Ceylonese Dasia

An arboreal skink, with a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of about 8 cm (3.1 in), D. haliana is distinct from all other sister species in having a smaller number of scale rows at the mid-body (22-24) and an enlarged set of vertebral row scales. Like other reptiles its taxonomic identification is based on scalation. It has a pointed snout, and the distance from the nostril to the tip of the snout is longer than the diameter of the eye. The scales above the nostril are not in contact with each other and the fronto-nasal scale is equal in width and length. The prefrontals are large and are separated from another narrow frontal. The interparietal scale is variable in size and when large separates the parietals. There are a pair of nuchal (nape) scales. There are four scales above the eye with the second being largest and the first and second in contact with the frontal. There are 7 or 8 supraciliaries, with the first being longer than the others. There are two loreals which are longer than their height. The temporal scales are larger than the scales on the sides of the neck. The tympanum of the ear is sunken and is less than a fourth of the diameter of the eye. The dorsal scales have 3 or 5 blunt keels, and the two vertebral rows of dorsal scales are wider than the rest. The tail tapers to a point and is as long as the head and body. …

D. haliana is the only arboreal skink in Sri Lanka. It is known much from the dry zone of the country, including Pallegama, Dambulla, Polonnaruwa, Bakamuna, Horana, Anuradhapura, Palatupana, Gampaha and Jaffna. It was also reported from southern India but the species that occurs there was found to be different and given the name of Dasia johnsinghi.

D. haliana is confined to the dry and intermediate zones of the island of Sri Lanka, where it is found on large vine-covered trees, occupying tree holes as refuge.