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Lioscincus Maruia, a New Species of Lizard (Reptilia: Scincidae) from New Caledonia, Southwest Pacific L

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Lioscincus Maruia, a New Species of Lizard (Reptilia: Scincidae) from New Caledonia, Southwest Pacific L Pacific Science (1998), vol. 52, no. 4: 334-341 © 1998 by University of Hawai'i Press. All rights reserved Lioscincus maruia, A New Species of Lizard (Reptilia: Scincidae) from New Caledonia, Southwest Pacific l Ross A. SADLIER,2 ANTHONY H. WmTAKER,3 AND AARON M. BAUER4 ABSTRACT: A new species of scincid lizard, Lioscincus maruia Sadlier, Whi­ taker & Bauer, n. sp., is described from the central ranges of New Caledonia. It is a moderate-sized species of skink with a particularly long tail. It is known from only a single location in maquis shrubland and appears to be restricted to this habitat type. The species is considered vulnerable because of the restricted and fragmented nature of its habitat, and the potential for fire and mining ac­ tivities to threaten that habitat type. In overall morphology Lioscincus maruia is most similar to Lioscincus tillieri Ineich & Sadlier, a species from maquis habi­ tat in adjacent ranges to the south. FIELD RESEARCH IN New Caledonia over the type, although not as rich in total number of past 10 yr has greatly increased our knowl­ lizard species, does contain several that are edge of the diversity and distribution of the either largely dependent upon or endemic to island's lizards. Most field research has been it. Field research over the past 5 yr has iden­ conducted in closed-forest habitat, the habi­ tified Lioscincus tillieri (Ineich and Sadlier tat type with the greatest diversity and rich­ 1991) as reliant on maquis habitat in the ness of lizard species. Survey work in closed southern ultramafic region. During the course forest on Mt. Panie (300-1600+ m asl) and of survey work on Me Adeo in the central Mt. Aoupinie (500-1000+ m asl) has re­ ranges of New Caledonia, a new species of vealed a species richness of 13 and 17 species, skink was collected from mid-altitude maquis respectively, or approximately 20 and 30%, habitat. This new species is very similar to respectively, of the island's total lizard fauna. L. tillieri in size and body proportions, col­ Included in this estimate of total species oration, and behavior. At the type locality richness for the island are six undescribed it was found only in maquis habitat, and it species of Caledoniscincus, all from closed­ most likely represents a second species of forest habitat. By contrast, the reptile fauna skink reliant on this habitat type. of maquis shrubland, a habitat that charac­ terizes much of the southern ultramafic re­ gion of New Caledonia, has been poorly MATERIALS AND METHODS studied. However, opportunistic collections made Specimen registration abbreviations are as in maquis habitat suggest that this vegetation follows: Australian Museum,· Sydney (AMS); Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle Paris (MNHP). 1 The Province Nord Biodiversity Project was initiated Specimens were examined for the suite of and funded by Conservation International (Washington, characters listed below. Measurements: axilla D.C.), the Maruia Society (New Zealand), and Province Nord (New Caledonia). Manuscript accepted 2 February to groin distance, measured from base of 1998. forelimb to base of hindlimb; forelimb to 2 Section of Herpetology, Australian Museum, 6 Col­ snout length, measured from tip of snout to lege Street, Sydney 2000, New South Wales, Australia. axilla; hindlimb length, measured from groin 3270 Thorpe-Orinoco Road, Orinoco, RD I, Mo­ tueka 7161, New Zealand. to tip of fourth toe including nail; tail length, 4Department of Biology, Villanova University, 800 measured from caudal edge of anal scales to Lancaster Avenue, Villanova, Pennsylvania 19085. tip of tail, on complete original tails only. 334 A New Skink from New Caledonia-SADLIER ET AL. 335 Measurements are expressed as percentages species currently not diagnosable by synapo­ of snout to vent length (SVL). morphies. Ultimately Lioscincus will proba­ Head scalation generally follows Taylor bly comprise only the morphologically dis­ (1935); midbody scale rows, number of lon­ tinctive type species, L. steindachneri. gitudinal scale rows around body counted The new species of lizard described here is midway between axilla and groin; para­ not readily assignable to any existing mono­ vertebral scales, number of scales in a para­ phyletic genus. For this reason it is placed vertebral row from first scale posterior to in Lioscincus pending further systematic parietal scale to last scale anterior to level of work on the assemblage of New Caledonian vent opening; fourth finger and toe scales, species that are currently assigned to this number of dorsal scales on fourth digit of genus. It is similar in appearance and behav­ foot and hand, distal scale contains claw and ior to L. tillieri, most notably in having an basal scale broadly contacts adjacent basal extremely long tail, keeled body scales, and scale of third finger or toe; fourth finger and a yellow ventral color. toe lamellae, number of ventral scales on fourth digit of foot and hand, distal scale Lioscincus maruia Sadlier, Whitaker & contains claw and basal scale is last largely Bauer, n. sp. undivided scale at a point level with intersec­ Figures 1,2 tion of third and fourth digits. Bilaterally scoreable scalation characters were scored on TYPE MATERIAL: Holotype: AMS R 149897, both sides and the mean value used. adult female, Me Adeo, New Caledonia, Specimens were X-rayed to assess the 21 0 28' S, 165 0 36' E, collected 25 October 1996 number of presacral and postsacral verte­ by A. H. Whitaker. Paratypes: AMS R 149899, brae, and phalanges of the manus and pes. MNHP 1997.3327 (formerly AMS R 149898), same data as holotype; AMS R 149956-58, MNHP 1997.3328 (formerly AMS R 149959), same locality as holotype, collected 1 No­ SYSTEMATICS vember 1997 by R. A. Sadlier and A. H. Over the past decade there has been a Whitaker. progressive dismantling of the polyphyletic ETYMOLOGY: The species is named for the genus Leiolopisma Dumeril & Bibron, 1839 Maruia Society, a New Zealand-based non­ (see Sadlier 1986, Hutchinson et al. 1990). government conservation organization that All Australian species previously included in has undertaken a number of conservation Leiolopisma have been assigned to a number initiatives in the South Pacific region, in­ of putatively monophyletic genera. The New cluding the survey work in Province Nord Zealand species previously included in Leio­ during which the species was discovered. lopisma have been assigned to Oligosoma Girard, 1857 (patterson and Daugherty DIAGNOSIS: Lioscincus maruia is distin­ 1995). The New Caledonian species left guished from the other species in the genus within Leiolopisma by Sadlier (1986) were by the following combination of characters: transferred to Lioscincus Bocage, 1873 by (1) frontoparietals fused; (2) body scales Bauer and Sadlier (1993), the next available weakly keeled; (3) midbody scale rows 38­ generic name that could be used to accom­ 40; (4) paravertebral scale rows 80-89; (5) modate this assemblage of New Caledonian lamellae under the fourth toe 35-41; (6) tail species. As proposed by Bauer and Sadlier approximately 2.5 times longer than body. (1993), Lioscincus includes L. steindachneri One of the most distinctive features of Bocage (type species), L. nigrofasciolatum L. maruia is its exceptionally long tail and (Peters), L. greeri (B6hme), L. novaecaledo­ keeled body scales. These two characters niae (Parker), and L. tillieri (Ineich and alone distinguish it from all other New Cale­ Sadlier), but remains an assemblage of gener­ donian skinks with the exception of L. tillieri ally primitive Eugongylus group (Greer 1979) and the species of Tropidoscincus. 336 PACIFIC SCIENCE, Volume 52, October 1998 FIGURE 1. Male (top) and female (bottom) of Lioscincus maruia, n. sp. DESCRIPTION: The species is known from parietals fused; interparietal distinct; parietals seven adult specimens of 47-61 nun SVL. each bordered by a nuchal scale (occasionally Unless stated otherwise measurements and divided) and single upper secondary temporal meristics are for all seven specimens. scale; primary temporal single; upper second­ Measurements and proportions: Distance ary temporal single; lower secondary temporal from axilla to groin 51.0-57.4% SVL (mean = single; tertiary temporals two each side; post­ 54.4); distance from forelimb to snout 39.3­ labials two each side. 43.1% SVL (mean = 41.1); hindlimb length Nasals moderately large, moderately sep­ 49.2-55.3% SVL (mean = 52.4); original tail arated; supraciliaries usually seven (93%), 244.9% SVL (n = 1). rarely eight; upper labials seven; lower labials Scalation: Frontonasal broader than long six; postmental contacting second lower CYV/L = 107.7-139.5%, mean = 112.7, n = 6); labial; chin shields three, first pair in broad prefrontals moderately large, usually narrowly contact. Lower eyelid with an obvious, cen­ to moderately separated; frontal longer than trally located semitransparent disk, length wide CYV/L = 73-84%, mean = 76.9); fronto- approximately 35-40% (mean = 37, n = 6) A New Skink from New Caledonia-SADLIER ET AL. 337 of total eye length. Ear opening moderately of boldness and definition of the dark dorsal large and with 1-2, rarely 3 or 4 enlarged markings. lobules anteriorly. Body scales weakly keeled, usually three DETAILS OF HOLOTYPE: Adult male; 48 mm dorsally but increasing in number toward the (SVL); distance from axilla to groin 26 mm; nape; midbody scale rows 38-40 (mean = distance from forelimb to snout 20 mm; 39.3, SD = 0.95); paravertebral scales 80-89 hindlimb length 26 mm; tail length 124 mm, (mean = 82.6, SD = 3.10). Scales on top regenerated. Midbody scales rows 40; para­ of fourth finger 16-18 (mean = 16.9, SD = vertebral scale rows 89; dorsal scales of 0.45); lamellae beneath fourth finger 23-26 fourth finger 17/18; lamellae of fourth finger (mean = 24.6, SD = 1.07); scales on top of 25/24; dorsal scales of fourth toe 23/22; fourth toe 20-23 (mean = 21.8, SD = 0.64); lamellae of fourth toe 39/38.
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