Nessia didactyla

Nessia didactyla, also known commonly as the two-toed nessia and the two-toed snakeskink, is a species of skink, a lizard in the subfamily Scincinae of the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to the island of Sri Lanka.

Habitat and geographic distribution

A low hill to submountain skink species, N. didactyla is known from localities that lie at of elevation, including Polgahawela, Billegama, and Dewatura. Its preferred natural habitat is forest, but it has also been found in coconut plantations and home gardens.

Description

N. didactyla has 24–28 scale rows at midbody. The snout is broad and blunt. The fronto-nasal is larger than the rostral, but slightly smaller than the frontal. The lower eyelid is scaly. Each limb has two digits, hence the scientific and common names. The pre-anals are slightly enlarged. The dorsum is brown, each scale with a darker border. Ventrally, it is light brown.

Reproduction

N. didactyla is oviparous.

References

Further reading

• Deraniyagala PEP (1934). "Some New Fossorial Skinks of Ceylon". Ceylon Journal of Science 18: 231–233. (Acontias didactylus, new species).
• Smith MA (1935). The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma. Reptilia and Amphibia. Vol. II.—Sauria. London: Secretary of State for India in Council. (Taylor and Francis, printers). xiii + 440 pp + Plate I + 2 maps. (Nessia didactyla, new combination, p. 358).
• , (2009). Lizards of Sri Lanka, A Colour Guide with Field Keys. Frankfurt am Main, Germany: Edition Chimaira / Serpents Tale. 304 pp. .
• Taylor EH (1953). "A Review of the Lizards of Ceylon". University of Kansas Science Bulletin 35 (2): 1525–1585. (Nessia didactyla, p. 1577).