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Mesomycterus splendidus (GRANDIDIER, 1872)

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Higher TaxaScincidae, Scincinae, Scincoidea, Sauria, Squamata (lizards)
Subspecies 
Common NamesE: Splendid Skink 
SynonymGongylus splendidus GRANDIDIER 1872: 8
Scelotes splendidus — ANGEL 1942: 132
Scelotes splendidus — BRYGOO 1981
Amphiglossus splendidus — BRYGOO 1981
Gongylus splendidus — BRYGOO 1985: 235
Amphiglossus splendidus — GLAW & VENCES 1994: 315
Amphiglossus splendidus — SCHMITZ et al. 2005
Brachyseps splendidus — ERENS et al. 2016
Mesomycterus splendidus — SHEA 2021 
DistributionSE Madagascar

Type locality: “Berounounou (pays des Betsileos)”  
Reproduction 
TypesHolotype: MNHN-RA 7734 
DiagnosisUnfortunately we had to temporarily remove additional information as this was scraped by multiple AI companies who sell that data to their customers. These details, e.g. detailed descriptions or comparisons (about 432 characters), are available for collaborators and contributors. Please contact us for details. 
CommentDistribution: see map in BRYGOO 1985.

Synonymy: Brachyseps splendidus has been “tentatively” assigned to the genus Brachyseps by Erens et al. 2017. Brachyseps is a junior synonym of Mesomycterus fide Shea 2021, hence all species of Brachyseps may be renamed to Mesomycterus. However, the taxonomy of the genus is currently in flux and a revision is under way (M. Vences, pers. comm., 9 April 2025), hence we only synonymize Gongylus splendidus with Mesomycterus (the type species, see below) at this point. See also Costa 2025 who argues that Brachyseps does not adhere to Article 13.1, since Erens et al. 2017 lack “a description or definition that states in words characters that are purported to differentiate the taxon”, or “a bibliographic reference to such a published statement”.

Type species: Gongylus splendidus Grandidier 1872 is the type species of the genus Mesomycterus COPE 1892, a synonym of Brachyseps, but revalidated by Shea 2021. Cope 1892 did not specify any (type) species for Mesomycterus, so Shea 2021 designated splendidus as type species. 
EtymologyNamed after Latin splendidus = glorious, magnificient, brilliant, shiny etc., after the color pattern. 
References
  • Andreone, F. & Greer, A.E. 2002. Malagasy scincid lizards: descriptions of nine new species, with notes on the morphology, reproduction and taxonomy of some previously described species (Reptilia, Squamata: Scincidae). Journal of Zoology 258, 139-181 - get paper here
  • Angel, F. 1942. Les Lézards de Madagascar. Mem. Acad. Malagache, Tananarive XXXVI: 193 pp.
  • BORA, PARFAIT; J. CHRISTIAN RANDRIANANTOANDRO, ROMA RANDRIANAVELONA, ELISOA F. HANTALALAINA, RAPHALI R. ANDRIANTSIMANARILAFY, DANIEL RAKOTONDRAVONY, OLGA R. RAMILIJAONA, MIGUEL VENCES, RICHARD K. B. JENKINS, FRANK GLAW, AND JÖRN KÖHLER 2010. AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES OF THE TSINGY DE BEMARAHA PLATEAU, WESTERN MADAGASCAR: CHECKLIST, BIOGEOGRAPHY AND CONSERVATION. Herp. Cons. Biol. 5 (1): 111-125
  • Brygoo, E.R. 1985. Systématique des lézards scincides de la région malgache. XVII. Gongylus splendidus A. GRANDIDIER 1872, Scelotes macrolepis BOULENGER 1888, et Scelotes decaryi ANGEL 1930. Bull. Mus. natl. Hist. nat. Paris, 4th ser., Sect. A., 7 (1): 235-247
  • Brygoo,E.R. 1981. Systématique des lézards scincides de la région malgache. IX. Nouvelles unités taxinomiques pour les Scelotes s.l. Bull. Mus. natl. Hist. nat. Paris, 4th ser., Sect. A., 3 (4): 1193-1204
  • Cope, E.D. 1892. On degenerate types of scapular and pelvic arches in the Lacertilia. Journal of Morphology 7: 223–242 - get paper here
  • COSTA, HENRIQUE C. 2025. On the unavailability of five reptilian names. Bionomina 42 (1): 1-9
  • Erens, Jesse; Aurélien Miralles, Frank Glaw, Lars Chatrou, Miguel Vences 2016. Extended molecular phylogenetics and revised systematics of Malagasy scincine lizards. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution (print 2017) - get paper here
  • Glaw ,F. & Vences, M. 1994. A Fieldguide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of Madagascar. Vences & Glaw Verlag, Köln (ISBN 3-929449-01-3)
  • Grandidier, A. 1872. Descriptions de quelques Reptiles nouveaux découverts á Madagascar en 1870. Annales des Sciences Naturelles, Zoologie et Paléontologie 15 (5): 6-11. - get paper here
  • Schmitz, A.; M.C. Brandley; P. Mausfeld; M. Vences; F. Glaw; R.A. Nussbaum and T.W. Reeder 2005. Opening the black box: phylogenetics and morphological evolution of the Malagasy fossorial lizards of the subfamily “Scincinae”. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 34: 118–133 (published online 2004) - get paper here
  • SHEA, GLENN M. 2021. The identity of twelve scincid generic names proposed by Cope in 1892 (Squamata: Scincidae). Zootaxa 5057 (4): 577–589 - get paper here
 
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