Iphisa elegans Gray, 1851

Ribeiro-Júnior, Marco A. & Amaral, Silvana, 2017, Catalogue of distribution of lizards (Reptilia: Squamata) from the Brazilian Amazonia. IV. Alopoglossidae, Gymnophthalmidae, Zootaxa 4269 (2), pp. 151-196 : 170

Iphisa elegans Gray, 1851

Taxonomic remarks. Nunes et al. (2012) demonstrated that several lineages exist within the nominal taxon, suggesting it is a complex of cryptic species. At present, however, it is not possible to distinguish most of them on the basis of external morphology. We therefore still recognize here only two taxa (irrespective of their taxonomic rank), as proposed by Dixon (1974b)—of which Iphisa elegans soinii seems to correspond to one of the lineages of Nunes et al. (2012). Moreover, Dixon (1974b) interpreted the area in northern Peru (Cenepa River), where specimens both with and without prefrontals were found, as presenting gene flow between the two taxa. These same specimens were examined by us and they are here identified according to the presence ( I. e. elegans ) or absence ( I. e. soinii ) of prefrontals. The two taxa were also identified in sympatry in the Curuena River , Amazonas state , Brazil.