Advenus, Schools & Hedges, 2021

Schools, Molly & Hedges, S. Blair, 2021, Phylogenetics, classification, and biogeography of the Neotropical forest lizards (Squamata, Diploglossidae), Zootaxa 4974 (2), pp. 201-257 : 217-218

Genus Advenus gen. nov.

Pirre Mountain Forest Lizards

Fig. 7

Type species. Diploglossus montisilvestris Myers, 1973:3 .

Diagnosis. Species of Advenus gen. nov. have (1) claw sheath, present, (2) contact between the nasal and rostral scales, absent, (3) scales in contact with the nasal scale, four, (4) postnasal scales, one, (5) position of the nostril in the nasal scale, central, (6) keels on dorsal body scales, absent, (7) digits per limb, five, (8) longest toe lamellae, 16–17, (9) dorsal scale rows, 96, (10) relative head width, 12.0, (11) relative rostral height, 50.1, (12) relative frontonasal length, 2.46, (13) relative interparietal distance, 0.632, (14) relative axilla-groin distance, 60.0.

From Caribicus gen. nov., we distinguish Advenus gen. nov. by the claw sheath (present versus its absence in Caribicus gen. nov.), keels on the dorsal scales (absent versus their presence in Caribicus gen. nov.), relative head width (12.0 versus 13.6–17.2), relative frontonasal length (2.46 versus 2.98–3.32), and the relative axilla-groin distance (60.0 versus 67.1–69.1). From Celestus , we distinguish Advenus gen. nov. by the claw sheath (present versus its absence in Celestus ) and the relative axilla-groin distance (60.0 versus 60.9–66.3). From Comptus gen. nov., we distinguish Advenus gen. nov. by the claw sheath (present versus its absence in Comptus gen. nov.), keels on dorsal scales (absent versus their presence in Comptus gen. nov.), relative rostral height (50.1 versus 53.2–65.5), relative frontonasal length (2.46 versus 2.95–3.65), and the relative interparietal distance (0.632 versus 0–0.435). From Panolopus , we distinguish Advenus gen. nov. by the claw sheath (present versus its absence in Panolopus ) and the relative axilla-groin distance (60.0 versus 49.7–59.6). From Sauresia , we distinguish Advenus gen. nov. by the digits per limb (five versus four), the longest toe lamellae (16–17 versus 8–12), the dorsal scale rows (96 versus 101–127), the relative interparietal distance (0.632 versus 0–0.431), and the relative axilla-groin distance (60.0 versus 63.9–69.9). From Wetmorena , we distinguish Advenus gen. nov. by the digits per limb (five versus four), the number of longest toe lamellae (16–17 versus 8–12), and the dorsal scale rows (96 versus 98–117).

Content. One species ( Table 3 ): Advenus montisilvestris .

Distribution. Known from only one specimen collected on the southeastern slope of Cerro Pirre (1440 m), Serranía de Pirre, Province of Darién, Republic of Panama ( Fig. 7 ). By our calculation, the location is 7.9242, - 77.7000.

Etymology. The generic name Advenus is a masculine noun derived from the Latin advena (“stranger”), referring to the distribution of this species in Middle America when all of its close relatives are on Caribbean islands.

Remarks. Advenus montisilvestris is the only member of the subfamily Celestinae subfam. nov. that is found outside of the Caribbean. The name montisilvestris refers to the mountain forest at the type locality. Morphological traits align this species with the other members of Celestinae subfam. nov. that are distributed in the western Caribbean, on the islands of Jamaica and Hispaniola, but not with any one genus. Genetic data are necessary to further clarify the relationship of Advenus montisilvestris within the Diploglossidae .

Figures

FIGURE 7. The distribution of Advenus gen. nov. in southeastern Panama, near the border with Colombia.