Lankascincus gansi

Lankascincus gansi
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Family:	Scincidae
Genus:	Lankascincus
Species:	L. gansi
Binomial name
	Lankascincus gansi; , 1991

Lankascincus gansi (Gans's lankaskink^[1] or Gans's tree skink^[2]) is a species of skink, a lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to the island of Sri Lanka.^[2]

Etymology[]

The specific name, gansi, is in honor of German-born American herpetologist Carl Gans (1923–2009).^[3]^[2]

Habitat[]

L. gansi is found commonly in home gardens and forests from 30–700 m (98–2,297 ft) in the wet climatic zones.

Geographic range[]

Localities in Sri Lanka from which L. gansi has been recorded include Gampola, Deniyaya, Akuressa, Ratnapura, Sinharaja, Kuruwita, and Pallegama.

Description[]

L. gansi has 23–28 scale rows at midbody. The lamellae under the fourth toe number 12–16. The dorsum is grayish brown, with brownish-black vertebral and flank stripes. The flanks are spotted with yellowish cream. The iris is yellowish brown in color. The venter is unpatterned grayish yellow. The throat of the male is dark.

Behavior[]

L. gansi hides under logs, stones, leaf litter, becoming active and coming out for foraging in morning and at dusk.

Diet[]

L. gansi preys on insects.

Reproduction[]

Sexually mature females of L. gansi lay one egg per clutch in loose soil.

References[]

^ "Tetrapod Reptiles of Sri Lanka". Biodiversity of Sri Lanka. Retrieved 21 September 2018.
^ ^a ^b ^c Lankascincus gansi at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 21 September 2018.
^ Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Lankascincus gansi, p. 97).