Subdoluseps nilgiriensis-a new species of skink

A team of researchers have discovered a new species  of skink at Anaikatti hills in Coimbatore in the Western Ghats.

  • It is an Asian gracile skink named “Subdoluseps nilgiriensis,” closely related to Subdoluseps pruthi found in parts of the Eastern Ghats.
  • The reptile has a slender body of just about 7 cm and is sandy brown in colour. 
  • This species is only the third skink species discovered from mainland India in the last millennium.
  • Skinks are non-venomous. They resemble snakes because of the often-inconspicuous limbs and the way they move on land. 
  • Most skinks are diurnal and are usually secretive. Being elusive, not much is known about their natural and evolutionary history. 

(Source: The Hindu)

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