Mabouya punctatissima
Encyclopedia
Mabouya punctatissima is a skink
described in 1872 on the basis of a single specimen. It was said to be from South Africa, but later researchers doubted that origin and aligned the species with the Noronha skink
from Fernando de Noronha
, off northeastern Brazil, instead. It is morphologically different from that species, however, and is currently placed in the genus Trachylepis
as a species of uncertain identity.
In 1872, A.W.E. O'Shaughnessy described the new species Mabouya punctatissima on the basis of a purchased specimen labeled as coming from the Cape of Good Hope
, a location he considered doubtful. G.A. Boulenger, in 1887 synonymized it under Mabuia punctata (the Noronha skink
) without comment, a position followed by H. Travassos with some doubt. The latter wrote that the description of punctatissima suggested to him that punctatissima and the Noronha skink are morphologically different, but that Boulenger's examination of the type and the uncertainty of the type locality inclined him to favor the synonymy. In 2002, P. Mausfeld and D. Vrcibradic re-examined the holotype
and only known specimen. It is similar to T. atlantica, but larger, and lacks well-developed keels on its dorsal scales. Therefore, they suggested that it was not the same as T. atlantica and that its original locality may have been correct. Although it may represent a valid species of southern African Trachylepis, it is preoccupied by Euprepes punctatissimus Smith, 1849, also currently placed in Trachylepis.
Skink
Skinks are lizards belonging to the family Scincidae. Together with several other lizard families, including Lacertidae , they comprise the superfamily or infraorder Scincomorpha...
described in 1872 on the basis of a single specimen. It was said to be from South Africa, but later researchers doubted that origin and aligned the species with the Noronha skink
Noronha skink
The Noronha skink is a species of skink from the island of Fernando de Noronha off northeastern Brazil. It is covered with dark and light spots on the upperparts and is usually about 7 to 10 cm in length. The tail is long and muscular, but breaks off easily...
from Fernando de Noronha
Fernando de Noronha
Fernando de Noronha is an archipelago of 21 islands and islets in the Atlantic Ocean, offshore from the Brazilian coast. The main island has an area of and had a population of 3,012 in the year 2010...
, off northeastern Brazil, instead. It is morphologically different from that species, however, and is currently placed in the genus Trachylepis
Trachylepis
Trachylepis is a skink genus in the subfamily Lygosominae found mainly in Africa. Its members were formerly included in the "wastebin taxon" Mabuya, and for some time in Euprepis. As defined today, Trachylepis contains the clade of Afro-Malagasy mabuyas. The genus also contains a species from the...
as a species of uncertain identity.
In 1872, A.W.E. O'Shaughnessy described the new species Mabouya punctatissima on the basis of a purchased specimen labeled as coming from the Cape of Good Hope
Cape of Good Hope
The Cape of Good Hope is a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula, South Africa.There is a misconception that the Cape of Good Hope is the southern tip of Africa, because it was once believed to be the dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. In fact, the...
, a location he considered doubtful. G.A. Boulenger, in 1887 synonymized it under Mabuia punctata (the Noronha skink
Noronha skink
The Noronha skink is a species of skink from the island of Fernando de Noronha off northeastern Brazil. It is covered with dark and light spots on the upperparts and is usually about 7 to 10 cm in length. The tail is long and muscular, but breaks off easily...
) without comment, a position followed by H. Travassos with some doubt. The latter wrote that the description of punctatissima suggested to him that punctatissima and the Noronha skink are morphologically different, but that Boulenger's examination of the type and the uncertainty of the type locality inclined him to favor the synonymy. In 2002, P. Mausfeld and D. Vrcibradic re-examined the holotype
Holotype
A holotype is a single physical example of an organism, known to have been used when the species was formally described. It is either the single such physical example or one of several such, but explicitly designated as the holotype...
and only known specimen. It is similar to T. atlantica, but larger, and lacks well-developed keels on its dorsal scales. Therefore, they suggested that it was not the same as T. atlantica and that its original locality may have been correct. Although it may represent a valid species of southern African Trachylepis, it is preoccupied by Euprepes punctatissimus Smith, 1849, also currently placed in Trachylepis.
Literature cited
- Boulenger, G.A. 1887. Catalogue of the Lizards in the British Museum (Natural History). Second edition. Vol. III. Lacertidae, Gerrosauridae, Scincidae, Anelytropidae, Dibamidae, Chamaeleonidae. London: published by order of the Trustees of the British Museum, 575 pp.
- Dunn, E.R. 1935. Notes on American Mabuyas (subscription required). Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 87:533–557.
- Mausfeld, P. and Vrcibradic, D. 2002. On the nomenclature of the skink (Mabuya) endemic to the western Atlantic archipelago of Fernando de Noronha, Brazil (subscription required). Journal of Herpetology 36(2):292–295.
- O'Shaughnessy, A.M.E. 1874. Descriptions of new species of Scincidae in the collection of the British Museum. Annals and Magazine of Natural History (4)13:298–301.
- Travassos, H. 1946. Estudo da variação de Mabuya punctata (Gray, 1839). Boletim do Museu Nacional (Zoologia) 60:1–56 (in Portuguese).