Notomabuya, Hedges & Conn, 2012

Hedges, S. Blair & Conn, Caitlin E., 2012, A new skink fauna from Caribbean islands (Squamata, Mabuyidae, Mabuyinae) 3288, Zootaxa 3288 (1), pp. 1-244 : 135-136

Genus Notomabuya gen. nov.

Southern Neotropical Skinks

Type species. Emoea frenata Cope, 1862:187 .

Diagnosis. The species in this genus is characterized by (1) frontoparietals, one, (2) supraciliaries, 4–6, (3) supraoculars, 4 (rarely three or five), (4) prefrontal contact, absent or rare, (5) parietal contact, present (or rarely no contact), (6) rows of nuchals, one, (7) dorsals + ventrals, 111–130, (8) total lamellae, 217–228, (9) a dark middorsal stripe, absent, (10) dark dorsolateral stripes, absent, (11) a dark lateral stripe, present, and (12) dark ventral striping, absent. The maximum SVL in this species is 91 mm ( Vrcibradic & Rocha 2011) ( Table 2).

The presence of one frontoparietal separates this genus from all others except Aspronema (1–2 frontoparietals), Exila , and Panopa . From Exila and Panopa , it differs by having one row of nuchals (versus 2–5 in those other genera). In lacking dark dorsolateral stripes, it is separated from Aspronema , Manciola , Orosaura , Panopa ,

Psychosaura , Spondylurus and Varzea (except rarely). In lacking a dark middorsal stripe, it is separated from Aspronema and Manciola . In having pale palms and soles, it differs from Capitellum , Exila , Mabuya , Maracaiba , Orosaura , and Psychosaura (dark palms and soles).

Content. One species is placed in this genus: Notomabuya frenata ( Table 1).

Distribution. This genus occurs in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, and Paraguay ( Fig. 8B ).

Etymology. The generic name ( Notomabuya ) is a feminine noun derived from the Greek notos (south, southern) and mabuya (a Neotropical skink), hence "Southern Neotropical Skink," in allusion to the distribution of the included species ( frenata ) in southern South America.

Remarks. The molecular phylogeny ( Fig. 5 ) shows each of the four samples of Notomabuya frenata , from diverse localities in Brazil, clustering together in a monophyletic group but with long branch lengths, as was shown by earlier studies ( Whiting et al. 2006; Miralles et al. 2009b). Sequence divergence among those four populations (3.4–11%; Fig. 6 ) is greater than among some recognized species elsewhere in the tree, indicating that Notomabuya frenata is likely a complex of species.

Figures

FIGURE 5 (continued on the next page)

FIGURE 6. Phylogenetic tree of Neotropical skinks (Mabuyidae, Mabuyinae) showing linearized branch lengths (GTR +

FIGURE 8. Distribution of the 16 genera of Neotropical skinks, Family Mabuyidae, Subfamily Mabuyinae. (A) Genera occurring in the greater Caribbean region. (B) Genera occurring exclusively in South America. (C) Additional genera occurring in South America, including one with representatives on Caribbean islands.