Brachylophus bulabula FISHER, HARLOW, EDWARDS & KEOGH, 2008
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Higher Taxa | Iguanidae, Iguania, Sauria, Squamata (lizards) |
Subspecies | |
Common Names | E: Central Fijian Banded Iguana |
Synonym | Brachylophus bulabula FISHER, HARLOW, EDWARDS & KEOGH in KEOGH et al. 2008 |
Distribution | Larger NW islands Fiji (Viti group, including Ovalau,Gau,Kadavu and Viti Levu), Vanuatu Type locality: Navuloa Village, Ovalau Island, Republic of Fiji (178420 05.95 00 S, 178845 0 42.1200 E ) |
Reproduction | oviparous |
Types | Holotype: CAS 172524, California Academy of Sciences (Field number CAS 9205), adult male; ; collected by R. N. Fisher, D. T. Bolger & T. J. Case, 8 October 1988. |
Diagnosis | Diagnosis: Brachylophus bulabula is distinguished from both B. fasciatus and B. vitiensis by its intermediate maximum size, intermediate crest height, circular and yellow nasal scale, rounded nostril, wide and U-shaped nuchal stripe and red iris. These and additional morphological characters that distinguish B. bulabula from B. fasciatus and B. vitiensis are summarized in table 1 of KEOGH et al. 2008. |
Comment | Note that the order of authors of the species does NOT correspond to the order of authors of the paper. Animals from the Lau group ( Lakeba, Aiwa, Oneata and Moce) are included in B. fasciatus. While animals from the nor thern islands (i.e. Vanua Levu, Taveuni, Yacata, Vatu Vara) and southern islands (i.e. Fulaga) have been examined, KEOGH et al. have not assigned them to either species due to small sample sizes. Brachylophus bulabula is introduced onto Vanuatu on Efate Island (Gibbons 1981) and this species identification is confirmed by KEOGH et al. 2008 with both genetic and morphological data (specimens CAS 172419-20). |
Etymology | Named after the Fijian word bula, an all-purpose greeting that literally means ‘to live’, but is most commonly used for ‘hello’, ‘how are you?’ or even just ‘good’. The double bula is a more enthusiastic greeting, and would be used with a close friend. Thus we use bulabula to designate the more familiar banded iguana or ‘Vokai’ of the main Fijian islands, the iguana that is more often depicted as the ‘typical’ banded form. Used as a noun in apposition. |
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