Nessia monodactyla

Toeless Snake Skink
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Sauropsida
Order: Squamata
Family: Scincidae
Genus: Nessia
Species: N. monodactyla
Binomial name
Nessia monodactyla
Gray, 1839

Toeless Snake Skink, Nessia monodactyla, also known as One-toed nessia, is a species of skink endemic to island of Sri Lanka.

Habitat & Distribution

Widely distributed in the wet climatic zones from 400-1500m, and known localities include Kandy, Nawalapitiya, Deniyaya, and Peradeniya.

Description

Midbody scales rows 26-28. Body is slender and of equal girth, from head to tail. Snout short and obtuse. Lower eyelid with a transparent disk. Limbs lacking digits. Dorsum brown , dark or gray black.

Ecology & Diet

Hides under rubble, decaying logs and in soil or humus in montane forests. When exposed, they immediately wriggle into loose soil or under rubble. Diet comprises insects.

Reproduction

2 eggs are laid in loose soil.

References

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 8/19/2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.