Lygisaurus novaeguineae (MEYER, 1874)
Can you confirm these amateur observations of Lygisaurus novaeguineae?
Lygisaurus novaeguineae
We have no photos, try to find some by Google images search: 
| Higher Taxa | Scincidae, Eugongylinae (Eugongylini), Scincoidea, Sauria, Squamata (lizards) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | |
| Synonym | ? Lygosoma (Carlia) novaeguineae MEYER 1874 ? Lygosoma (Leiolopisma) novae-guinae [sic] — SMITH 1937: 225 Lygosoma (Leiolopisma) novae-guinae — BRONGERSMA 1948: 491 Lygosoma (Leiolopisma) novaeguinae — TANNER 1950 Carlia novaeguineae — COGGER 1983: 139 Lygisaurus novaeguineae — WHITING et al. 2003 Carlia novaeguineae — KRAUS 2007 Lygisaurus novaeguineae — DOLMAN & HUGALL 2008 |
| Distribution | Australia (Queensland), SW Papua New Guinea, Indonesia (Halmahera) Type locality: Islands of Torres Straits, Qld. (Rubi, New Guinea, fide G.M. Shea, pers. comm., 2 March 2014). Neotype locality: Nabire, south coast of Cenderawasih (Geelvink) Bay, New Guinea, Indonesia (3.37° S, 135.48° E) |
| Reproduction | oviparous (phylogenetic imputation, fide Zimin et al. 2022) |
| Types | Neotype: BPBM 3768, (JL Gressitt, 9.vii.1962), designated by Kraus 2007. Original holotype: MTD = Dresden, destroyed during WW2 (Obst, 1977). |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: A relatively small species of Carlia distinguished from other members of the genus by the following combination of characters: scales smooth; size small (maximum SVL 34.9 mm); supralabials usually six; supraciliaries eight or nine; fewer than 10 supradigital scales on fourth toe, 19–24 lamellae under the fourth toe (mean 5 21.5 6 0.27); 22–26 scale rows around midbody (mean 5 23.6 6 0.27); 35–39 paravertebral scales (mean 5 37.3 6 0.31); scales around ear margin not usually formed into lobules (Fig. 1A) but, when present, typically with a single blunt lobule of light or dark brown along the anterior margin; a uniformly light brown dorsal color pattern lacking light or dark dorsolateral or lateral stripes (Fig. 2A) but with a dark vertebral streak down the back; lower lateral region light and unmarked; ventral scales usually lacking any indication of dark spots; and dark spots present on the labial and temporal scales. Carlia novaeguineae differs from species in the C. bicarinata complex and C. fusca complex in its smooth scales, small size, and only 8–9 supradigital scales on the fourth toe. Carlia novaeguineae differs from the Australian species of the C. novaeguineae complex as follows: from Carlia foliorum and Carlia timlowi in having a moveable lower eyelid (vs. eyelid fused to form a spectacle); from Carlia abscondita, Carlia laeve, Carlia malleolus, Carlia rococo, Carlia sesbrauna, Carlia tanneri, and Carlia zuma in usually having six (vs. seven) supralabials; and from C. aerata in having eight (vs. seven) supraciliaries and no or blunt (vs. sharply triangular) ear lobules. Differences with C. macfarlani are given below under the account for that species (Kraus 2007). |
| Comment | Synonymy: Carlia novaeguineae has been synonymized with L. macfarlani but more recently considered as a valid species (Kraus 2007, Dolman & Hugall 2008). Carlia novaeguineae “has been traditionally known by the name novaeguinee (Boulenger 1887; Mitchell 1953; Cogger, Cameron & Cogger 1983). Meyer's (1874) description of Lygosoma (Carlia) Novae Guinea is brief and not helpful for identifying the taxon described. Also the holotype is missing (Cogger, Cameron & Cogger 1983). Meyer's description, translated from German, is as follows: “Distinguished from C.melanopogon Gray by its brown violet metallic shimmering colour on the upper side and is black spotted on the head. Throat white and their is a white stripe under the eye. The white stripes on the scales of melanopogon never anterior. Body scales not small, in 23 rows. New Guinea.” Although uninformative, the description of the colour and pattern does not match the colour and pattern of L. macfarlani, which does not have a white stripe under the eye. Neither does it match that of L. curtus of New Guinea. L. curtus (Boulenger 1897) is a good species by its robust form and the presence of a dark streak beginning at the nostril and continuing back 'through' the eye to the rear. A black streak is not mentioned by Meyer. In summary, the species name novaeguineae cannot be applied convincingly to any of the Lygisaurus known from New Guinea. Clarification of the identity of the name will require review of the large collections of Lygisaurus species from that country." [from INGRAM & COVACEVICH 1988]. Not listed by COGGER 2014. |
| Etymology | Named after the type locality. |
| References |
|
| External links |