Deignan Tree Skink
CR

Deignan Tree Skink

Lankascincus deignani

Unknown

Photo: Photo: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

Overview

Lankascincus deignani, commonly known as Deignan's tree skink and the Deignan tree skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to the island of Sri Lanka.

Lankascincus deignani faces severe population decline primarily due to rapid deforestation and habitat conversion in Sri Lanka's wet zone forests. The species' extremely restricted range makes it particularly vulnerable to localized habitat destruction from agricultural expansion, urban development, and infrastructure projects. Climate change poses an additional threat by altering the moisture-dependent microhabitats essential for this endemic skink's survival.

Threat summary

Habitat

This endemic Sri Lankan skink inhabits the leaf litter and understory of primary and secondary wet zone forests, typically in areas with high humidity and dense canopy cover. The species shows a strong preference for undisturbed forest floors with abundant organic matter and stable microclimatic conditions.

Forest - Subtropical/tropical moist lowland· major

Conservation measures underway

Site/area protectionSpecies recovery

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Frequently asked questions

Why is Deignan Tree Skink classified as Critically Endangered?
Deignan Tree Skink is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Lankascincus deignani faces severe population decline primarily due to rapid deforestation and habitat conversion in Sri Lanka's wet zone forests. The species' extremely restricted range makes it particularly vulnerable to localized habitat destruction from agricultural expansion, urban development, and infrastructure projects. Climate change poses an additional threat by altering the moisture-dependent microhabitats essential for this endemic skink's survival.
Where does Deignan Tree Skink live?
Deignan Tree Skink occurs in Sri Lanka. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Deignan Tree Skink?
The main threats to Deignan Tree Skink are 2.1, 5.3, ai-1, and ai-2. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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