in each limb, thus is commonly known as the Fourtoe Snake Skink. It is restricted to the Knuckles massif in the central wet zone of the island and inhabits damp leaf mould. It’s a sub-fossorial species and feeds on insects.

Chalcidoseps thwaitesii (Günther 1872); Fourtoe snakeskink (E); Chaturanguli sarpahikanala (S) Endemic

Genus Lankascincus Greer,1991

This relict genus now comprises ten species of small terrestrial and sub-fossorial skinks, all endemic to the country. They are diurnal and are found in both lowlands and highlands in a wide range of habitats including home gardens. Lankascincus is a lygosomine scincid genus but as it has uncertain phylogenetic affinities with the major lineage, molecular biology studies are proceeding. Sphenomorphus dorsicatenatus is now considered to be a valid, distinct species under the genus Lankascincus. Several new species have being discovered and await description.

Lankascincus deignani (Taylor, 1950); Deignan’s lankaskink (E); Deignange lakhiraluwa (S) Endemic
Lankascincus deraniyagalae Greer, 1991; Deraniyagala’s lankaskink (E); Deraniyagalage lakhiraluwa (S) Endemic
Lankascincus dorsicatenatus (Deraniyagala, 1953); Catenated lankaskink (E); Damwal lakhiraluwa (S) Endemic
Lankascincus fallax (Peters,1860); Common lankaskink (E) ; Sulaba lakhiraluwa (S) Endemic
Lankascincus gansi Greer,1991; Gans’s lankaskink (E); Gansge lakhiraluwa (S) Endemic
Lankascincus greeri (Batuwita & Pethiyagoda); Greer’s lankaskink (E) Endemic
Lankascincus munindradasai Wickramasinghe et al, 2007; Munindradasa’s lankaskink (E); Munindradasage lakhekanala (S) Endemic
Lankascincus sripadensis Wickramasinghe et al, 2007; Sripada forest skink (E); Sripakandu duburu hekanala(S) Endemic
Lankascincus taprobanensis (Kelaart,1854); Smooth lankaskink (E); Sumudu lakhiraluwa (S) Endemic
Lankascincus taylori Greer 1991; Taylor’s lankaskink (E); Telorge lakhiraluwa (S) Endemic

Genus Dasia Gray,1839

The only sub-arboreal skink in the country, Dasia halianus, is a rare skink distributed in the low country dry zone. They inhabit tree holes in large trees. Other than for the arboreal habits, it is also known to hide in sandy soil when disturbed. Dasia feeds on caterpillars, insect larvae and insects.

Dasia halianus (Haly & Nevil, 1887); Haly’s treeskink (E); Helige rukhiraluwa (S)

Genus Eutropis (Fitzinger,1826) [Mabuya]

Mabuyan skinks, where all Sri Lankan species are now included in the genus Eutropis, are the largest skinks in the island and most species reach ca. 300 mm. Sri Lanka is home to seven species including four endemics (three at species level and the other at subspecies level). They occupy a wide range of habitats and these terrestrial skinks bask at midday on heated rocks, which is a great place to spot them. Members of the genus contain three clear keels in each body scale, which can be used to identify them. Few new species belonging to this genus have being discovered and await description.

Eutropis beddomii (Jerdon, 1870); Beddome’s strip skink (E); Vairan hikanala (S)
Eutropis bibronii (Gray,1838); Bibron’s sand skink (E); Vali hikanala (S)
Eutropis carinata lankae Deraniyagala,1953; Common skink (E); Sulaba hikanala (S) Endemic sub-species
Eutropis floweri Taylor, 1950; Taylor’s skink (E); Taylorge hikanala (S) Endemic
Eutropis macularia (Blyth, 1853); Bronzegreen little skink (E); Pingu hikanala (S)
Eutropis madaraszi Mechely, 1897; Spotted skink (E); Pulli hikanala (S) Endemic
Eutropis tammanna Das, de Silva & Austin, 2008; Tammana skink (E) Endemic

Genus Nessia Gray, 1839

The genus Nessia is most unique and geographically relict to the island. Their closest relatives inhabit South Africa and Madagascar but not the adjacent Indian sub-continent. It is a specious skink genus comprising eight members. They are highly adapted for a burrowing lifestyle by having wedge-shaped snouts, un-overlapped scales and highly reduced limbs presumably reducing friction. Found in damp soils in the wet and intermediate zones, especially where termites are common.

Nessia bipes Smith, 1935; Smith’s snakeskink (E); Smithge sarpahiraluva (S) Endemic
Nessia burtonii Gray, 1839; Three-toe snakeskink (E); Triyanguli sarpahiraluva (S) Endemic
Nessia deraniyagalai Taylor, 1950; Daraniyagala’s snakeskink (E); Deraniyagalage sarpahiraluva (S) Endemic
Nessia didactylus (Deraniyagala, 1934); Two-toe snakeskink (E); Deyanguli sarpahiraluva (S) Endemic
Nessia hickanala Deraniyagala , 1940; Shark-head snakeskink (E); Morahis sarpahiraluva (S) Endemic
Nessia layardi (Kelaart, 1853); Layard’s snakeskink (E); Leyardge sarpahiraluva (S) Endemic
Nessia monodactylus (Gray 1839); Toeless snakeskink (E); Ananguli sarpahiraluva (S) Endemic
Nessia sarasinorum (Müller, 1889); Sarasin’s snakeskink (E); Sarasinge sarpahiraluva (S) Endemic

Genus Sphenomorphus Fitzinger, 1843

The catch-all genus Sphenomorphus is yet another genus that is in urgent need of a thorough review. Even till very recently, certain checklists (eg. De Silva, 2006) included five species from Sri Lanka. However S. rufogulus and S. straitopunctatus are now considered as synonyms of Lankascincus falax & L. taprobanensis, respectively. S. dorsicatenatus is now considered to be a distinct Lankascincus species. I have considered the record of Sphenomorphus dussumieri (Dussumier’s litter skink) as doubtful thus have not listed here. The condition and validity of the only remaining species is also questionable as the type material are lost and as there are no subsequent records.

Sphenomorphus megalops (Annadale,1906); Annandale’s litter skink (E); Annandalege sigitihikanala (S) Endemic