Abstract
We describe a new species of Amphiglossus skink from the western edge of the Central Highlands of Madagascar in the Reserve of Makira, and also found in the Réserve Spéciale of Ambohijanahary and in the Réserve Spéciale of Marotandrano. Amphiglossus meva n. sp. is characterized and differentiated from other species of the genus by a combination of morphological, chromatic and molecular characters: 1) a relatively large size (SVL of adults from 126 to 150 mm); 2) a characteristic pattern of coloration, Amphiglossus meva being the only skink in Madagascar together with Amphiglossus crenni with dark grey dorsum contrasting with orange flanks and ventrum; 3) the absence of a postnasal scale; 4) the presubocular frequently absent, 5) the presence of single elongated tertiary temporal bordering lower secondary temporal and 6) pentadactyl limbs. In addition to the morphological approach, a multi-locus genetic analysis based on eight mitochondrial and nuclear genes clearly supports the distinctiveness of A. meva. This new species was found in areas of rainforest, sometimes containing transitional deciduous forest elements. It was typically observed under large rotten logs associated with dense layers of decomposed wood retaining certain humidity and providing habitat for invertebrate larvae and termites.
References
Andreone, F. & Greer, A.E. (2002) Malagasy scincid lizards: descriptions of nine new species, with notes on the morphology, reproduction and taxonomy of some previously described species (Reptilia, Squamata: Scincidae). Journal of Zoology (London), 258, 139–181.
Angel, M.F. (1930) Diagnoses d’espèces nouvelles de lézards, de Madagascar, appartenant au genre Scelotes. Bulletin du Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, 2, 506–509.
Bora, P., Randrianantoandro, J.C., Randrianavelona, R., Hantalalaina, E.F., Andriantsimanarilafy, R.R., Rakotondravony, D., Ramilijaona, O.R., Vences, M., Jenkins, R.K.B., Glaw, F. & Köhler, J. (2010) Amphibians and reptiles of the Tsingy de Bemaraha Plateau, western Madagascar: Checklist, biogeography and conservation Herpetological Conservation and Biology, 5(1), 111–125.
Brygoo, E.R. (1980) Systématique des lézards scincidés de la région malgache. II. Amphiglossus astrolabi Duméril et Bibron, 1839; Gongylus polleni Grandidier, 1869; Gongylus stumpffi Boettger, 1882, et Scelotes waterloti, Angel, 1930. Bulletin du Muséum national d´Histoire naturelle. Section A, 2(2), 525–539.
Brygoo, E.R. (1983) Systématique des lézards scincidés de la région malgache. X. Rapports de Gongylus johannae Günther, 1880, des Comores, et de Sepsina valhallae Boulenger, 1909, des Glorieuses, avec les espèces malgaches. Bulletin du Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, 4ème série, 5, A, n°2, 651–660.
Brygoo, E.R. (1987) Les types de Scincidés (Reptilia, Sauriens) du Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle. Catalogue critique. Bulletin du Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, Paris, Section A, (3), 1–126.
Crottini, A., Dordel, J., Köhler, J., Glaw, F., Schmitz, A. & Vences, M. (2009) A multilocus phylogeny of Malagasy scincid lizards elucidates the relationships of the fossorial genera Androngo and Cryptoscincus. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 53, 345–350.
Dayrat, B. (2005) Toward integrative taxonomy. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 85, 407–415.
de Queiroz, K. (2007) Species concepts and species delimitation. Systematic Biology, 56, 879–886.
Glaw, F. & Vences, M. (2007) A field guide to the amphibians and reptiles of Madagascar. Third edition. Cologne, Vences & Glaw Verlag, 496 pp.
Goodman, S.M., Ramanamanjato, J.-B. & Raselimanana, A.P. (1997) Les amphibiens et les reptiles. In: Langrand, O and S. M. Goodman (Eds.). Inventaire biologique Forêts de Vohibasia et Isoky-Vohimena. Recherches pour le Développement, série Sciences Biologiques, n°12 , pp.110–129.
Goodman, S.M., Duplantier, J.-M., Rakotomalaza, P.J., Raselimanana, A.P., Rasoloarison, R., Ravokatra, M., Soarimalala, V. & Wilme, L. (1998) Inventaire biologique de la forêt d’Ankazomivady, Ambositra. Akon’ny Ala, 24, 19–32.
Greer, A.E. & Shea, G. (2000) A major new head scale character in non-lygosomine scincid lizards. Journal of Herpetology, 34, 631–636.
Köhler, J., Vieites, D.R., Bonett, R. M., García, F.H., Glaw, F., Steinke, D. & Vences, M. (2005) New amphibians and global conservation: A boost in species discoveries in a highly endangered vertebrate group. BioScience, 55(8), 693–696.
Köhler, J., Vences, M., Erbacher, M. & Glaw, F. (2010) Systematics of limbless scincid lizards from northern Madagascar: morphology, phylogenetic relationships and implications for classification (Squamata: Scincidae). Organisms Diversity and Evolution, 10, 147–159.
Köhler, J., Vieites, D.R, Glaw, F., Kaffenberger, N. & Vences, M. (2009) A further new species of limbless skink, genus Paracontias, from eastern Madagascar. African Journal of Herpetology, 58, 98–105.
Miralles, A. (2006) A New Species of Mabuya (Reptilia, Squamata, Scincidae) from the Isolated Caribbean Island of San Andrés, with a new interpretation of nuchal scales, character of systematic importance. The Herpetological Journal, 16, 1–7.
Miralles, A., Köhler, J., Glaw, F. & Vences, M. (2011a) A molecular phylogeny of the “Madascincus polleni species complex”, with description of a new species of scincid lizard from the coastal dune area of northern Madagascar. Zootaxa, 2876, 1–16.
Miralles, A., Köhler, J., Vieites, D.R., Glaw, F. & Vences, M. (2011b) Hypotheses on rostral shield evolution in fossorial lizards derived from the phylogenetic position of a new species of Paracontias (Squamata, Scincidae). Organisms Diversity and Evolution, 11, 135–150.
Moat, J. & Smith, P. (2007) Atlas de la végétation de Madagascar. Kew: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, 124pp.
Nicoll, M.E. & Langrand, O. (1989) Madagascar: Revue de la conservation et des aires protégées. World Wildlife Fund, Gland, 374pp.
Padial, J.M., Miralles, A., De la Riva, I. & Vences, M. (2010) The integrative future of taxonomy. Frontiers in Zoology, 7, 16. doi:10.1186/1742-9994-7-16.
Ramanamanjato, J.-B. & Rabibisoa, N. (2002) Evaluation rapide de la diversité biologique des reptiles et amphibiens de la Réserve Naturelle Intégrale d’Ankarafantsika, In: Alonso, L. E., Schulenberg, T. S., Radilofe, S. & Missa O. (Eds): Une evaluation biologique de la Réserve Naturelle Intégrale d’Ankarafantsika, Madagascar. – Bulletin RAP d’évaluation rapide 23, Conservational International, Washington, DC, pp 98–103 + 135–138.
Raselimanana, A.P. (1998) La diversité de la faune de reptiles et d’amphibiens. In: Rakotondravony D., Goodman S. M. (Eds.). Inventaire biologique de la forêt d’Andranomay, Anjozorobe. Recherches pour le Développement, série Sciences Biologiques, 13, pp 43–59.
Raselimanana, A.P. (2008) Herpétofaune des forêts sèches malgaches. Dans Les forêts sèches de Madagascar. In: Goodman S. M. & Wilmé L. (eds.). Malagasy Nature, 1, 46–75.
Raselimanana, A.P. & Rakotomalala, D. (2003) Scinicidae, skinks. In: Goodman, S. M., Benstead, J. P. (Eds.) The natural history of Madagascar. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago, pp. 986–993.
Raxworthy, C.J., Ramanamanjato, J.-B. & Raselimanana, A.P. (1994) Les reptiles et les amphibiens. In: Goodman S. M., Langrand O. (Eds.) Inventaire Biologique de Forêt de Zombitse. Recherches pour le Développement, série Sciences Biologiques, numéro spécial, pp. 41–57.
Raxworthy, C.J. & Nussbaum, R.A. (1993) Four new species of Amphiglossus from Madagascar (Squamata: Scincidae). Herpetologica, 49, 326–341.
Raxworthy, C.J. & Nussbaum, R.A. (1994) A rainforest survey of amphibians, reptiles and small mammals at Montagne d’Ambre, Madagascar. Biological Conservation, 69, 65–74.
Raxworthy, C.J. & Nussbaum, R.A. (1996) Amphibians and reptiles of the réserve naturelle intégrale d’Andringitra, Madagascar: a study of elevational distribution and local endemicity. In: Goodman, S. M. (ed.): A floral and faunal inventory of the eastern slopes of the réserve naturelle intégrale d’Andringitra, Madagascar: with reference to elevational variation. Fieldiana Zoology (new series), 85, 158–170.
Ronquist, F. & Huelsenbeck, J.P. (2003) MRBAYES 3: Bayesian phylogenetic inference under mixed models. Bioinformatics, 19, 1572–1574.
Schmitz, A., Brandley, M.C., Mausfeld, P., Vences, M., Glaw, F., Nussbaum, R.A. & Reeder, T.W. (2005) Opening the black box: phylogenetics and morphological evolution of the Malagasy fossorial lizards of the subfamily ‘‘Scincinae’’. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 34, 118–133.
Swofford, D.L. (2002) PAUP*. Phylogenetic Analysis Using Parsimony (*and other Methods). Version 4.0.b10. Sunderland, MA: Sinauer Associates.
Tamura, K., Dudley, J., Nei, M. & Kumar, S. (2007) MEGA4: Molecular Evolutionary Genetics Analysis (MEGA) software version 4.0. Molecular Biology and Evolution. doi: 10.1093/molbev/msm092
Vieites, D.R., Wollenberg, K.C., Andreone, F., Köhler, J., Glaw, F. & Vences, M. (2009) Vast underestimation of Madagascar’s biodiversity evidenced by an integrative amphibian inventory. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 106, 8267–8272.
Whiting, A.S., Sites J.W. Jr. & Bauer, A.M. (2004) Molecular phylogenetics of Malagasy skinks (Squamata: Scincidae). African Journal of Herpetology, 53(2), 135–146.
Wollenberg, K.C. & Measey, G.J. (2009) Why colour in subterranean vertebrates? Exploring the evolution of colour patterns in caecilian amphibians. Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 22, 1046–1056.