Mabuya desiradae, Hedges & Conn, 2012

Hedges, S. Blair & Conn, Caitlin E., 2012, A new skink fauna from Caribbean islands (Squamata, Mabuyidae, Mabuyinae) 3288, Zootaxa 3288 (1), pp. 1-244 : 95-97

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.3288.1.1
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/39191A7F-0757-FF9D-2DA9-EEAA79CAF84C
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Mabuya desiradae
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Mabuya desiradae sp. nov.

Désirade Skink

( Figs. 30B View FIGURE 30 , 32B View FIGURE 32 , 38)

Mabuya mabouya mabouya — Schwartz & Thomas, 1975:141 (part).

Mabuya mabouya mabouya — Schwartz & Henderson, 1988:150 (part).

Mabuya mabouya mabouya — Schwartz & Henderson, 1991:457 (part).

Mabuya bistriata — Powell et al., 1996:82 (part).

Mabuya bistriata — Malhotra & Thorpe, 1999:84 (part).

Mabuya sloanii — Mayer & Lazell, 2000:883 (part).

Mabuya mabouya — Breuil, 2002:267 (part).

Mabuya mabouya —Miralles, 2005:49 (part).

Mabuya mabouya — Henderson & Powell, 2009:292 (part).

Holotype. KU 242045, an adult male, collected by Albert Schwartz and Richard Thomas at Anse d’Echelle, La Désirade, Guadeloupe, on 28 February 1963.

Paratype (n = 1). Guadeloupe. KU 242046, an adult male, same locality and information as the holotype .

Diagnosis. Mabuya desiradae sp. nov. is characterized by (1) maximum SVL in males, 98.1 mm; (2) maximum SVL in females, not available; (3) snout width, 2.56–2.86% SVL; (4) head length, 18.5–19.0% SVL; (5) head width, 13.6% SVL; (6) ear length, 1.45–1.47% SVL; (7) toe-IV length, 10.2–10.4% SVL; (8) prefrontals, two; (9) supraoculars, three; (10) supraciliaries, four; (11) frontoparietals, two; (12) supralabial below the eye, five (50%), six (50%); (13) nuchal rows, one; (14) dorsals, 62; (15) ventrals, 68–70; (16) dorsals + ventrals, 130–132; (17) midbody scale rows, 32–34; (18) finger-IV lamellae, 13–15; (19) toe-IV lamellae, 16–18; (20) finger-IV + toe- IV lamellae, 29–33; (21) supranasal contact, Y (50%), N (50%); (22) prefrontal contact, N; (23) supraocular-1/ frontal contact, Y; (24) parietal contact, Y; (25) pale middorsal stripe, N; (26) dark dorsolateral stripe, N; (27) dark lateral stripe, Y; (28) pale lateral stripe, N; and (29) palms and soles, dark ( Tables 3–5).

Within the Genus Mabuya , M. desiradae sp. nov. and the other three species inhabiting Guadeloupe and its islets ( M. cochonae sp. nov., M. grandisterrae sp. nov., and M. guadeloupae sp. nov.), here placed in the M. guadeloupae sp. nov. species group, have a similarly-proportioned frontonasal scale that distinguishes them from other species in the genus ( Fig. 34 View FIGURE 34 ). Species in the M. guadeloupae sp. nov. species group have a longer frontonasal compared with M. montserratae sp. nov. (frontonasal length/head length 0.176 –0.199 versus 0.165 – 0.168) and a shorter frontonasal compared with other species in the genus (0.176 –0.199 versus 0.205 –0.239 in M. dominicana , M. hispaniolae sp. nov., and M. mabouya ). In addition, M. desiradae sp. nov. differs from M. dominicana by having a shorter, wider supranasal scale (supranasal length/supranasal width 3.57–3.66 versus 4.57–6.57 in M. dominicana ; Fig. 35), and in lacking a well-defined pale lateral stripe (present in 84% of M. dominicana ). It is separated from M. hispaniolae sp. nov. by having a narrower snout (2.56–2.86% SVL versus 3.08–3.47% SVL) and in lacking well-defined lateral and pale dorsolateral stripes (such stripes are present and well-defined in M. hispaniolae sp. nov.). It is distinguished from M. mabouya by having more dorsals (62 versus 55–61) and a longer dark lateral stripe that extends two-thirds (versus one-third) of the body. It differs from M. montserratae sp. nov. by having a wider head (13.6% SVL versus 12.3–13.2% SVL) and a higher supraciliary-2/ supraciliary-3 length ratio (2.11–2.34 versus 1.39–1.66 in M. montserratae sp. nov.; Fig. 36 View FIGURE 36 ).

Mabuya desiradae sp. nov. differs from M. cochonae sp. nov. by having shorter anterior loreal scale (1.70– 1.99% SVL versus 2.26–2.47% SVL; Fig. 37A View FIGURE 37 ), a shorter suture length between the upper secondary temporal and the parietal scale (1.85–2.01 versus 2.12–2.29% SVL; Fig. 37C View FIGURE 37 ), a larger ear (1.45–1.47% SVL versus 1.02–1.12% SVL), a larger separation of the prefrontal scales (1.74–1.75% SVL versus 0.89–1.16% SVL), longer dark lateral stripes and weakly defined pale dorsolateral stripes that extend two-thirds (versus one-third) of body, a dull silverygray (versus orange) venter in life, and a head that is more red in life. Mabuya desiradae sp. nov. differs from M. grandisterrae sp. nov. in having more dorsals (62 versus 54–61), more dorsals + ventrals (130–132 versus 116– 128), a higher supraciliary-2/supraciliary-3 length ratio (2.11–2.34 versus 1.67–1.79 in M. grandisterrae sp. nov.; Fig. 36 View FIGURE 36 ), and a longer dark lateral stripe that extends two-thirds (versus one-third) of body. Mabuya desiradae sp. nov. differs from M. guadeloupae sp. nov. in having a longer anterior loreal (1.70–1.99% SVL versus 1.28–1.36% SVL; Fig. 37A View FIGURE 37 ), a longer interloreal suture (0.92–1.07% SVL versus 0.64–0.85% SVL; Fig. 37B View FIGURE 37 ), and a longer supralabial-7 (1.65–1.81% SVL versus 1.36–1.44% SVL; Fig. 37D View FIGURE 37 ), and in lacking dark dorsolateral stripes (present on nape in M. guadeloupae sp. nov.), pale lateral stripes (present in M. guadeloupae sp. nov.) and welldefined dorsolateral stripes (weakly-defined versus well-defined in M. guadeloupae sp. nov.).

Description of holotype ( Figs. 30B View FIGURE 30 , 38A–E). An adult male in good state of preservation, without injuries and with an abdominal slit. SVL 94.1 mm; tail complete (length not measured); HL 17.4 mm; HW 12.8 mm; SW 2.41 mm; EL 1.38 mm; and toe-IV length 9.57 mm; ear opening small in size and oval; toe length in the following order: I <V <II <III <IV.

Head scalation. Rostral wider than high, contacting first supralabials, nasals and supranasals. Paired supranasals in median contact, contacting anteriormost loreal (right side only). Frontonasal diamond-shaped, wider than long, laterally in contact with anterior loreal scale. A pair of quadrilateral prefrontals, separated medially, and in contact with frontonasal, both anterior and posterior loreals, first supraoculars, first supraciliaries, and frontal. Frontal small and asymmetrical (roughly triangular), in contact with the first supraoculars. Frontoparietals also in contact with parietals and interparietal. Interparietal tetragonal and lanceolate, separated from nuchals by parietals; parietal eye distinct. Parietals in contact with upper secondary and tertiary temporal scales. Three supraoculars, the and posterior loreals squarish with posterodorsal projection on latter. Two upper preoculars and two lower preoculars. Seven supralabials, the fifth being the widest and forming the lower border of the eyelid. Five moderately enlarged scales behind eye comprising the postoculars; similar to temporal scales but usually smaller. One primary temporal, two secondary temporals, and three tertiary temporals; all imbricate, smooth, cycloid, not distinctly delimited from the scales on the nape and the sides of the neck. Seven supralabials. Mental scale wider than long, posterior margin curved slightly toward tip of snout. Postmental scale and three pairs of adjoining chin shields in contact with anterior infralabials. First pair of chin shields in contact medially; second, third, and fourth pairs separated by smaller cycloid scales.

Body and limb scalation. One row of paired nuchal scales. Other scales on nape similar to dorsals. On lateral sides of neck, scales slightly smaller. Dorsal scales cycloid, imbricate, smooth, 62 in a longitudinal row; ventrals similar to dorsals; 68 in a longitudinal row; 34 scales around midbody. No distinct boundaries between dorsals, laterals and ventrals. Scales on tail and limbs similar to dorsals, except smaller on limbs. Palmar and plantar regions with small tubercles, subequal in size and delimited by a surrounding region of flatter scales. Subdigital lamellae smooth, single, 13 under finger-IV and 16 under toe-IV. Four preanals larger than adjacent ventral scales. Median subcaudal scales gradually increasing in size from base to tip of tail.

Pattern and coloration. Dorsal ground color dark greenish-brown with small dark brown spots, distributed on tail and limbs and in two dorsolateral bands on body. Limb coloration slightly darker than dorsum. Dark dorsolateral stripes absent. Dark lateral stripes present, dark brown, extending from loreal region to hindlimbs and breaking into a series of dark spots around midbody. Pale middorsal stripe absent. Pale dorsolateral stripes present, medium gray, extending from behind eye to midbody. Pale lateral stripes absent. Ventral surface of body without pattern. Palmar and plantar surfaces brown. Color in life was recorded (Albert Schwartz field notes at KU) for holotype (and paratype) as "bronzy" dorsum with "heads distinctly more reddish and venter dull silverish-gray."

Variation. In coloration and scalation, the paratype resembled the holotype ( Tables 4–5).

Distribution. The species is distributed on La Désirade island and Terre de Bas, Îles de la Petite Terre ( Fig. 11B View FIGURE 11 ). Skinks from the latter island have been noted in the literature ( Lorvelec et al. 2000, 2007; Breuil 2002), including photographs (Fig. 38F). Although we tentatively assign the skinks from Terre de Bas to this species, further study may show that they represent a separate species. As noted by Breuil (2002), an earlier literature reference to skinks on Les Saintes ( Lazell 1973) is probably in error and refers to Îles de la Petite Terre, the two groups of islands being frequently confused because they both include a "Terre de Haut" and a "Terre de Bas."

Ecology and conservation. Little has been recorded of the ecological habits of this species. In his field notes, Albert Schwartz mentioned that the two known specimens were taken in rock crevices, among sea grape trees ( Coccoloba uvifera ). The skink observed on Terre de Bas, 19 April 1998 ( Lorvelec et al. 2000) was found in a forest on sand, near a lagoon. Four additional individuals were observed in May, 2010 (O. Lorvelec, personal communication). These islets are occupied by humans and their domestic animals and pests, and therefore the survival of the species continues to be threatened. Population numbers of skinks on La Désirade and Terre de Bas have been described as "low" ( Breuil 2009).

Based on IUCN Redlist criteria ( IUCN 2011), we consider the conservation status of Mabuya desiradae sp. nov. as Critically Endangered (CR A2ace). It faces a primary threat from introduced mammalian predators, including black rats, and a secondary threat from habitat alteration. Studies are needed to determine the health of any remaining populations, and threats to the survival of the species. Captive breeding programs should be considered, and efforts should be undertaken to remove all introduced mammalian predators from the islands where it occurs.

Reproduction. No data on reproduction are available for this species.

Etymology. The species name ( desiradae ) is a feminine genitive singular noun, referring to the distribution of the species on La Désirade.

Remarks. KU lists only Albert Schwartz as collector for all of the Schwartz' skink material, but he was accompanied by Richard Thomas when the type and paratype were collected (Richard Thomas, personal communication). As mentioned for Mabuya cochonae sp. nov., finding endemic skinks on the islets of Guadeloupe is not surprising given that they are already known to harbor endemic reptiles. There is an endemic anole ( Anolis desiradei Lazell ) and a subspecies of gecko ( Sphaerodactylus fantasticus hippomanes Thomas ) on La Désirade and