Dussumier's forest skink facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sphenomorphus dussumieri |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Family: | Scincidae |
| Genus: | Sphenomorphus |
| Species: |
S. dussumieri
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| Binomial name | |
| Sphenomorphus dussumieri (A.M.C. Duméril & Bibron, 1839)
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| Synonyms | |
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The Dussumier's forest skink is a cool type of lizard. It's also known as the Dussumier's litter skink. This skink is part of the Scincidae family, which is a big group of lizards. You can only find this special skink in southern India, which means it's endemic to that area.
Where It Lives
The Dussumier's forest skink lives in a special part of India. You can find it in the Western Ghats mountains. These mountains are in the Indian states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Why It's Called "Dussumier's"
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The name dussumieri was given to honor a French traveler. His name was Jean-Jacques Dussumier. He explored South Asia in the early 1800s. During his travels, he collected many animal specimens. In India, people sometimes call this skink "അരണ" (arana).
What It Looks Like
The Dussumier's forest skink has a head that stands out from its neck. Its snout, or nose area, is quite short. You can see its ear drum right on the surface of its head. This is different from some other skinks.
Its body is thin and sleek. The scales on its back are smooth and have tiny lines. Its legs are not very long. The top of its body is a shiny bronze-brown color. It also has dark spots.
There's a light stripe that runs from its eye along the side of its body. This stripe has a dark brown edge with white spots. There's also a wider stripe on its sides, which has a white border underneath. The belly of the skink is a creamy white color.
How It Lives
The Dussumier's forest skink is a diurnal animal. This means it is active during the daytime. It likes to live in different kinds of forests. You can find it in evergreen forests, moist deciduous forests, and even rubber plantations. It lives in both dense and open forest areas. These skinks are found at altitudes from about 15 to 500 meters (50 to 1,640 feet) above sea level.
