Ctenonotus distichus (Cope, 1861)

Nicholson, Kirsten E., Crother, Brian I., Guyer, Craig & Savage, Jay M., 2012, 3477, Zootaxa 3477, pp. 1-108 : 41

Ctenonotus distichus Species Group

Diagnosis. — Support for this group is provided by 93 apomorphies including 15 morphological and 78 molecular ones. There are six unequivocal morphological apomorphies: maximum male snout-to-vent length decreased (1: m to j); length of head decreased (4: s to m); mean number of scales across the snout decreased (29: e to d); middorsal scale of the snout arranged in two parallel rows that extend from the level of the second canthals to nares (34: a to z); dorsal, ventral, supradigital, and head scales smooth (40: 0 to 1); and quadrate lateral shelf present (75: a to z). There are no unequivocal molecular apomorphies (see Appendix II).

Definition. — Dactyloids of this species group are small lizards (maximum snout-to-vent length in adults males 47 to 51 mm, in adult females 42 to 48 mm), sharing the following combination of features: 1) posterior suture of dentary pronged; 2) middorsal scales on snout not in a regular pattern; 3) prefrontal contacts nasal; 4) quadrate lateral shelf present; 5) no lower jaw sculpturing; 6) Type II karyotype: 2N = 33 (10M, 4 T, 19 or 20m); xxy heteromorphism .

Content. — This species group contains six species and a total of 24 species and subspecies (see Appendix III).

Distribution. — Bahamas and Hispaniola and its satellite islands ( Fig. 24).

Introduction. — C. distichus to southern Florida.