A revision of Angolan species in the genus Pedioplanis Fitzinger (Squamata: Lacertidae), with the description of a new species

Abstract

The genus Pedioplanis reaches its northernmost limit in western Angola, where it is represented by three species, Pedioplanis benguelensis, P. haackei and P. huntleyi. The taxonomic status of P. benguelensis remains problematic, mainly due to the vague original description and the loss of the original type material. Here we provide a revision of the Angolan representatives of the genus, with the description of a new species, Pedioplanis serodioi sp. nov., from the lowlands of southwestern Angola. Phylogenetic analyses using a combination of mitochondrial (16S and ND2) and nuclear (RAG-1) markers, as well as morphological data, support the recognition of the new species. For purposes of nomenclatural stability, we designate a neotype for P. benguelensis and provide motivation to correct the spelling of the specific epithet to “benguelensis”. The clarification of the status of P. benguelensis and the description of a new species contribute to a better understanding of the taxonomy and biogeography of the genus Pedioplanis, as well as the general biogeographic context of southwestern Angola, adding to the growing evidence in favor of the recognition of this region as a hotspot of lizard diversity and endemism. An updated key to the genus is also provided.

The Angolan bushveld lizards, genus Heliobolus Fitzinger, 1843 (Squamata: Lacertidae): Integrative taxonomy and the description of two new species

“…In contrast, intra-clade values are from 0-4.6%. The inter-clade sequence divergences are comparable to species level divergence values observed between species of African Lacertidae from other genera (Mayer and Pavlicev 2007;Conradie et al 2012;Edwards et al 2013;Branch et al 2019b;Parrinha et al 2021). As our results suggest that the three major clades in the H. lugubris complex form separate genetically distinct and geographically discrete evolutionary lineages, and that each clade possesses diagnostic morphological features as described below, we recognize them herein as distinct species.…”

“…Southwestern Angola represents a hotspot of diversity (Ceríaco et al 2016;Marques et al 2018;Lobón-Rovira et al 2022) with a high number of new reptile species described from here in the last decade (Conradie et al 2012;Stanley et al 2016;Ceríaco et al 2018Ceríaco et al , 2020Branch et al 2019aBranch et al , 2019bBranch et al , 2021Marques et al 2019Marques et al , 2020Parrinha et al 2021). There are still, however, several areas in the southwest that remain largely undocumented in terms of biodiversity and that require further surveys and research focus.…”

“…In Angola, the family Lacertidae is represented by six genera -Heliobolus Fitzinger, 1843; Holaspis Gray, 1863;Ichnotropis Peters, 1854;Meroles Gray, 1838;Nucras Gray, 1838;and Pedioplanis Fitzinger, 1843 Branch et al 2019a) encompassing seventeen species. Four (three Pedioplanis and one Nucras) of these species have been described in the last decade (Conradie et al 2012;Branch et al 2019b;Parrinha et al 2021). Despite the considerable increase in the number of described taxa, most taxonomic studies incorporating Angolan lacertids suggest that species-level diversity in the country is still underestimated and further taxonomic work is needed to uncover this hidden diversity (Conradie et al 2012;Branch and Tolley 2017;Marques et al 2018;Branch et al 2019a,b;Parrinha et al 2021).…”

“…Four (three Pedioplanis and one Nucras) of these species have been described in the last decade (Conradie et al 2012;Branch et al 2019b;Parrinha et al 2021). Despite the considerable increase in the number of described taxa, most taxonomic studies incorporating Angolan lacertids suggest that species-level diversity in the country is still underestimated and further taxonomic work is needed to uncover this hidden diversity (Conradie et al 2012;Branch and Tolley 2017;Marques et al 2018;Branch et al 2019a,b;Parrinha et al 2021). While the Angolan populations of Pedioplanis and Nucras have been the focus of several recent investigations (Conradie et al 2012;Branch et al 2019b;Baptista et al 2020;Parrinha et al 2021), the country's populations of Ichnotropis and Heliobolus still lack thorough taxonomic work.…”

“…Despite the considerable increase in the number of described taxa, most taxonomic studies incorporating Angolan lacertids suggest that species-level diversity in the country is still underestimated and further taxonomic work is needed to uncover this hidden diversity (Conradie et al 2012;Branch and Tolley 2017;Marques et al 2018;Branch et al 2019a,b;Parrinha et al 2021). While the Angolan populations of Pedioplanis and Nucras have been the focus of several recent investigations (Conradie et al 2012;Branch et al 2019b;Baptista et al 2020;Parrinha et al 2021), the country's populations of Ichnotropis and Heliobolus still lack thorough taxonomic work. Angolan Heliobolus have already been signaled by several authors as potentially comprising undescribed cryptic lineages (Branch and Tolley 2017;Marques et al 2018;Branch et al 2019a).…”