Sphenomorphus melanopogon

Redescriptions of Lectotypes. The lectotype of Lygosoma melanopogon (MNHN 1245; Figs. 1 A – B, 2) has the following character states: dorsal lobe of rostral with a slightly concave posterior border; nasals broadly separated; nostril central in nasal; supranasals absent; prefrontals in broad contact; supraoculars seven, first four in contact with frontal, last four in contact with frontoparietal; supraciliaries 14 / 14, first separated from frontal; frontoparietals in broad median contact; parietal eye spot at junction of second third and last third of interparietal length; parietals in broad contact behind interparietal; anterior loreal taller than wide and taller than posterior loreal; posterior loreal squarish, a little wider than tall, and narrowest ventrally; presuboculars two, first largest, last interdigitating with supralabials; suboculars 4 / 3; postsuboculars 7 / 8, first interdigitating with supralabials; supralabials seven, fifth below centre of eye, last two each divided into an anteroventral and a posterodorsal scale; primary temporals two, anterodorsal and posteroventral, the more dorsal very small; lower secondary temporal single, overlapping upper secondary temporal; scales bordering parietals between upper secondary temporals eight; ear with six low rounded lobules along anterior margin; infralabials 8 / 7, only first contacting postmental; first pair of chin shields in median contact; second pair medially separated by a single scale; third pair of chin shields separated by three scales; all chin shields laterally contacting infralabials. Longitudinal scale rows at midbody 43; scales in a paravertebral row (A) 71, not broader than adjacent dorsal scales; dorsal scales finely striate, laterally and ventrally becoming smooth; median pair of precloacal scales enlarged, laterally overlapping adjacent precloacals; lamellae below fourth toe (A) 30 / 29; scales above fourth toe four at level of metatarsophalangeal joint, decreasing distally so that last two scales single. SVL 60 mm; AGL 27 mm; tail regenerated; FLL 22 mm; HLL 37 mm; HL 13.1 mm; HW 9.5 mm; HL 7.6 mm. The male lectotype of Lygosoma florense (ZMA 11060; Figs. 4 – 5) has the following differences in scalation and morphometrics from those described for the lectotype of L. melanopogon: posteriormost supraocular does not contact frontoparietals; supraciliaries 13 / 13; frontoparietals partly fused posteriorly; parietal eye spot slightly posterior to centre of interparietal; posteriormost presubocular barely interdigitating with supralabials; suboculars 5 / 4; postsuboculars 8 / 6; lower secondary temporal overlapped by upper secondary temporal (overlap pattern as for the lectotype of L. melanopogon in remainder of type series); ear with seven conical lobules along anterior margin; infralabials 8 / 9. Longitudinal scale rows at midbody 46; paravertebral scales (A) 84; subdigital lamellae (A) 30 / 34. SVL 68 mm; AGL 32 mm; tail regenerated; FLL 21.5 mm; HLL 37.5 mm; HL 15.8 mm; HW 11.4 mm; HD 9.0 mm. The male lectotype of Lygosoma Kühnei (Figs. 6 – 7) has the following scalational and morphometric characteristics that differ from those described for the lectotype of L. melanopogon: supraciliaries 12 / 13; anterior loreal about same height as posterior loreal; suboculars 3 / 3; postsuboculars 5 / 6; lower secondary temporals two, the upper of the two including the upper portion of the primary temporal; ear with five low rounded lobules along anterior margin; infralabials 7 (on left — right side not counted). Longitudinal scale rows at midbody 40; paravertebral scales (B) 77; subdigital lamellae (B) 31. SVL 66 mm; TL 120 mm; FLL 24 mm; HLL 39 mm. AGL and head measurements not taken.

Sumber: On the identity of the type species of Sphenomorphus (Squamata: Scincidae): Lygosoma melanopogon Duméril and Bibron 1839, with a note on a new scalation character of the pes in Sphenomorphus

Distribution. Known from the Lesser Sunda Islands, specifically from west to east: Pulau Deli, Pulau Tinjil, Sumbawa, Sumba, Komodo, Padar, Flores, Pulau Adonara, Pulau Semau, Timor, Pulau Alor, Wetar, Pulau Babar, Pulau Damar, Pulau Teun, Pulau Banda Besar and Kepulauan Kei (Fig. 9). Auffenberg (1980) also lists the species from Pulau Rinca and Pulau Besar, although I am unaware of any specimen-based records to support this. Although the type series of Lygosoma Kühnei was purportedly collected from the Kei Islands, there are no other records of the species from this easternmost extremity of the species' distribution. The monograph by Roux (1910) is largely based on material collected by Jean Roux and his colleague Hugo Merton in the Kei and Aru Islands in 1907 – 08. However, two species, Lygosoma Kühnei and the agamid Lophognathus temporalis Günther, were not collected by Roux and Merton, but were reported solely on the basis of specimens purchased from the natural history dealer Hermann Rolle in Berlin in 1905, with the specimens said to have been collected by the late Herrn Kühne. Rolle's Kühne is presumably the ornithological and entomological collector Heinrich Kühn (8. ii. 1860 Erlbach – 26. vii. 1906 Surabaya), who lived at Toeal [= Tual] in the Kei Islands for several years, but who also collected extensively in the surrounding islands, including Damar (1898), Banda Besar (1898), Wetar (1902) and Baber (1905) (Hartert, 1900 a – b, 1901, 1904, 1906, 1907), all of which are within the confirmed distribution of S. melanopogon. There are specimens of Sphenomorphus melanopogon purchased from H. Rolle in 1900 in the BMNH collection (BMNH 1900.2.9.5 – 10) which bear the locality Damar I., a locality from which S. melanopogon was independently collected by the Siboga expedition (Dunn, 1927). These are likely to have been collected by Kühn. Lophognathus temporalis has also been reported from Damar and Baber (de Rooij, 1915), localities visited by Kühn. Hence it is possible that the type locality for L. Kühnei is incorrect.

Sumber: On the identity of the type species of Sphenomorphus (Squamata: Scincidae): Lygosoma melanopogon Duméril and Bibron 1839, with a note on a new scalation character of the pes in Sphenomorphus