Cnemidophorus murinus (LAURENTI, 1768)
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Cnemidophorus murinus
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| Higher Taxa | Teiidae, Teiinae, Gymnophthalmoidea, Sauria, Squamata (lizards) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | E: Curaçao Whiptail, Laurent's Whiptail |
| Synonym | Seps murinus LAURENTI 1768: 63 Cnemidophorus murinus — WAGLER 1830 Cnemidophorus murinus — DUMÉRIL & BIBRON 1839: 126 Cnemidophorus murinus — BOULENGER 1885: 361 Cnemidophorus murinus murinus — MASLIN & SECOY 1986 Cnemidophorus murinus — DEARING & SCHALL 1994 Cnemidophorus murinus — HARVEY et al. 2012 |
| Distribution | Curacao, Bonaire I (Trinidad and Guianas fide BOULENGER 1885) Type locality: in error; restricted to Curaçao by Burt (1935) |
| Reproduction | oviparous |
| Types | Holotype: unknown (based on illustration in Seba 1735: fig. 2, 111) |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis (genus): Cnemidophorus is the only genus of Teiidae with a single pair of preanal spurs in males and proximal hemipenial laminae ornamented in short papillae. Female Cnemidophorus can be distinguished from all other teiids by the combination of long first supraciliaries, long first supralabials with straight ventral margins, subtriangular to subcircular nostrils, five regular parietals, smooth ventrals, and a continuous postaxial row of keeled, serrate scales separating the digital lamellae of all five toes. Diagnosis. A species of Cnemidophorus distinguished from all congeners by the following combination of characters: (1) maximum SVL in males 159 mm (Lammere ́e, 1970); (2) nostril usually centered within nasal suture, occasionally slightly anterior to it; (3) rostral scale bluntly rounded; (4) frontonasal hexagonal or octagonal, forming slightly angular sutures with nasals; (5) first supraciliary usually separated from prefrontal, occasionally in contact; (6) scales of circumorbital semicircles 8–14 (total of both sides) in contact with supraoculars, extending to posterior portion of third or to anterior portion of fourth supraocular; (7) 60–92 (total of both sides) scales in a doubled or tripled row between supraoculars and supraciliaries; (8) mesoptychials barely to slightly enlarged; (9) ventrals usually in 10, rarely 12, longitudinal and 35–39 transverse rows; (10) bisexual (gonochoristic); (11) brachials barely enlarged and restricted to small patch near elbow; (12) males with one anal spur at each side; spur broad and short, extending very close to body; (13) 2–3 medium-size scales between anal spur and preanal shield; (14) subcaudals near base of tail smooth; (15) traces of vertebral and paravertebral stripes only present in juveniles; (16) adult males in life uniformly brown or gray with 14–23 large white or pale blue spots on flanks, greenish or bluish tint on head, and short, pale longitudinal stripes on temporal and supratemporal regions; (17) females in life uniformly gray-brown without greenish or bluish cast on head, and with 5–17 spots on flanks; (18) juvenile color pattern similar to that of adults but often with traces of dorsal striping [from UGUETO & HARVEY 2010]. |
| Comment | Type species: Seps murinus LAURENTI 1768 is the type species of the genus Cnemidophorus WAGLER 1830. ‘‘Cnemidophorus’’ murinus is more closely related to Kentropyx than to ‘‘C.’’ lacertoides, ‘‘C.’’ longicaudus, and/or ‘‘C.’’ ocellifer (REEDER et al. 2002). Subspecies: Cnemidophorus murinus ruthveni BURT 1935 has been elevated to full species status. The original type locality was given as “Java”, obviously in error. |
| Etymology | Apparently named after Latin mus, muris = mouse, probably because of its grey color reminescent of a mouse, but possibly also because of the fast running that mice show. Cnemidophorus is derived from the Greek knemidotos (with leggings) and phoreus (bearer, carrier). Wagler (1830a: 154) stated the name meant ‘‘ocreis armatus,’’ which translates to equipped with protective armor for the shins. The name alludes to the several rows of large scales on the dorsal surface of the foreleg of the members of this genus (McCranie 2018: 400). |
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