Menetia surda STORR, 1976
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Menetia surda
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| Higher Taxa | Scincidae, Eugongylinae (Eugongylini), Scincoidea, Sauria, Squamata (lizards) |
| Subspecies | Menetia surda cresswelli APLIN & ADAMS 1998 Menetia surda surda STORR 1976 |
| Common Names | E: Western Dwarf Skink |
| Synonym | Menetia surda STORR 1976: 196 Menetia surda — COGGER 1983: 179 Menetia surda — COGGER 2000: 545 Menetia surda — WILSON & SWAN 2010: 318 Menetia surda cresswelli APLIN & ADAMS 1998 Menetia surda cresswelli — WILSON & SWAN 2013: 342 |
| Distribution | Australia (Western Australia) Type locality: Budjan Creek, Corunna Downs, 21° 42’ S, 119°50’E, W. A. |
| Reproduction | oviparous |
| Types | Holotype: WAM R13249 Holotype: WAM R101249, adult male collected by M Peterson on 25/5/1987 [cresswelli] |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis (cresswelli): A relatively plain Menetia with a subdued pattern of 8-10 longitudinal dark lines of subequal strength and spacing. Differs from nominate M. surda in having fewer scales along paravertebral series; paravertebral scale series wider than more lateral scales along entire length of body (posterior paravertebrals not widened in surda); claws on manus and pes shorter and recurved; lacking conspicuous laterodorsal stripe; and venter with faint longitudinal lines for posterior 1/3 - 2/3 of body length (immaculate in surda). Diagnosis (surda): First of two supraoculars not much more than twice as long as wide, and in contact with first supraciliary (see Fig. 1). Uppermost circumocular granule greatly enlarged. No indication of ear aperture or of white mid-lateral stripe.” (Storr 1976: 196) Description (surda): “Snout-vent length (mm): 20-32 (N 35, mean 27.0). Tail up to 2.01 times as long as snout to vent. Nasals widely separated. Prefrontals very narrowly separated or forming a short to moderately long suture. Nuchals 0 or 1, rarely 2. Supraciliaries 3 or 4, second largest but not in contact with prefrontal. Upper labials 6 (rarely 7). Midbody scale rows 20-24 (N 23, mean 21.7). Lamellae under fourth toe 20-24 (N 22, mean 21.9), smooth. Dorsally and laterally pale to dark olive-brown, usually without pattern, but dark upper lateral stripe faintly discernible in some of palest northern specimens, and a dark median stripe discernible on dorsal and lateral scales of most southern specimens. Upper labials and ventral surfaces pale.” (Storr 1976: 198) |
| Comment | Subspecies: Morethia surda creswelli is a morphologically distinct entity in a different part of the distribution that shows no genetic differentiation from M. surda (Glenn Shea, pers. comm., 29 July 2023). |
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