Lygosoma veunsaiensis

Lygosoma veunsaiensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Reptilia
Order:Squamata
Family:Scincidae
Genus:Lygosoma
Species: L. veunsaiensis
Binomial name
Lygosoma veunsaiensis
Geissler, Hartmann, and Neang, 2010[1]

Lygosoma veunsaiensis is a species of skink that is endemic to northeastern Cambodia.[1][2] Its description as a new species was published in 2010, receiving both local and international publicity.[3][4][5][6]

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 veunsaiensis.[5] Peter Geissler from Museum Koenig in Germany, was one of the authors who described the skink.[6]

Description

This type of lizard has iridescent rainbow skin with a long tail and short legs.[5] 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.[1]

Habitat

Lygosoma veunsaiensis spends most of its life underground in the rainforest.[7]

References

  1. 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.
  2. ↑ Lygosoma veunsaiensis at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 25 January 2015.
  3. ↑ Phnom Penh Post: Unknown lizard unearthed
  4. ↑ Conservation International: Iridescent Lizard Discovered in Northeastern Cambodia
  5. 1 2 3 Ottawa Citizen: New rainbow lizard discovered in Cambodia
  6. 1 2 Fauna-Flora.org: Shiny new lizard discovered in northeast Cambodia
  7. ↑ Global Post: Cambodia's newest species discovery: a stumpy-legged rainbow lizard

Data related to Lygosoma veunsaiensis at Wikispecies

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.