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Type: Article
Published: 2019-12-09
Page range: 255–274
Abstract views: 112
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Revalidation and resurrection of Panaspis massaiensis (Angel, 1924) and the description of a new species of Panaspis Cope (Squamata: Scincidae) from south-eastern Kenya

State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 650223 Kunming, China Sino-African Joint Research Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming, 650223, China Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 650204 Kunming, China National Museums of Kenya, Department of Zoology, Herpetology section, 40658-00100 Nairobi, Kenya
Port Elizabeth Museum (Bayworld), P.O. Box 13147, Humewood 6013, South Africa School of Natural Resource Management, George Campus, Nelson Mandela University, George 6530, South Africa
National Museums of Kenya, Department of Zoology, Herpetology section, 40658-00100 Nairobi, Kenya
State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 650223 Kunming, China
State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 650223 Kunming, China Sino-African Joint Research Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming, 650223, China
State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 650223 Kunming, China Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, ON M5S 2C6, Canada
National Museums of Kenya, Department of Zoology, Herpetology section, 40658-00100 Nairobi, Kenya
State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 650223 Kunming, China Sino-African Joint Research Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming, 650223, China
Reptilia Tsavo Afroablepharus cryptic species biodiversity hotspot morphology East Africa

Abstract

Historically Panaspis wahlbergi (Smith, 1849) has been the only assignable species present in Kenya. Recent studies have shown that it comprises multiple cryptic species and the nominal species is now restricted to southern Africa. Newly collected mitochondrial data (16S rRNA) helped to resolve the status of the Kenyan populations, which revealed the presence of two distant related species. Pairwise distances show average 5.87% differences between the two Kenyan species, and 3.58–5.27% and 8.62–9.15% to nominal P. wahlbergi and P. maculicollis Jacobsen & Broadley, 2000 respectively. Ablepharus massaiensis Angel, 1924 was described from the Maasai plains near Nairobi, but has long been considered a junior synonym of P. wahlbergi. We herein resurrect Panaspis massaiensis comb. nov. as a valid species and describe a new species, Panaspis tsavoensis sp. nov. from the Tsavo Conservation Area in south-eastern Kenya. Morphological examinations of specimens reveal minor differences from each other as well as nominal forms of P. wahlbergi and P. maculicollis. Panaspis massaiensis comb. nov. shares with the P. wahlbergi group a white ventrolateral stripe but can be distinguished by the presence of 26 midbody scale rows versus 24. Panaspis tsavoensis sp. nov. on the other hand, lacks the white ventrolateral stripe, most similar to the P. maculicollis group but differs in that P. maculicollis breeding males have a black patch on the neck with diagonal rows of white spots. Panaspis massaiensis comb. nov. is widespread in the Kenyan and northern Tanzanian highlands, isolated dryland montane forests and rocky hills, while P. tsavoensis sp. nov. occur in the expansive arid lowlands of Tsavo Conservation Area and should be present in similar arid lowlands in northern Kenya as well as in adjacent Tanzania.

 

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