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Lerista varia STORR, 1986

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Higher TaxaScincidae, Sphenomorphinae (Sphenomorphini), Scincoidea, Sauria, Squamata (lizards)
Subspecies 
Common NamesE: Shark Bay Broad-blazed Slider 
SynonymLerista varia STORR 1986: 50
Lerista varia — COGGER 2000: 534
Rhodona varia — WELLS 2012: 35
Lerista varia — WILSON & SWAN 2010 
DistributionAustralia (Western Australia)

Type locality: Type locality: Denham, WA [25°55' S, 113°32'E].  
Reproductionoviparous 
TypesHolotype: WAM R81341 
DiagnosisDiagnosis: A moderately large member of the L. nichollsi complex with movable eyelids, differing from L. connivens by its highly variable but generally much weaker pattern and by its fewer midbody scale rows (mostly 20, V. mostly 22); it is also smaller, has a darker dorsal ground colour and often has four (rather than only two) series of black dorsal spots. Unstriped specimens superficially similar to young L. lineopunctulata, but distinguishable by fewer supraciliaries (four with first much wider than high, v. five with first not wider than high), longer hindleg (12-18 % of SVL, V. 6-13 %), more numerous lamellae under longer toe (6-12, seldom fewer than 9; v. 4-11, seldom more than 9), and invariably having two toes (often only one in northern lineopunctulata). 
CommentLimb morphology: 0 digits, 2 toes 
EtymologyFrom the Latin varius (different), in reference to the variation in the expression of the dorsal pattern in this species. (G. Shea, pers. comm., 9 Feb 2024) 
References
  • AMEY, ANDREW P.; DANIELLE L. EDWARDS 2017. Taxonomy of the Sand Sliders of Western Australia’s central coast (genus Lerista, Squamata: Scincidae): recognition of Lerista miopus (Günther, 1867). Zootaxa 4317 (1): - 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
  • Greer, A.E. 1987. Limb reduction in the lizard genus Lerista. 1. Variation in the number of phalanges and presacral vertebrae. Journal of Herpetology 21 (4): 267-276 - get paper here
  • Greer,A.E. 1990. Limb reduction in the scincid lizard genus Lerista. 2. Variation in the bone complements of the front and rear limbs and the number of postsacral vertebrae. Journal of Herpetology 24 (2): 142-150 - get paper here
  • Maryan, B., Gaikhorst, G., & Parkhurst, B. 2024. The terrestrial herpetofauna of the Zuytdorp coast and hinterland of Western Australia: Exceptional richness in a global biodiversity hotspot. Western Australian Naturalist, 33, 3
  • Morinaga, Gen and Philip J. Bergmann 2020. Evolution of fossorial locomotion in the transition from tetrapod to snake-like in lizards. Proc. R. Soc. B. 287: 20200192 - get paper here
  • Skinner, Adam; Michael S Y Lee and Mark N Hutchinson 2008. Rapid and repeated limb loss in a clade of scincid lizards. [Lerista]. BMC Evolutionary Biology 8:310 - get paper here
  • Storr G M 1986. Two new members of the Lerista nichollsi complex (Lacertilia: Scincidae). Rec. West. Austr. Mus. 13 (1): 47-52 - get paper here
  • 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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