Brachymeles suluensis TAYLOR, 1918
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Brachymeles suluensis
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| Higher Taxa | Scincidae, Scincinae, Scincoidea, Sauria, Squamata (lizards) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | E: Graceful Short-legged Skink |
| Synonym | Brachymeles suluensis TAYLOR 1918: 254 Brachymeles gracilis — TAYLOR 1922: 247 Brachymeles gracilis gracilis — BROWN 1956: 10 Brachymeles gracilis — BROWN & ALCALA 1970: 112 Brachymeles suluensis — SILER et al. 2012: 153 |
| Distribution | Philippines (Basilan and Bubuan islands) Type locality: Bubuan Island, Tapiantana Group, Sulu Province. |
| Reproduction | |
| Types | Holotype: MTD; probably not extant (BROWN & RABOR 1967) |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: Brachymeles suluensis can be distinguished from congeners by the following combination of characters: (1) body size medium (SVL 71.9 mm); (2) limbs pentadactyl; (3) limb length moderate; (4) Finger-III lamellae five; (5) Toe-IV lamellae eight; (6) supralabials six; (7) infralabials six; (8) supraciliaries six; (9) supraoculars five; (10) midbody scale rows 24; (11) axilla–groin scale rows 48; (12) paravertebral scale rows 69; (13) pineal eyespot present; (14) supranasals separate; (15) prefrontals separate; (16) frontoparietals separate; (17) first pair of enlarged chin shields in contact; (18) postnasal/supranasal fusion absent; (19) enlarged chin shields in three pairs; (20) nuchal scales undifferentiated; (21) fourth and fifth supralabial below eye; (22) auricular opening present; and (23) presacral vertebrae 31 (Tables 3, 4) (SILER et al. 2012). Note that this diagnosis is based on 1 specimen (female). Comparisons.—Characters distinguishing B. suluensis from all medium-sized, pentadactyl species of Brachymeles are summarized in Tables 3 and 4. Brachymeles suluensis most closely resembles B. gracilis, B. vulcani, and B. tiboliorum. However, B. suluensis differs from these three taxa by having eight Toe-IV lamellae (vs. six [B. tiboliorum], seven or eight [B. gracilis], eight or nine [B. vulcani]), fewer presacral vertebrae (31 vs. 32 [B. vulcani], 33 [B. tiboliorum], 34 [B. gracilis]), the presence of a pineal eyespot (vs. presence or absence), the absence of contact between prefrontal scales (vs. presence or absence), the absence of contact between frontoparietal scales (vs. presence or absence [B. gracilis], presence [B. vulcani, B. tiboliorum]), and the presence of contact between the first pair of enlarged chin shields (vs. presence or absence [B. gracilis, B. tiboliorum], absence [B. vulcani]). Brachymeles suluensis further differs from B. gracilis and B. tiboliorum by having five Finger-III lamellae (vs. four or five); from B. gracilis and B. vulcani by having enlarged chin shields in three pairs (vs. two); and from B. gracilis by having six infralabials (vs. six or seven) and by the absence of a fused postnasal/supranasal scale (vs. presence or absence). Brachymeles suluensis can be distinguished from all limbless species of Brachymeles (B. apus, B. lukbani, B. minimus, B. miriamae, B. vermis) by having limbs; and from all nonpentadactyl species of Brachymeles (B. bicolandia, B. bonitae, B. brevidactylus, B. cebuensis, B. cobos, B. elerae, B. libayani, B. muntingkamay, B. paeforum, B. pathfinderi, B. samarensis, B. tridactylus, B. wrighti) by having pentadactyl (vs. nonpentadactyl) limbs (SILER et al. 2012). |
| Comment | Synonymy: after SILER et al. 2012. Pentadactyl species. Distribution: see map in SILER et al. 2012. Sympatry: On Basilan Island, B. suluensis is found in sympatry with B. schadenbergi. Other sympatric scincid species observed on Basilan Island include Emoia atrocostata, Eutropis multicarinata, E. rudis, E. multi- fasciata, Lamprolepis smaragdina, Lipinia quadrivittata, Pinoyscincus jagori, Spheno- morphus fasciatus, S. variegatus, Tropido- phorus misaminus, Tytthoscincus atrigularis. Habitat: semifossorial and typically found in dry, rotting material inside or underneath decaying logs or in loose soil, forest floor detritus, and leaf litter of lowland forest. |
| Etymology | Named after the type locality. |
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