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Ctenotus alleni STORR, 1974

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Higher TaxaScincidae, Sphenomorphinae (Sphenomorphini), Scincoidea, Sauria, Squamata (lizards)
Subspecies 
Common NamesE: Ajana Ctenotus 
SynonymCtenotus alleni STORR 1974
Ctenotus alleni — STORR 1975: 220
Ctenotus alleni — COGGER 1983: 143
Ctenotus alleni — COGGER 2000: 412
Ctenotus alleni — WILSON & SWAN 2010 
DistributionAustralia (Western Australia)

Type locality: 11 mi N Galena, 27° 41’ S, 114° 39’ E, W. A.  
Reproductionoviparous 
TypesHolotype: WAM R33602 
DiagnosisDiagnosis: A member of the lesueurii group with reduced dorsal pattern, distinguishable from Severus by its more numerous subdigital lamellae and nuchals, narrower black latero dorsal stripe, and contact between white dorso lateral line and black of upper lateral zone. Superficially similar to mimetes but readily dis tinguishable by wide subdigital calli and by black upper lateral zone enclosing small white spots rather than large rufous rectangular blotches (Storr 1973).

Description (based on holotype and paratype). Snout-vent length (mm): 87, 78. Length of appendages (% SVL): tail 258, 264; foreleg 25, 24; hindleg 48, 48. Nasals separated. Prefrontals forming median suture. Supraoculars 4, first 3 in contact with frontal. Supraciliaries 7. Palpebrals 12-13. Second loreal 1.3-1.9 times as wide as high. Upper labials 8. Ear lobules 4-6. Nuchals 4. Midbody scale rows 26-28. Lamellae under fourth toe 28-33, each with a moderately wide callus. Dorsal ground colour olive, darkest on head, palest on tail. Vertebral stripe reduced to a black line on nape. Narrow, clearcut, black laterodorsal stripe from brow to base of tail, about half a scale wide. White dorsolateral line from orbit to base of tail, on which it gradually becomes suffused with ground colour. Black upper lateral zone with one or two series of small white spots or short dashes. White mid-lateral stripe extending back nearly to end of tail, but barely extending forward to arm. Lower lateral zone blackish brown with one or two irregular series of short dashes (Storr 1973).

Diagnosis: Storr 1975: 220. 
CommentLimb morphology: 5 digits, 5 toes (Singhal et al. 2018, Cogger 2014) 
EtymologyNamed after Nicholas T. AlIen, collector of the holotype. 
References
  • Beolens, Bo; Michael Watkins, and Michael Grayson 2011. The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, USA - get paper here
  • Cogger, H. G. 2014. Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia, 7th ed. CSIRO Publishing, xxx + 1033 pp. - get paper here
  • Cogger, H.G. 2000. Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia, 6th ed. Ralph Curtis Publishing, Sanibel Island, 808 pp.
  • Couper, P., Covacevich, J., Amey, A. & Baker, A. 2006. The genera of skinks (Family Scincidae) of Australia and its island territories: diversity, distribution and identification. in: Merrick, J.R., Archer, M., Hickey, G.M. & Lee, M.S.Y. (eds.). Evolution and Zoogeography of Australasian Vertebrates. Australian Scientific Publishing, Sydney, pp. 367-384
  • King M; Horner P; Fyfe G 1988. A new species of Ctenotus (Reptilia: Scincidae) from central Australia, and a key to the Ctenotus leonhardii species group. The Beagle 5 (1) : 147-153
  • Singhal, Sonal; Huateng Huang, Maggie R. Grundler, María R. Marchán-Rivadeneira, Iris Holmes, Pascal O. Title, Stephen C. Donnellan, and Daniel L. Rabosky 2018. Does Population Structure Predict the Rate of Speciation? A Comparative Test across Australia’s Most Diverse Vertebrate Radiation. The American Naturalist - get paper here
  • Storr G M 1978. Taxonomic notes on the reptiles of the Shark Bay region, Western Australia. Rec. West. Aust. Mus. 6 (3): 303-318 - get paper here
  • Storr, G. M. 1974. The genus Ctenotus (Lacertilia: Scincidae) in the South-west and Eucla Divisions of Western Australia. J R. Soc. West. Aust. 56: 86-93 [1973]
  • Storr, G. M. 1975. The genus Ctenotus (Lacertilia: Scincidae) in the Kimberley and North-west Divisions of Western Australia. Rec. West. Aust. Mus. 3: 209-243 - get paper here
  • Storr, G. M., Smith, L. A. & Johnstone, R. E. 1981. Lizards of Western Australia. I. Skinks. Perth: University of Western Australia Press and Western Australian Museum, 200 pp.
  • Storr, G. M.; L. A. Smith, and R. E. Johnstone 1999. Lizards of Western Australia. I. Skinks. Revised Edition. Western Australian Museum
  • Wilson, S. & Swan, G. 2010. A complete guide to reptiles of Australia, 3rd ed. Chatswood: New Holland, 558 pp.
 
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