Evaluating the Diversity of Philippine Slender Skinks of theBrachymeles bonitaeComplex (Reptilia: Squamata: Scincidae): Redescription ofB. tridactylusand Descriptions of Two New Species

Additions to Philippine Slender Skinks of the Brachymeles bonitae Complex (Reptilia: Squamata: Scincidae) I: a new species from Lubang Island

“…For more than a century, scientists have progressively documented the remarkable diversity of Philippine skinks (Brown & Alcala 1980) and placed species into the genera Brachymeles Duméril & Bibron (e.g., Taylor 1917;Brown & Rabor 1967;Siler et al 2009Siler et al , 2010aDavis et al 2014), Dasia Gray, Emoia Gray, Eutropis Fitzinger , Insulasaurus Taylor, Lamprolepis Fitzinger, Lipinia Gray, Otosaurus Gray, Parvoscincus Ferner, Brown & Greer (e.g., Linkem & Brown 2013), Pinoyscincus Linkem, Diesmos & Brown (Linkem et al 2011), Sphenomorphus Fitzinger (Heyer 1972;Brown et al 1995;Linkem et al 2010), Tropidophorus Duméril & Bibron (Brown & Alcala 1980), and Tytthoscincus Linkem, . Of the scincid lizards that occur in the Philippines, the genus Brachymeles is of special interest due to its increasing species-level diversity and unique body form diversity (Hikida 1982;Siler et al , 2012aDavis et al 2014). Because of the perceived cryptic diversity within the Brachymeles clade (for review, see Davis et al 2014), the taxonomic diversity of this group is thought to be greater than what is recognized currently.…”

“…Of the scincid lizards that occur in the Philippines, the genus Brachymeles is of special interest due to its increasing species-level diversity and unique body form diversity (Hikida 1982;Siler et al , 2012aDavis et al 2014). Because of the perceived cryptic diversity within the Brachymeles clade (for review, see Davis et al 2014), the taxonomic diversity of this group is thought to be greater than what is recognized currently. The genus Brachymeles is a phenotypically diverse group of lizards that range from small, slender and externally limbless, to elongate, robust and pentadactyl (Brown & Alcala 1980;Davis et al 2014).…”

“…Because of the perceived cryptic diversity within the Brachymeles clade (for review, see Davis et al 2014), the taxonomic diversity of this group is thought to be greater than what is recognized currently. The genus Brachymeles is a phenotypically diverse group of lizards that range from small, slender and externally limbless, to elongate, robust and pentadactyl (Brown & Alcala 1980;Davis et al 2014). Currently, the genus is distributed across Southeast Asia, with one species occurring in Thailand (B. miriamae Heyer 1972), one in northern Borneo (B. apus, Hikida 1982), and the vast majority of species occurring in the Philippines .…”

“…Although the clade possesses a wide spectrum of body forms, it is currently supported as monophyletic based on molecular data . Recent studies have revealed that species historically recognized to have widespread distributions are complexes of morphologically and genetically unique lineages Siler et al , 2012aDavis et al 2014).…”

“…In revising this species complex, Davis et al (2014) Siler et al , 2012a. Furthermore, Davis et al (2014) restricted the range of true B. bonitae to central Luzon and Polillo Island based on comparisons of freshly collected material with the original descriptions of the holotype of B. bonitae (Duméril & Bibron 1839;Brown 1956). However, with observed morphological and genetic diversity remaining among allopatric populations allied with the B. bonitae Complex, it is likely that additional species may warrant recognition .…”