Plestiodon japonicus (PETERS, 1864)
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Higher Taxa | Scincidae, Scincinae, Scincoidea, Sauria, Squamata (lizards) |
Subspecies | |
Common Names | Japanese: Nihon-Tokage |
Synonym | Eumeces (Pleistodon) quinquelineatus var. Japonicus PETERS 1864: 57 Eumeces japonicus — GORIS & MAEDA 2004 Plestiodon japonicus — HONDA et al. 2008 Plestiodon japonicus — OKAMOTO & HIKIDA 2012 Plestiodon japonicus — OKAMOTO et al. 2021 |
Distribution | N Ryukyus (Osumi group), W Japan (Kyushu, Shikoku, western Honshu, and several adjacent islets); Introduced to Hachijojima Island (Izu Islands) Type locality: Nagasaki, Japan. Also given as Yokohama, Japan. |
Reproduction | oviparous (not imputed, fide Zimin et al. 2022) |
Types | Holotype: ZMB 4485 (fide TAYLOR 1936: 28) |
Diagnosis | Diagnosis. A moderate-sized Plestiodon (ca. 60–90 mm SVL for adults) similar to P. finitimus. This species differs from P. barbouri in having 24–28 MSRs, from insular populations of P. latiscutatus in having a bifurcating lateral white line pattern on juvenile heads, and from the Izu Peninsular population of P. latiscutatus in usually having a small postnasal and large anterior loreal contacting the supralabial (Fig. 2A). This species differs from P. finitimus, except for the Mt. Hakkoda population, in usually having prefrontals contacting each other, and from the Mt. Hakkoda population of P. finitimus in frequently having 26 MSRs, and in usually having two postlabials (Fig. 4B in OKAMOTO & HIKIDA 2012). |
Comment | Distribution: see map in OKAMOTO & HIKIDA 2012 and KURITA & HIKIDA 2014: 188. Previously also reported from E Russia (coastal region). |
Etymology | Named after the type locality. |
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