Lankascincus munindradasai, Wickramasinghe, Mendis, Rodrigo, Roshan & Dayawansa, Nihal, 2007

Wickramasinghe, Mendis, Rodrigo, Roshan & Dayawansa, Nihal, 2007, Two new species of Lankascincus (Squamata: Scincidae) from Sripada Sanctuary (Peak Wilderness), in Sri Lanka, Zootaxa 1612, pp. 1-24 : 4-10

Lankascincus munindradasai sp. nov.

Fig. 2 to 7.

Holotype: Adult male 40.16 mm SVL NMSL 20072101. Sripada Sanctuary (Adam’s peak), Nuwara Eliya District, Central Province. (N 0 6 48 24.61, E 0 80 30 41.19) Alt. 1825 m. Coll. R. K. Rodirigo, D. Jayantha and L. J. M. Wickramasinghe. 0 7. 11. 2006.

Paratype: Adult male 34.97 mm SVL NMSL 20072102, Sripada Sanctuary (Adam’s peak), Nuwara Eliya District, Central Province. (N 0 6 48 24.61, E 0 80 30 41.19) Alt. 1825 m. Coll. R. K. Rodirigo, D. Jayantha, and L. J. M. Wickramasinghe. 0 7. 11. 2006.

Diagnosis: Lankascincus munindradasai sp. nov. is distinguished from known congeners by possessing the following combination of characters: A medium sized Lankascincus 35–40 mm SVL; Prefrontals widely separated; one loreal scale, the loreal is touching the prefrontal, frontonasal, nasal, 1st, 2nd supralabial scales, upper and lower preoculars; the loreal is larger than the longitudinal axis, the nasal is fused; 6 supralabials, the last supralabial scale is single and lager than the others, 4th at the mid orbit point; 28 smooth scale rows at mid body; 53 to 54 paravertebral scales; 56 to 58 scales between mental and vent; median preanals are enlarged, outer preanals overlap with inner; lamellae under the fourth fingers and toes 8 and 12 respectively, the lamellae formulae for both fingers and toes are 4>3>2>5>1 and 4>3>5>2>1.

Description of Holotype: Adult male ( Fig. 2 ,). Snout to vent length (SVL) 40.16 mm, body moderately elongate. Head depressed and narrow (HD / HW ratio 0.68 and HD / HL ratio 0.40); elongated and (HD / NE ratio 0.53 and HL / SVL ratio 0.22); distinct from the neck; snout long (SE / HW ratio 0.53); longer than the eye width (EW / SE ratio 0.66); eye relatively lager than the ear (EW / EL ratio 2.32 and EW / EaW ratio 3.89); ear opening small (EL / HL ratio 0.08); snout to eye distance greater than the width of eye (SE / EW ratio 1.52). Tail longer than the body length (SVL / TL ratio 0.80), and round in cross section (TD / TW ratio 1.13).

Rostral convex ( Fig. 3 ), posterior margin of mid point slightly convex; no supranasal and postnasal; frontonasal larger than the prefrontals, lateral border touching loreal; prefrontals separated by frontal, lower bor- der touching a loreal scale and widely in contact with first supraocular from the posterior border; frontal longer than its distance to tip of snout, and approximately equal or longer than frontoparietals and interparietal combined; no supraciliaris; five supraoculars, first one being the longest in the longitudinal axis, second one widest in the transverse axis, first two in contact with frontals, third in contact with frontoparietal, fourth in contact with frontoparietal and parietal, fourth touched by upper postocular scale and upper pretemporal scale; frontoparietals distinct, larger than interparietal; parietals touching each other behind interparietal, parietal touching pretemporal scales laterally, three or four small scales touching parietal post laterally; fused nasal; one loreal scale, loreal touching prefrontal, frontonasal, nasal, 1st, 2nd supralabials scales, lower preocular and upper preocular scales. loreal longer than the longitudinal axis. two preocular scales, lower ones lager than the others; six supralabials, the last supralabial single, 4th at the mid orbit point; eight subocular scales, smaller than the supralabial scales; the subocular row touching 2nd to the 5th supralabial scales and primary temporal scale, the first subocular scale touching the lower preocular scale, the last subocular scale touching the lower posterior postocular and lower primary temporal scale; two anterior and two posterior postocular scales, anterior postoculars smaller than the posterior postocular scales; two pretemporal scales, the upper smaller than the lower and very small than the primary temporal scale; single primary temporal, the primary temporal touching 5th and 6th supralabial scales; single secondary temporal scale, the secondary temporal larger than the primary temporal scale; six infralabials, the third infralabial smaller than the first, and the rest smaller than the third; mentals wider than postmental in transverse axis but shorter in longitudinal axis, touching first infralabial only; two pairs of chinshields behind postmental, the first pair meeting in midline, the first chinshield in contact with first and second infralabial scales, the second pair in contact with second and third infralabials, the third pair of chinshields separated from infralabial row; body scales smooth, 28 rows around mid body; 53 paravertebral scales; 56 scales between the mental and vent; the median preanals enlarged, outer preanals overlap with inner; the fourth finger and fourth toe longer than others; the fourth finger having 8 smooth lamellae; the fourth toe having 12 smooth lamellae; the lamellae formulae including fingers and toes 4>3>2>5>1 and 4>3>5>2>1 ( Fig. 4 ). Digits having single row of scales dorsolaterally; scales of palm and sole elevated; palatal rami of pterygoids slightly expanded posterior medially.

Colour in life: ( Fig. 5 and 6 ) Dorsal head, dark brown with randomly distributed black spots. Lateral and ventral head except the loreal region scales, light blue with black out line in the front side of each scale. Dorsal body is olive brown. Four longitudinally oriented, irregular, broken lines that starts from nuchal area diminishes beyond the base of tail. These broken lines are clearly seen in the mid dorsal area. A dorso-lateral thick black line is present and it starts from the back of the eye and diminishes towards the mid tail. Body laterally light brown, ventro-laterally brownish yellow, and ventrally golden yellow. Dorsal tail, dark brown with intermittent black spots. Lateral tail light brown with intermittent dark brown spots. Ventral tail golden yellow at the beginning, which fades to dark brown on moving down the tail. Limbs dark brown with intermittent light brown spots dorsally and laterally, and golden yellow in colour ventrally.

Colour in alcohol: The colour pattern is preserved with a little fading. Colour changes from dark brown to light brown, light blue to whitish blue, golden yellow to off white.

Etymology: The species is named after the late Dr. D. I. Amith Munindradasa, ( Fig. 7) scientist who worked to the betterment of the country, although an electronic engineer by profession worked in various disciplines, a lover of nature, who was also involved in the discovery of five Cnemaspis species, and worked as a silent yet effective conservationist in the country. The vernacular names assigned for the species nov. Munindradasage lakhekanala, Munindradasavin arene and Munindradasa’s Lanka skink in native languages Sinhala, Tamil and English respectively.

Comparisons: The following combination of characters clearly distinguishes The new species from all sympatric members of genera Lankascincus and Sphenomorphus in Sri Lanka. One loreal scale, the loreal is touching the prefrontal, frantonasal, nasal, 1st and 2nd supralabial scales, upper, and lower preoculars; the loreal is larger than

The new species is morphologically similar to Lankascincus taprobanensis (Kelaart, 1854) by following combination of characters, six supralabials, 4 at the mid orbit point; prefrontals widely separated; two pretemporals and single secondary temporal; similar body sized and overlapping scale count around mid body (26 or 28) ( Table 1 ). But the new species can be distinguished from the aforementioned species by the following characters: having one loreal scale and loreal is larger than the longitudinal axis; the loreal is touching the prefrontal, frantonasal, nasal, 1st and 2nd supralabial scales, upper and lower preoculars; single primary temporal; subdigital lamellae on fourth finger 8 and fourth toe 12; males with light blue throat and the ventral head; (vs two loreals of nearly equal size and height; of which the anterior loreal is touching the prefrontal, frantonasal, nasal, 1st, 2nd supralabials and posterior loreal scale; two primary temporal; subdigital lamellae on fourth finger 9 or 10 and fourth toe 11 or 12; males with black ventral head).

Counts L. munindradasi L. taprobanensis

Holotype Paratype Voucher specimen

NMSL 20072101 20072102 20072201 20072202 20070903 The following combination of characters clearly differentiates the new species from Lankascincus deraniyagalae Greer 1991 : single primary temporal, six supralabials, 4 at the mid orbit point; prefrontals widely separated; (vs primary temporal double, seven supralabials, 5 at the mid orbit point; prefrontals in contact). The new species is differentiated from L. fallax (Peters, 1860) by the distinct frontoparietals, six supralabials, 4 at the mid orbit point; prefrontals widely separated; males with light blue throat in colour (vs frontoparietals fused, seven supralabials, 5 at the mid orbit point; prefrontals in contact or narrowly separated and males with light or dark red throat in colour). L. gansi Greer 1991 by having six supralabials, 4 at the mid orbit point and single last supralabial; prefrontals widely separated; single primary temporal; paravertebral scales 53 to 54; fourth toe with 12 smooth subdigital lamellae and males having light blue throat in colour. (vs by having seven supralabials, 5 at the mid orbit point and split last supralabial; prefrontals in contact; two primary temporal; paravertebral scales 42 to 50; fourth toe with 16 smooth subdigital lamellae and having dark red or black colour on throat). L. taylori Greer 1991 , is distinguished from the new species by having seven supralabials, 5 at the mid orbit point and prefrontals in contact; fourth toe with 12–18 subdigital lamellae; mid body scale rows 24–26 and male with black throat colour, (vs by having six supralabials, 4 at the mid orbit point and prefrontals widely separated; fourth toe with 12 subdigital lamellae; mid body scale rows 28 and male with light blue in colour on throat)

The comparison of Lankascincus munindradasai sp nov. with all sympatric members of the genus Sphenomorphus in Sri Lanka is as follows. Sphinomorpus dorsicatenatus Deraniyagala, 1953 , differs from the new species by the following combination of characters: large size 46.5 mm maximum SVL; having seven supralabials, 5 at the mid orbit point; prefrontals in contact or narrowly separated; (vs small size 40mm maximum SVL; six supralabials, 4 at the mid orbit point and prefrontals widely separated); from S. dussumieri (Dumeril and Bibron, 1839) by having seven supralabials, fifth and sixth are at the mid orbit point; postonasal present, 38 – 40 scales around midbody, (vs by having six supralabials, 4 at the mid orbit point; postonasal absent, 28 scales around midbody); from S. megalops ( Annandale, 1906) by interparietal completely separating parietals, ventrals feebly keeled, 24 to 26 scales around midbody (vs parietal meeting behind interparietal, ventrals smooth; 28 scales around midbody).

Figures

FIGURE 2. The holotype male of Lankascinicus munindradasai NMSL 20072101, 40.16 mm SVL in life

FIGURE 3. The scale pattern of head of holotype male Lankascinicus munindradasai NMSL 20072101, 40.16 mm SVL, A. the lateral view and B. the dorsal view.

FIGURE 4. The ventral view of palm and foot of holotype male Lankascinicus munindradasai NMSL 20072101, 40.16 mm SVL

FIGURE 5. The lateral view of head of holotype male Lankascinicus munindradasai NMSL 20072101, 40.16 mm SVL

FIGURE 6. The ventral view of head of holotype male Lankascinicus munindradasai NMSL 20072101, 40.16 mm SVL

Tables

TABLE 1. The scale and lamellae counts of the type series of Lankascinicus munindradasai and L. taprobanensis.

Frontonasal (FN) 1	1	1	1	1
Prefrontal (PRF) 2	2	2	2	2
Frontal (F) 1	1	1	1	1
Frontoparietal (FP) 2	2	2	2	2
Interparietal (IP) 1	1	1	1	1
Parietal (P) 2	2	2	2	2
Supraoculars (SO) 5	5	5	5	5
Loreal (L) 1	1	2	2	2
Preocular (PRO) 2	2	2	2	2
Subocular (SBO) 8	8	7	7	8
Postocular (PO) 2	3	3	2	2
Pretemporal (PT) 2	2	2	2	2
Primary temporal (PRT) 1	1	2	2	2
Secondary temporal (ST) 1	1	1	1	1
Scale around mid body (SMB) 28	28	28	26	28
Paravertibral (PV) 53	54	60	57	62
Supralabials at end of gape (SLG) 6	6	6	6	6
Supralabials at mid orbit (SLO) 4	4	4	4	4
Infralabials at end of gape (IL) 6	6	5	5	5
Ventrals (V) 58	56	60	59	60
Subcaudals (SC) 66	45	63	56	71
Lamellae of Finger 1 (LF1) 4	4	3	4	4
Lamellae of Finger 2 (LF2) 5	5	6	6	7
Lamellae of Finger 3 (LF3) 7	7	8	8	9
Lamellae of Finger 4 (LF4) 8	8	10	9	9
Lamellae of Finger 5 (LF5) 5	5	6	6	6
Lamellae of toe 1 (LT1) 4	4	5	5	5
Lamellae of toe 2 (LT2) 7	7	8	8	9
Lamellae of toe 3 (LT3) 10	10	12	11	11
Lamellae of toe 4 (LT4) 12	12	15	13	13
Lamellae of toe 5 (LT5) 6	7	8	8	8