Kingdom Animalia Subphylum Vertebrata Order Squamata Rank Species | Phylum Chordata Class Reptilia Suborder Sauria | |
Nessia layardi, commonly known as Layard's snake skink or Layard's nessia, is a species of skink endemic to the island of Sri Lanka.
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Etymology
The specific name, layardi, is in honor of British naturalist Edgar Leopold Layard.
Habitat & geographic range
N. layardi is a poorly known skink from the hills of the Central Province and the wet zone coastal areas. Known localities include Millawa, Wellawatte, Lunava, and Polgahawela. It inhabits moist soil and decaying leaf litter, especially at the base of trees, at elevations up to 150 m (490 ft).
Description
Snout subconical. A single loreal present. Limbs and ear opening absent. Supranasals absent. Dorsum brown, each scale with a darker margin.
Reproduction
Eggs are deposited in heaps of coconut leaves or in silt over stony substratum. Eggs are soft-shelled, measuring 6.4 mm × 15.9 mm (0.25 in × 0.63 in), and two eggs are produced at a time around March.