Draco fimbriatus Kuhl, 1820

Figueroa, Alex, Low, Martyn E. Y. & Lim, Kelvin K. P., 2023, Singapore’s herpetofauna: updated and annotated checklist, history, conservation, and distribution, Zootaxa 5287 (1), pp. 1-378 : 92-93

Draco fimbriatus Kuhl, 1820 — Native; Indeterminate.

Draco fimbriatus Kuhl, 1820: 101–102 . Holotype: ZMB 713, according to Denzer et al. (1997: 13); ZMB 712 (transferred to CAS in 1924) considered as paratype, according to Denzer et al. (1997: 13); ZMB 712 was obtained from Temminck in Leiden after Kuhl’s description, which is based on a single Berlin specimen ( Bauer 2016: 96). Type locality: “[i]n India orientali” (= East Indies, i.e., Southeast Asia); later corrected to “Malayische Halbinsel” (= Malay Peninsula) by Hennig (1936: 202); later corrected to “ Java ”, Indonesia by Manthey (2008: 8–9).

Orange-bearded Gliding Lizard

( Figure 10H )

Singapore records.

Draco abbreviata Hardwicke & Gray, 1827: 219 .—Gray, 1834: pl. 69.

Draco fimbriatus (non Kuhl, 1820)— Gray, 1845: 234.—Stoliczka, 1873: 119.— Boulenger, 1885: 265.— Flower, 1896: 870.—Ridley, 1899: 206.—K.K.P. Lim & L.M. Chou, 1990: 55.—K.K.P. Lim & F.L.K. Lim, 1992: 126, 150.—L.M. Chou et al., 1994: 105.—K.P. Lim & F.L.K. Lim, 2002: 150.—N. Baker & K.P. Lim, 2008: 168.— Das, 2010: 184.

Draco fimbriatus fimbriatus (non Kuhl, 1820)— Grandison, 1972: 77.— Denzer & Manthey, 1991: 311.

Draco abbreviatus — Manthey, 2008: 102.—L.L. Grismer, 2011a: 96.—L.L. Grismer, 2011b: 159, 162.— N. Baker & K.P. Lim, 2012: 168.—M.E.Y. Low & Pocklington, 2019: 159.— Janssen & Sy, 2022: 148.

Remarks. Draco fimbriatus is a species complex presently composed of five species ( McGuire et al. 2018). In Singapore, D. fimbriatus was recorded as D. abbreviatus (e.g., Hardwicke & Gray 1827; Baker & Lim 2012) and D. fimbriatus (e.g., Gray 1845; Baker & Lim 2008). Along with Acanthosaura armata , D. abbreviatus was the first lizard species reported and described from Singapore ( Hardwicke & Gray 1827), and the type-specimen is the only known record of D. abbreviatus from Singapore ( Table 2 ). Shortly thereafter, Duméril & Bibron (1837) synonymised D. abbreviatus with D. fimbriatus , which was adopted by subsequent authors ( Gray 1845; Boulenger 1885; Hennig 1936; Musters 1983) until Manthey (2008) split them into separate species again. McGuire et al. (2018) disagreed with Manthey’s (2008) arrangement, and instead recognised D. abbreviatus as D. fimbriatus , and D. fimbriatus from Peninsular Malaysia as D. punctatus . Thus, D. fimbriatus is known from Singapore solely on the specimen from Hardwicke & Gray (1827). Ģnther (1864) stated that the occurrence of D. fimbriatus in Singapore is “more than doubtful”, but did not provide any explanation. We suspect he is alluding to the ambiguity regarding the locality of Hardwicke’s specimens. However, given the distribution of D. fimbriatus throughout Peninsular Malaysia, including Gunung Pulai, less than 32 km from Singapore ( Baker 2016), Sumatra, and Borneo, and that it can be found from sea level to 1,000 m a.s.l. ( Grismer 2011b, as D. abbreviatus ), there is a high possibility that D. fimbriatus naturally occurred in Singapore.

Occurrence. Only known from one museum specimen predating 1827. Likely extirpated.

Singapore conservation status. Not Evaluated.

Conservation priority. Immediate priority, if rediscovered.

IUCN conservation status. Least Concern [2021].

LKCNHM & NHMUK Museum specimens. Singapore (no locality) : BMNH 1873.3 .7.6 (no date) [holotype] .

Additional Singapore museum specimens. No specimens.

Singapore localities. No published localities.

Figures

FIGURE 10. A) Dogania subplana, B) Pelochelys cantorii, C) Pelochelys cantorii, D) Pelodiscus cf. sinensis, E) Aphaniotis fusca, F) Bronchocela cristatella, G) Calotes versicolor, and H) Draco fimbriatus. Photographs by: Kelvin K.P. Lim [A–B, D–E], Dr. Teo Eng Wah @ Vince Adam [C], Thio Hui Bing [F], Alex Figueroa [G], and Evan S.H. Quah [H].