Cambodia’s newest species discovery: a stumpy-legged rainbow lizard
This rainbow-colored lizard (Lygosoma veunsaiensis) was recently discovered in Cambodia.
Meet the Lygosoma veunsaiensis: a newly discovered lizard that dwells underground in the Cambodian jungles.
The slender skink is quite striking: its skin evokes the rainbow reflection you see when light strikes an oil slick. It was discovered by a joint team — Conservation International/Flora and Fauna International — the plies the jungles seeking new species.
The team called the lizard a "very lucky find, as this type of lizard typically spends much of its time underground."
Will wildlife researchers encounter more lucky finds in Cambodia's little-explored hinterlands?
That may depend on how many jungles are lost to illicit logging, a lucrative industry watchdog group Global Witness connects to key government figures.