Malagasy scincid lizards: descriptions of nine new species, with notes on the morphology, reproduction and taxonomy of some previously described species (Reptilia, Squamata: Scincidae)

Abstract

The taxonomy and/or natural history of 33 species of scincid lizards from Madagascar are reviewed. Most of the material, consisting of 187 specimens now housed in the Museo Regionale di Scienze Naturali, Turin, Italy, has been collected recently, but some dates to the 19th century. Nine new species are described in three genera: Amphiglossus mandady, A. nanus, A. spilostichus, A. stylu, A. tanysoma, Paracontias manify, P. hafa, P. tsararano and Pseudoacontias menamainty, increasing the known skink fauna of Madagascar (62 species) by 14.5%. All the new species come from the closed forests of north-eastern Madagascar. Additionally, Amphiglossus praeornatus is resurrected from the synonymy of A. frontoparietalis, and Androngo alluaudi, A. crenni and A. elongatus are transferred to the genus Amphiglossus. There is also a key to the species of Paracontias and a new interspecifically variable character for Mabuya. Information on morphological variation, basic reproductive biology, habits and habitats is provided, as available, for all species. Perhaps most interestingly, Amphiglossus nanus n. sp. represents the eighth skink lineage in which an oviduct has been lost and Amphiglossus melanopleura decreases the number of longitudinal scale rows at mid-body and the number of subdigital lamellae with altitude.