Nessia sarasinorum
Nessia sarasinorum, commonly known as Sarasins's snake skink, Müller's nessia, and Muller's nessia, is a species of lizard in the subfamily Scincinae of the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to the island of Sri Lanka.
Etymology
The specific name, sarasinorum, is in honor of Swiss zoologists Karl Friedrich Sarasin and Paul Benedict Sarasin, who were cousins.
Geographic distribution
A dry zone skink, Nessia sarasinorum is known in Sri Lanka from Maha Oya, Lahugala Kitulana National Park, Polgahawela, Polonnaruwa, Galigamuwa, Buttala, Inamaluwa, Dambulla, Kandalama, and Batticaloa.
Description
The body of Nessia sarasinorum is slender and of equal girth, from head to tail. The snout is acute and short. The fronto-nasal is shorter and broader than the frontal. The lower eyelid is scaly. The midbody scale rows number 22. The pre-anals are distinctly enlarged. The anterior limbs missing, and each posterior limb is reduced to a bud. The dorsum is light brown or bluish gray. There are individual scales with darker patches. Ventrally, it is lighter.
Behavior
Nessia sarasinorum is terrestrial and fossorial.
Habitat
The preferred natural habitat of Nessia sarasinorum is forest, at elevations of, where it burrows in loose soil beneath plant litter and around tree roots. It is also occasionally found in home gardens.