Lygosoma veunsaiense

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Lygosoma veunsaiense
Lygosoma veunsaiensis.jpg
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Scincidae
Genus: Lygosoma
Species:
L. veunsaiense
Binomial name
Lygosoma veunsaiense
Geissler, Hartmann, and Neang, 2012 [2]

Lygosoma veunsaiense is a species of skink that is endemic to northeastern Cambodia. [2] [3] Its description as a new species was published in 2012, receiving both local and international publicity. [4] [5] [6] [7]

Contents

Discovery

In 2010, at the remote rainforest area of Veun Sai-Siem Pang Conservation Area in Ratanakiri Province, Cambodia a Fauna and Flora International herpetologist, Thy Neang, first discovered Lygosoma veunsaiense. [6] Peter Geissler from Museum Koenig in Germany, was one of the authors who described the skink. [7]

Description

This type of lizard has iridescent rainbow skin with a long tail and short legs. [6] The outer ear opening is absent; supranasals distinct and separated from each other by frontonasal; supranasals not fused with nasals; midbody scales in 22 rows; fontoparietals paired; five supralabial scales; a light stripe present on outer edge of the dorsum; and a dark dorsolateral stripe present, from behind the eye to the tail. [2]

Habitat

Lygosoma veunsaiense spends most of its life underground in the rainforest. [8]

Related Research Articles

<i>Lygosoma</i> Genus of lizards

Lygosoma is a genus of lizards, commonly known as supple skinks or writhing skinks, which are members of the family Scincidae. Lygosoma is the type genus of the subfamily Lygosominae. The common name, writhing skinks, refers to the way these stubby-legged animals move, snake-like but more slowly and more awkwardly.

<i>Barkudia insularis</i> Species of lizard

Barkudia insularis commonly known as the Madras spotted skink is a critically endangered limbless skink which was described in 1917 by Nelson Annandale and rediscovered in the wild in 2003. Little is known about the species but it was previously believed to be found only in the mangrove habitats near Barkuda Island in Chilka Lake, Odisha, India. Later observations in adjoining parts of Odisha indicate a larger range within the state. The lizard looks like a large earthworm and lives in the subsoil and probably feeds on small arthropods.

The Haly's tree skink is a species of tree skink found in Sri Lanka. Earlier thought to be found also in the Western Ghats, taxonomic studies have shown this to be a Sri Lankan endemic, differentiated from the Indian Dasia subcaeruleum. It is the only arboreal skink in Sri Lanka.

<i>Riopa punctata</i> Species of lizard

Riopa punctata, also known as the common dotted garden skink, common snake skink, punctate supple skink, or spotted supple skink is a species of skink found in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Vietnam and Sri Lanka.

<i>Sphenomorphus dussumieri</i> Species of lizard

Sphenomorphus dussumieri, commonly known as Dussumier's forest skink and Dussumier's litter skink, is a species of skink, a lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to southern India.

<i>Sphenomorphus maculatus</i> Species of lizard

Sphenomorphus maculatus, the spotted forest skink, maculated forest skink or stream-side skink is a species of skink found in China, South Asia and Southeast Asia.

<i>Lampropholis delicata</i> Species of lizard

Lampropholis delicata, the delicate skink, dark-flecked garden sun skink, garden skink, delicate garden skink, rainbow skink or plague skink, or the metallic skink is native to Australia and invasive in New Zealand and Hawaii where it is commonly found in gardens. The species is known for their color dimorphism between males and females; striped morphs and non-striped morphs exist in this species, however the stripe is less pronounced in males. This species' diet consists of a wide range of prey, such as spiders, bees, larvae, and termites. Mating occurs in the late summer and generally one clutch of 2 to 4 eggs are laid per year by each female.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Banded supple skink</span> Species of lizard

The banded supple skink, also known as Harold's writhing skink or Harold Young's supple skink, is a species of skink in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to Southeast Asia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fire skink</span> Species of lizard

The fire skink, also known commonly as Fernand's skink, the Togo fire skink, and the true fire skink, is a fairly large skink, a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is known for its bright and vivid coloration. Native to tropical forests in West and Central Africa, the fire skink lives fifteen to twenty years. This species is a diurnal lizard that burrows and hides. It is relatively shy and reclusive, but may become tame in captivity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Noronha skink</span> Species of skink

The Noronha skink is a species of skink from the island of Fernando de Noronha off northeastern Brazil. It is covered with dark and light spots on the upperparts and is usually about 7 to 10 cm in length. The tail is long and muscular, but breaks off easily. Very common throughout Fernando de Noronha, it is an opportunistic feeder, eating both insects and plant material, including nectar from the Erythrina velutina tree, as well as other material ranging from cookie crumbs to eggs of its own species. Introduced predators such as feral cats prey on it and several parasitic worms infect it.

<i>Eulamprus quoyii</i> Species of lizard

Eulamprus quoyii, more commonly known as the eastern water skink, eastern water-skink, or golden water skink, is a viviparous species of diurnal skink. Eulamprus quoyii belongs to the family Scincidae and is considered a common garden animal in Australia. The skink is endemic to Australia and found only along the east coast of the country. It makes its home in creekside habitats along the east coast of Australia and in urban garden areas with high amounts of moisture. The species can be identified by the twin, long yellow stripes that run along its body from the top of the eye, as well as by several more specific character derived states. The pale yellow dorsolateral stripes are most likely where its common name, the golden water skink, is derived. Like other ectotherms, the skink can often be seen basking in the sun on rocky outcroppings in order to regulate its body temperature. Its diet mainly consists of both aquatic and terrestrial insects, tadpoles and small amounts of plant matter. The skink both hunts for food and scavenges when necessary and is considered an opportunistic feeder. It is prey to larger lizards, snakes, cats and birds and so will often be seen moving quickly into hiding when other organisms are present.

Trachylepis tschudii is an enigmatic skink, purportedly from Peru. First described in 1845 on the basis of a single specimen, it may be the same as the Noronha skink (T. atlantica) from Fernando de Noronha, off northeastern Brazil. T. tschudii represents one of two doubtful records of the otherwise African genus Trachylepis on mainland South America; the other is T. maculata from Guyana.

<i>Saproscincus mustelinus</i> Species of lizard

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<i>Calotes bachae</i> Species of lizard

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Eutropis floweri, also known commonly as Flower's skink, Taylor's skink and Taylor's striped mabuya, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to the island of Sri Lanka.

<i>Oligodon deuvei</i> Species of snake

Oligodon deuvei is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to Southeast Asia.

Lygosoma boehmei is a species of skink, a lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to Vietnam.

<i>Morethia obscura</i> Species of lizard

The shrubland Morethia skink is a species of skink endemic to Australia, of the family Scincidae, found in New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria (Australia), Western Australia in Australia.

<i>Pseudemoia pagenstecheri</i> Species of lizard

Pseudemoia pagenstecheri, also known commonly as the southern grass tussock skink or the southern tussock grass skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to Australia.

Angel's writhing skink is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is native to Southeast Asia.

References

  1. Neang, T. 2018. Lygosoma veunsaiensis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018: e.T14669579A14669699. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T14669579A14669699.en. Downloaded on 4 April 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 Geissler, Peter; Timo Hartmann; Thy Neang (2010). "A new species of the genus Lygosoma Hardwicke & Gray, 1827 (Squamata: Scincidae) from northeastern Cambodia, with an updated identification key to the genus Lygosoma in mainland Southeast Asia". Zootaxa. 3190: 56–68. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3190.1.4.
  3. Lygosoma veunsaiense at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database . Accessed 25 January 2015.
  4. Phnom Penh Post: Unknown lizard unearthed
  5. Conservation International: Iridescent Lizard Discovered in Northeastern Cambodia
  6. 1 2 3 Ottawa Citizen: New rainbow lizard discovered in Cambodia
  7. 1 2 Fauna-Flora.org: Shiny new lizard discovered in northeast Cambodia
  8. Global Post: Cambodia's newest species discovery: a stumpy-legged rainbow lizard

Wikispecies-logo.svg Data related to Lygosoma veunsaiense at Wikispecies