Prionodactylus vertebralis, (O'SHAUGHNESSY)

Doan, Tiffany M., 2003, A new phylogenetic classification for the gymnophthalmid genera Cercosaura, Pantodactylus and Prionodactylus (Reptilia: Squamata), Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 137 (1), pp. 101-115 : 107

PRIONODACTYLUS VERTEBRALIS (O’SHAUGHNESSY)

Cercosaura (Pantodactylus) vertebralis O’Shaughnessy, 1879: 298 .

Prionodactylus vertebralis: Boulenger, 1885: 394 .

Prionodactylus palmeri Boulenger, 1908: 518 .

Prionodactylus marianus Ruthven, 1921: 1 .

Euspondylus ampuedae Lancini, 1968: 4 .

Prionodactylus ampuedai: La Marca & García-Pérez, 1990: 111 .

When Uzzell (1973) synonymized Euspondylus ampuedae with Prionodactylus vertebralis , he did so without examining any specimens of E. ampuedae . There were few specimens known at that time. La Marca & García-Pérez (1990) reported additional specimens and resurrected the species as Prionodactylus ampuedai (correcting the latinized name ending). They based their conclusion on five differences, three of which are based on colour pattern. Similar to Uzzell (1973), I have not been able to examine any of the specimens designated as P. ampuedai (most of which are held in private collections), but I tend to follow Uzzell (1973) because the differences presented in the La Marca & García-Pérez (1990) table are poorly delineated and not convincing (i.e. shape of pale lip line and overlapping femoral pore counts). Until more definitive evidence is presented, the status and relationships of P. ampuedai will not be assessed.