Cnemidophorus lemniscatus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Harvey, Michael B., Ugueto, Gabriel N. & Gutberlet, Ronald L., 2012, 3459, Zootaxa 3459, pp. 1-156 : 109-110

Cnemidophorus lemniscatus Group

Definition.— The following combination of characters distinguishes the Cnemidophorus lemniscatus Group ( Table 9) from other groups of Cnemidophorus : small to medium lizards reaching 127 mm SVL; interparietal entire (very rarely partially longitudinally divided along midline, only completely divided in one specimen of C. l. lemniscatus , n = 36); most species usually with noticeably enlarged median pair of occipital plates flanked by smaller scales ( C. flavissimus , C. lemniscatus gaigei , C. l. lemniscatus , C. l. splendidus, C. senectus ), or median occipitals small and always subequal to adjacent scales ( C. arenivagus , C. arubensis , C. gramivagus ); first subocular usually entire and in contact with supralabials, occasionally subocular separated from supralabials by anterior expansion of second subocular in some specimens of C. arenivagus and C. arubensis ; single to partially or completely doubled row of granules between supraocular and supraciliaries; mesoptychials moderately enlarged (only barely to slightly enlarged in C. arubensis ); ventral scales in 26–33 transverse and 8 longitudinal rows; proximal subcaudals keeled; preaxial and postaxial brachial scales separated by small triangular scales or connected by enlarged subtriangular plates; preaxial brachial scales from moderately (1–1.5 times as wide as long) to distinctly enlarged (1.5–2+ times wider than long) and extending beyond center of arm; postbrachials distinctly enlarged (except in few specimens of C. arubensis in which they are moderately enlarged) and extending beyond center of arm (except in few C. arubensis in which these scales are only discernable near elbow); enlarged antebrachials in continuous row or narrowly separated from enlarged preaxial brachials; combined femoral and abdominal pores 41–65; tibiotarsal shields transversely enlarged and wide; juveniles with distinct striped pattern with continuous or only slightly discontinuous stripes (latter only in C. flavissimus ); spots on flanks of adult males small (slightly larger in C. arubensis and C. gramivagus than in other species); throat, chest or abdomen in adult males never melanic; abdomen of adult males never bright yellow.

Distribution.—Mainland Central and northern South America, Trinidad, Tobago, Aruba, continental southern Caribbean Islands, Isla San Andres, Isla Santa Catalina, and Isla de Providencia.

Content.— Cnemidophorus arenivagus Markezich et al. , Cnemidophorus arubensis (Lidth de Jeude) , Cnemidophorus cryptus Cole and Dessauer , Cnemidophorus flavissimus Ugueto et al. , Cnemidophorus gramivagus McCrystal and Dixon , Cnemidophorus lemniscatus espeuti Boulenger , Cnemidophorus lemniscatus gaigei Ruthven , Cnemidophorus lemniscatus lemniscatus (Linnaeus) , Cnemidophorus lemniscatus splendidus Markezich et al. , Cnemidophorus pseudolemniscatus Cole and Dessauer , Cnemidophorus senectus Ugueto et al. , Cnemidophorus sp. B .

Remarks.—Among species in the Cnemidophorus lemniscatus Group, C. arubensis is the most divergent and is included within this group with some reservation. Unlike other species in the group, C. arubensis has only moderately enlarged brachials, small mesoptychials, and many more femoral pores (57–65 in C. arubensis vs. 32–57 in the remaining species). Additionally, the scales on the dorsal aspect of the arm are smaller and the proximal subcaudals are more weakly keeled than in the remaining species of the group. We include C. arubensis in the C. lemniscatus Group rather than one of the other insular groups, because it has 8 longitudinal rows of ventrals, broad tibiotarsal shields, brachials and antebrachials continuous, adult males with pale ventral surfaces, and striped juveniles.