Tytthoscincus panchorensis, Grismer, L. Lee, Muin, Mohd Abdul, Wood, Perry L., Anuar, Shahrul & Linkem, Charles W., 2016
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publication ID |
https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4092.2.6 |
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publication LSID |
lsid:zoobank.org:pub:CE662777-0D0F-487C-86D7-A0461AFD8567 |
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DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5619793 |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/961B87E5-FFD4-2F70-D0DE-F8D30F22FD85 |
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treatment provided by |
Plazi |
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scientific name |
Tytthoscincus panchorensis |
| status |
sp. nov. |
Tytthoscincus panchorensis sp. nov.
Bukit Panchor Forest Skink Fig. 3 View FIGURE 3
Holotype. Adult male (LSUHC 12511) collected from Bukit Panchor, State Park, Pulau Pinang, Peninsular Malaysia (N 05°09'13.6", E 100°32'46.6"; 79 m elev.) collected by M. A. Muin on 6 January 2013 from a pitfall trap.
Diagnosis. Tytthoscincus panchorensis sp. nov. can be differentiated from all other species of Tytthoscincus by having 29 midbody scale rows; 68 paravertebrals; 57 ventrals; four supraoculars; parietals and supraoculars in contact; one medially projecting superciliary scale; two loreals; six supralabials; five infralabials; bicarinate subdigital lamellae; eight lamellae beneath Toe IV; a dark, diffuse, dorsolateral stripe extending from the eye to the shoulder; and no light-colored dorsolateral stripe ( Table 2 View TABLE 2 ).
Description of holotype. SVL 35.5 mm; TailL 30.0 mm; AxGnL 20.4 mm; HeadL 7.2 mm; HeadW 4.5 mm; SnForeL 12.7 mm; rostral wider than long, in broad contact with frontonasal; frontonasal wider than long; prefrontals large, not in contact; frontal elongate, diamond-shaped, in contact with first three supraoculars; five supraoculars; frontoparietals in contact posterior to frontal, contacting third, fourth, and fifth supraoculars anterolaterally and parietals and interparietal posteriorly; left frontoparietals non-overlapping; interparietal diamond-shaped, large, slightly projecting posteriorly; parietal eyespot in posterior projection of parietal; parietals large, in medial contact posterior to interparietal, contacting fifth supraocular anteriorly; enlarged nuchal scales absent; nasals small, widely separated, trapezoidal, contacting rostral anteriorly, frontonasal dorsally, first loreal posteriorly, first supralabial ventrally; nostril in center of nasal; supranasals absent; single loreal taller than wide; single similarly sized preocular in contact with posterior margin of loreal; eight supraciliaries, posterior supraciliary elongate and projecting dorsomedially; two pretemporals, dorsalmost largest; 12 suboculars; six supralabials, third, fourth, and fifth below eye; three postsupralabials; two primary temporals; two secondary temporals, uppermost not contacting parietals; lower eyelid transparent, scaly, no enlarged central window; mental twice as wide as long; single, large postmental, contacting first infralabials on each side; two enlarged pairs of chinshields posterior to postmental, anterior pair contacting medially, posterior pair widely separated posteriorly by a single scale; chinshields contacting first, second and third infralabials; five infralabials; external ear opening equal to diameter of eye, subcircular, lacking anterior lobules; tympanum recessed.
Body scales smooth, cycloid, imbricate; ventral scales same size as dorsal scales; 29 longitudinal scale rows around midbody; 68 paravertebral scale rows; 57 ventral scale rows; enlarged, medial, precloacal scale; tail robust, cylindrical; subcaudals slightly larger than dorsal caudals; limbs widely separated when adpressed; left forelimb missing (likely due to predation); scales of dorsal surface slightly larger than those of ventral surface; palmar and plantar scales slightly raised; scales of dorsal surfaces of digits in a single row; subdigital lamellae bicarinate, eight on Toe IV; first digit of manus not vestigial but fully formed.
Coloration ( Fig. 3 View FIGURE 3 ). Overall dorsal ground color of head, body, limbs, and tail dark grey-brown; scales of all dorsal surfaces edged posteriorly with darker coloration; darker, faint, diffuse dorsolateral postorbital stripe extending just beyond and above forelimb insertion; anterior portion of flanks, sides of neck, and lateral portions of lower jaw orangish; all ventral surfaces beige, generally immaculate.
Distribution. Tytthoscincus panchorensis sp. nov. is known only from the type locality at the Bukit Panchor State Park, Pulau Pinang, Peninsular Malaysia ( Fig. 1 View FIGURE 1 ).
Natural history. Tytthoscincus panchorensis sp. nov. is a forest floor species inhabiting the swampy area and adjacent hillsides of the Bukit Panchor State Park ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 ).
Etymology. The specific epithet panchorensis is in reference to the type locality of the Bukit Panchor State Park, Pulau Pinang, Peninsular Malaysia. The suffix - ensis is from the Latin word for “from, of” or “from a place” and renders the specific epithet an adjective.
Comparisons ( Table 2 View TABLE 2 ). Tytthoscincus panchorensis sp. nov. can be differentiated from all other species of Tytthoscincus or suspected Tytthoscincus by lacking (vs. having) the prefrontals in contact medially, having a single (vs two) loreal scales, and having fewer subdigital lamellae on Toe IV (eight vs 9–15, collectively; Table 2 View TABLE 2 ). Additionally, T. panchorensis sp. nov. has fewer midbody scale rows (29 vs 30–44 collectively) than all other species except for T. sibuensis and it has more supraoculars (five vs four) than all other species except T. textum . Tytthoscincus panchorensis sp. nov. is most similar to its closest relative T. sibuensis but can be further distinguished from it by having fewer (one vs. two) posteriorly projecting supraciliaries, a greater number of paravertebral scales (68 vs. 58), a greater number of ventral scales (57 vs. 52), fewer Toe IV subdigital lamellae (eight vs. 9–11), by the presence (vs. absence) of a dark, dorsolateral stripe, and the absence (vs. presence) of a light, dorsolateral stripe and light and dark lineate mottling on the throat and neck.
TABLE 2. Selected diagnostic character states differentiating the species of Tytthoscincus. Sphenomorphus temminicki and S. textus are predicted to belong in the genus Tytthoscincus (Linkem et al. 2011) and thus included in this matrix. Highlighted character states are those that differ from T. panchorensis sp. nov. / = data unavailable.
| Supralabials | panchorensis sp. nov. 6 | atrigularis 6 | biparietalis 6 | bukitensis 6 | butleri 5 | hallieri 5 | ishaki 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infralabials Loreals Prefrontals contact | 5 1 No | 5 2 Yes | 6 2 Yes | 5 2 Yes | 5 or 6 2 Yes | / / Yes | 5 2 Yes |
| Projecting supraciliaries Supraoculars Midbody scale rows | 1 5 29 | 1 4 30 | 2 4 32 | 2 4 31–33 | 2 4 34–44 | / 4 40 | 2 4 38–41 |
| Paravertebrals Ventral scales Toe IV lamellae | 68 57 8 | / / 10 | / / 10 | 66 or 67 61–74 12 or 13 | 66 or 67 31–33 12 or 13 | / / 14 | 68–73 30–32 11 |
| Lamellae texture Dark dorsolateral stripe Light dorsolateral stripe | Keeled Yes No | Smooth Yes No | Smooth Yes No | Keeled Yes No | Keeled No No | / No No | Keeled Yes No |
| continued. | |||||||
| Supralabials | langkawiensis 6 | parvus 6 | perhentianensis 6 | sibuensis 6 | temengorensis 6 | temmincki 6 | textus 5 |
| Infralabials Loreals Prefrontals contact | 5 or 6 2 Yes | / / / | 6 2 Yes | 5 / Yes | 5 2 Yes | 4 or 5 2 Variable | / / Yes |
| Projecting supraciliaries Supraoculars Midbody scale rows | 1 4 34–37 | / 4 30 | 1 4 30 | 2 4 29 | 1 4 30–35 | 1 / 30–37 | / 5 30–32 |
| Paravertebrals Ventral scales Toe IV lamellae | 60–72 34–37 11 or 12 | / / 10 | 65 29 10 | 58 52 9–11 | 68–70 30–35 10 or 11 | 68–80 62–72 9–11 | / / 13–15 |
| Lamellae texture Dark dorsolateral stripe Light dorsolateral stripe | Keeled Yes Yes | Smooth No No | Smooth No No | Variable No Yes | Keeled Yes Yes | Smooth Yes No | / Yes No |
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