Rankinia diemensis (GRAY, 1841)
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Higher Taxa | Agamidae (Amphibolurinae), Sauria, Iguania, Squamata (lizards) |
Subspecies | |
Common Names | E: Mountain Heath Dragon, Mountain Dragon |
Synonym | Agama diemenensis CLOQUET 1816 (nomen nudum) Grammatophora muricata diemensis GRAY 1841 Grammatophora angulifera GRAY 1845 (part.) Agama caelaticeps SMITH 1849 Amphibolurus angulifer — BOULENGER 1885: 389 Amphibolurus diemensis — COGGER 1983 Amphibolurus diemensis — HENLE & OSBORNE 1986 Rankinia diemensis — WELLS & WELLINGTON 1984: 82 Rankinia boylani WELLS & WELLINGTON 1984: 82 Rankinia caelaticeps — WELLS & WELLINGTON 1985: 19 Rankinia diemensis — GREER 1991 Tympanocryptis diemensis — COGGER 2000: 353 Rankinia diemensis — BARTS & WILMS 2003 Rankinia diemensis — WILSON & SWAN 2010 |
Distribution | Australia (New South Wales, Tasmania, Victoria) Type locality: Tasmania |
Reproduction | oviparous |
Types | Syntypes: BMNH xxiv.49a-c (possible), Van Diemen's Land (=Tasmania), collector unknown. The name was based by Gray on multiple specimens (number unknown) from Van Diemen's Land obtained by Gray from John Gould. Gray (1845) subsequently used the name Grammatophora angulfer Var. 1 for the taxon he had previously named Grammatophora muricata diemensis. The three specimens xxiv.49a-c are the only spirit preserved specimens in the BMNH listed by Gray (1845) from the type locality without collectors other than those that would preclude them from being Gould specimens available in 1841. There would appear to be no way of either excluding them from the type series of diemensis, or definitively identifying them as syntypes. Syntypes: BMNH 1946.9.4.29-30, BMNH 1946.9.4.58-66, BMNH xxiv. 49. f, from Tasmania [Grammatophora angulifera] Syntypes: BMNH 1946. 9. 4. 33-34, from "towards the Tropic of Capricorn, South Africa", in error [Agama caelaticeps] |
Diagnosis | |
Comment | Habitat: forest-ground. Rankinia diemensis is not closely related to R. adelaidensis which clearly is related to Ctenophorus (Hugall et al. 2008). Type species: Grammatophora muricata diemensis GRAY 1841is the type species of the genus Rankinia WELLS & WELLINGTON 1984: 82. |
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