Kingdom Animalia Class Reptilia Family Scincidae Rank Species | Phylum Chordata Order Squamata Genus Lygosoma | |
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Similar Lygosoma, Lygosoma guentheri, Lygosoma punctatum | ||
Lygosoma veunsaiensis is a species of skink that is endemic to northeastern Cambodia. Its description as a new species was published in 2010, receiving both local and international publicity.
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 veunsaiensis. Peter Geissler from Museum Koenig in Germany, was one of the authors who described the skink.
Description
This type of lizard has iridescent rainbow skin with a long tail and short legs. 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.
Habitat
Lygosoma veunsaiensis spends most of its life underground in the rainforest.