A New Species of Lankascincus Greer, 1991 (Reptilia : Scincidae) with an Overview of the L. gansi Group

Researchers identify two distinct populations of the skink species Lankascincus gansi, previously considered a single widespread species. One population thrives at high elevations (1,000 m a.s.l.) in the Rakwana Hills, while the other inhabits lowland rainforests below 300 m a.s.l. The study redefines L. gansi to specifically refer to the lowland population and introduces a new species name for the Rakwana Hills population. Through detailed morphological and morphometric comparisons, the research also synonymizes Lankascincus greeri with L. deignani due to their lack of distinctiveness and shared biogeographical isolation. A key to the genus Lankascincus is provided, offering a comprehensive taxonomic overview.

Kanishka, A. S., Danushka, A. D., Amarasinghe, A. A. T.,. (2020). A NEW SPECIES OF Lankascincus GREER, 1991 (REPTILIA : SCINCIDAE) WITH AN OVERVIEW OF THE L. gansi GROUP. Taprobanica, 9(1), 103–119. https://doi.org/10.47605/tapro.v9i1.225