ZSI discovers new species of skink in Eastern Ghats
HYDERABAD: The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) has discovered a new species of skink from the Eastern Ghats, named Riopa deccanensis or the Deccan Gracile Skink.
The species is characterised by a slender body, semi-transparent eyelids and distinct longitudinal dorsal stripes. It is currently known only from two localities, highlighting the rich but under-explored herpetofaunal diversity of the Eastern Ghats.
Riopa deccanensis becomes the ninth recognised species in its genus and the sixth known from India. This is the first such species described from the country in over 84 years, marking an addition to Indian reptilian biodiversity.
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