S. dussumieri is found in the Western Ghats of India, in the Indian states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu[1][2] The specific name, dussumieri, is in honor of Jean-Jacques Dussumier, a French voyager who collected zoological specimens in South Asia in the early 19th century.

The head of S. dussumieri is distinct from the neck, and the snout is short.

The tympanum is situated on the surface, not sunk as in other skinks.

There is a light dorso-lateral stripe running from the eye to the side of the body, its inner edge with a dark brown, white spotted streak.

[4] S. dussumieri is a diurnal skink, which inhabits evergreen, moist deciduous, and plantation forests, such as rubber plantations, in closed as well as open forests, at altitudes of 15–500 m (49–1,640 ft).