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Eutropis sibalom BARLEY, DIESMOS, SILER, MARTINEZ & BROWN, 2020

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Higher TaxaScincidae, Mabuyinae (Mabuyini), Scincoidea, Sauria, Squamata (lizards)
Subspecies 
Common NamesE: Sibalom Sun Skink 
SynonymEutropis sibalom BARLEY, DIESMOS, SILER, MARTINEZ & BROWN 2020: 65
Eutropis Clade B — BARLEY et al. 2013: 3563
Eutropis sibalom — BARLEY et al. 2021 
DistributionPhilippines (Panay)

Type locality: near Barangay Aningalan, Municipality of San Remigio, Antique Province, Panay Island, Philippines (10.80888N, 122.10138E  
Reproduction 
TypesHolotype: PNM 9869, formerly KU 306811, Juvenile, collected by R.M. Brown, 11 October 2006 at 340 m.
Paratypes (paratopotypes).—KU 306810 collected by RMB, 8 October 2006, bearing the same locality data as the holotype. 
DiagnosisDiagnosis: A species of Eutropis distinguished by the following combination of characters: (1) subadult body size small (SVL 40–48 mm); (2) paravertebrals 39–44; (3) sum of subdigital lamellae on all five toes of one foot 71–72; (4) ventral scale rows 28; (5) midbody scale rows 34; (6) keels on dorsal and lateral body scales moderately defined, 3–5; (7) lower eyelid scaly; (8) supraciliaries five; (9) prefrontals separated; (10) primary temporals two; (11) dorsolateral surface with two faint to moderate light stripes that fade or become broken towards the posterior portion of the body.

Comparisons: Critical comparisons for E. sibalom include other Philippine species of Eutropis, particularly those known from western portions of the archipelago. Unfortunately, because this species is only known from two subadult specimens, we are unable to assess variation for comparisons to other species confidently. Genetic data clearly show it is part of the E. indeprensa complex, which suggests that adults likely have smaller, less robust body sizes than E. borealis and E. multifasciata (and is consistent with the small body sizes of these two subadult specimens). It also appears to have a smaller number of total toe lamellae than E. borealis. Both specimens have low numbers of keels on dorsal scales (3 and 3–5) compared to other E. indeprensa complex species (which would distinguish it from E. lapulapu); however, this is presumably just a function of their small size. Juvenile specimens of other species frequently have lower numbers of keels on dorsals than do adults of the same species (AJB, personal observation). There are no other obvious morphological characteristics of these specimens that clearly distinguish E. sibalom from other species of Eutropis in the E. indeprensa complex despite the fact that it is highly genetically divergent from all the other species; future systematic research with additional specimens would be valuable for characterizing the morphology of this species.

Coloration in life: Remains unrecorded, but in our experience, Eutropis coloration in preservative is usually quite similar to that in life, with only minor fading, reduction in brilliance and stark contrasts of light and dark adjacent color features, and loss of vibrant reds, blues, and yellows. 
Comment 
EtymologyNamed after Sibalom Natural Park (from where this species is known) of southwestern Panay, which is one of the last lowland rainforest habitats left on Panay. The name is feminine in gender. 
References
  • Barley, A. J., Diesmos, A. C., Siler, C. D., Martinez, C. M. & Brown, R. M. 2020. Taxonomic Revision of Philippine Sun Skinks (Reptilia: Squamata: Scincidae: Eutropis), and Descriptions of Eight New Species. Herpetol. Monogr. 34: 39–70
  • BARLEY, ANTHONY J.; JORDAN WHITE, ARVIN C. DIESMOS, RAFE M. BROWN 2013. THE CHALLENGE OF SPECIES DELIMITATION AT THE EXTREMES: DIVERSIFICATION WITHOUT MORPHOLOGICAL CHANGE IN PHILIPPINE SUN SKINKS. Evolution, DOI: 10.1111/evo.12219 - get paper here
  • Barley, Anthony J.; Marites B. Sanguila and Rafe M. Brown 2021. A new species of Sun Skink (Reptilia: Scincidae: Eutropis) from the Zamboanga Peninsula, southwestern Mindanao Island, Philippines. Philippine Journal of Systematic Biology 14 (2): 1-18; DOI: 10.26757/pjsb2020b14012 - get paper here
 
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