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Lepidophyma flavimaculatum DUMÉRIL, 1851

IUCN Red List - Lepidophyma flavimaculatum - Least Concern, LC
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Higher TaxaXantusiidae (Lepidophyminae), Scincoidea, Sauria, Squamata (lizards)
SubspeciesLepidophyma flavimaculatum flavimaculatum A. DUMÉRIL 1851
Lepidophyma flavimaculatum ophiophthalmum TAYLOR 1955 
Common NamesE: Yellow-spotted Night Lizard
G: Krokodilnachtechse
S: Lepidofima 
SynonymLepidophyma flavimaculatum DUMÉRIL in DUMÉRIL & DUMÉRIL 1851: 138
Poriodogaster grayii A. SMITH in GRAY 1863: 154 (syn. fide BOCOURT 1876 et SAVAGE 1963)
Poriodogaster grayii A. SMITH in GRAY 1864: 104
Lepidophyma flavomaculatum DUMÉRIL & BOCOURT 1878: 306 (nom. subst.)
Lepidophyina flavomaculatum — BOULENGER 1885: 326
Lepidophyma flavomaculatum — GÜNTHER 1885: 30
Lepidophyma flavicmaculatum obscurum BARBOUR 1924
Lepidophyma flavimaculata flavimaculata — SMITH & TAYLOR 1950: 152
Lepidophyma obscurum — TAYLOR 1955: 554
Lepidophynia maculatum TAYLOR 1955: 549 (ex errore)
Lepidophyma anomalum TAYLOR 1955: 554
Lepidophyma ophiophthalmum TAYLOR 1955: 558
Lepidophyma flavimaculatum obscurum — WERMUTH 1965
Lepidophyma flavimaculatum obscurum — PETERS & DONOSO-BARROS 1970: 163
Lepidophyma flavimaculatum — LINER 1994
Lepidophyma flavimaculatum — KÖHLER 2000: 105
Lepidophyma flavimaculatum — MATA-SILVA et al. 2015
Lepidophyma flavimaculatum — MARTÍNEZ-FONSECA et al. 2024

Lepidophyma flavimaculatum ophiophthalmum TAYLOR 1955
Lepidophyma ophiophthalmum TAYLOR 1955: 558 
DistributionSE Mexico (Tamaulipas, Chiapas, Oaxaca, Quintana Roo), Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama; elevation: 120-940 m

flavimaculatum: Atlantic slopes from S Veracruz to British Honduras. Veracruz, Tabasco, Chiapas. Terra typica restricta (H. M. SMITH & TAYLOR 1950): Río de la Pasión, Petén Province, Guatemala.

obscurum: Panama, Costa Rica; Type locality: Rio Chilibrillo, Panama.

tehuanae: Pacific slopes of Oaxaca and Chiapas (? Tonalá) in the vicinity of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. Reported from Tres Cruces, El Limón, Cerro Arenal, La Concepción, Santa Efigenia, mountains near Santo Domingo, near Tehuantepec, Cafetal Concordia. Type locality: Cerro Arenal, 30 km west of Tehuantepec, Oaxaca.  
ReproductionSome populations of this species in Panama and Costa Rica seem to be parthenogenetic. However, in other populations there are males present (BEZY & CAMARILO 2002). This species also has diploid-triploid specimens (BEZY 1972). 
TypesHolotype: MNHN-RA 782
Holotype: BMNH 1946.8.30.44 [Poriodogaster grayii]
Holotype: MCZ 17747 [obscurum]
Holotype: KU 36250, collected by EH Taylor in 1954. [ophiophthalmum]
Holotype: USNM 111488; H. M. Smith collector. [tehuanae]
Holotype: UMMZ 101374 [tenebrarum] 
DiagnosisAdditional details, e.g. a detailed description or comparisons (1938 characters), are available for collaborators and contributors. Please contact us for details. 
CommentSubspecies and synonymy partly after Wermuth 1965. Lepidophyma flavimaculatum reticulatum TAYLOR 1955 and Lepidophyma flavimaculatum lineri SMITH 1973 have been elevated to species status.

Distribution: Not listed for El Salvador by KÖHLER (2000). Not in Yucatan state (Mexico) according to GONZÁLEZ-SÁNCHEZ et al. 2017. See map in LARA-TUFIÑO & NIETO-MONTES DE OCA 2021: 331 (Fig. 6).

Relative abundance in Honduras: rare

Type species: Lepidophyma flavimaculatum DUMÉRIL in DUMÉRIL & DUMÉRIL 1851: 138 is the type species of the genus Lepidophyma DUMÉRIL 1851.

Reference images: see Uetz et al. 2024 for high-resolution reference images for this species. 
EtymologyThe species has been named after Latin flavus = yellow and maculatum = spotted and refers to the dorsal color pattern.

The genus name is derived from Greek words lepis, meaning "scale" and phyma, meaning "tumor," in reference to the enlarged tubercles on the body. The gender of Lepidophyma is neuter (Smith 1973). 
References
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