The skinks (Squamata: Scincidae) of Ecuador, with description of a new Amazonian species

Autor: Omar Torres-Carvajal, Camila Sandoval, Diego A. Paucar
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2024
Předmět:
Zdroj: Vertebrate Zoology, Vol 74, Iss , Pp 551-564 (2024)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 2625-8498
DOI: 10.3897/vz.74.e130147
Popis: The taxonomic status of the skinks from Ecuador has never been carefully addressed. In this paper we examine populations of Mabuya lizards across Amazonian Ecuador in an attempt to establish their taxonomic identity and phylogenetic affinities. We confirm the presence of both M. altamazonica and M. nigropunctata and describe a new species from Yasuní National Park, one of the most biodiverse places on Earth. The new species differs from its congeners in lepidosis and color patterns. For the first time, we include samples from Ecuador in a molecular phylogenetic analysis of Mabuya, which confirms the monophyly of the new species and the taxonomic identity of both M. altamazonica and M. nigropunctata from Ecuador. The new species is closely related to M. bistriata. Finally, we present an identification key for species of Ecuadorian Mabuya.
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