Dactyloa

Batista, Abel, Vesely, Milan, Mebert, Konrad, Lotzkat, Sebastian & Köhler, Gunther, 2015, A new species of Dactyloa from eastern Panama, with comments on other Dactyloa species present in the region, Zootaxa 4039 (1), pp. 57-84 : 75

Key to the species of Dactyloa occurring in Panama (modified from Lotzkat et al. 2013)

1a. Large species SVL> 95 mm, body robust, body pattern different: with broad bars, blotches, spots, or ocelli; if homogeneously green, then without narrow dark oblique lines on flanks....................................................... 2

1b. Relatively small species SVL <88 mm, body slender, body uniform green (turning bluish in preservative) or with a parallel series of oblique narrow dark lines, broad bands, or disperse spots on flanks.......................................8

2a. Legs short: tip of fourth toe of hind limb (adpressed along straightened specimen) reaching at most to posterior border of eye, shank length/SVL ratio <0.24; suboculars and supralabials in contact............................................ 3

2b. Legs long: tip of fourth toe of hind limb (adpressed along straightened specimen) reaching at least to center of eye, usually to a point anterior to eye, shank length/SVL ratio 0.25 or greater; suboculars and supralabials in contact or separated by one scale row................................................................................................. 6

3a. At least one, often two or more, sublabials posterior to mental plate greatly enlarged; four or fewer horizontal rows of loreal scales; interparietal plate usually not distinct, usually no visible parietal eye; dorsal scales about the size of ventral scales; all scales on anterodorsal surface of thigh multicarinate; ear opening very small, less high than supralabials and infralabials together; 41–50 lamellae under fourth toe (base of digit to claw), 29–37 under fourth finger; male and female dewlap salmon, pink, or yellow........................................................................................ 4

3b. Sublabials not greatly enlarged, less high than adjacent infralabials; five or more horizontal rows of loreal scales; interparietal plate usually distinct, with visible parietal eye; dorsal scales smaller than ventral scales; most scales on anterodorsal surface of thigh smooth or unicarinate; ear opening moderate to large, higher than supralabials and infralabials together; numbers of lamellae under fourth toe and fourth finger higher or lower than that in 3a; dewlap coloration different.................. 5

4a. Legs short: tip of fourth toe of hind limb (adpressed along straightened specimen) reaching to a point between anterior border of ear opening and posterior border of eye, shank length/SVL ratio 0.19–0.22; conspicuous and clear-cut coloration pattern between eye and shoulder, with a prominent light stripe extending from supralabials posteriorly above or across the ear before bending down towards shoulder, delineating a dark preaxillary blotch above and posteriorly, and paralleled above by a dark postorbital stripe with darker borders that extends at least to a level above the preaxillary blotch....... Dactyloa ginaelisae

4b. Legs very short: tip of fourth toe of hind limb (adpressed along straightened specimen) reaching to a point between shoulder and ear, shank length/SVL ratio <0.183; pattern of stripes between eye and shoulder more diffuse, with the light postsupralabial stripe not passing above or across the ear, and just as the dark postorbital stripe being oriented more ventrally, both losing their conspicuousness around level of ear..................................................... Dactyloa microtus

5a. Subdigital lamellar pads strongly dilated, more than three times width of distal phalanx; more than 50 lamellae under fourth toe (base of digit to claw); 190 or more scales around midbody; scales on anterodorsal surface of thigh smooth, only on anterior edge unicarinate with a few bi- or tricarinate; male dewlap orange or red, female dewlap brownish, mottled...................................................................................................... Dactyloa insignis

5b. Subdigital lamellar pads barely dilated, less than two times width of distal phalanx; 35 or fewer lamellae under fourth toe (base of digit to claw); fewer than 150 scales around midbody; scales on anterodorsal surface of thigh unicarinate; male dewlap white with an orange-yellow margin; female dewlap white with a light yellow margin............... Dactyloa kunayalae

6a. Series of dark blotches or ocelli form oblique transverse bands on dorsum, flanks, limbs, and anterior portion of tail; a pronounced light-colored interorbital bar with dark anterior and posterior borders; light and dark stripes radiating from eye in all directions; male dewlap cream white, female dewlap brown.................................................... 7

6b. Coloration variable: unicolor, mottled, or with broad dark transverse bands; no pronounced interorbital bar; a dark pre- and/or postorbital stripe often present, but no light and dark stripes radiating from eye in all directions; male dewlap white with yellow and blue or green scales, female dewlap with contrasting yellow and green or blue striped or reticulate pattern............................................................................................... Dactyloa casildae

7a. Enlarged superciliaries restricted to anterior half of eye, followed by small granular scales posteriorly, not forming a stiff ridge....................................................................................... Dactyloa frenata

7b. All of upper margin of eye with enlarged superciliaries forming a stiff ridge......................... Dactyloa latifrons

8a. Relatively tiny species SVL <60 mm, body uniform green, ventrals keeled; short-legged—4th toe of adpressed hind limb does not reach to eye.......................................................................... Dactyloa chloris

8b. Somewhat larger species SVL> 60 mm, body green, with a parallel series of oblique narrow dark lines, broad bands or disperse spots on flanks; ventrals smooth; long-legged—4th toe of adpressed hind limb reaches at least to anterior border of eye.9

9a. Flanks with a parallel series of oblique broad bands that are usually formed by ocelli; usually with 50–80 total loreal scales; species distributed in eastern Panama..................................................................... 10

9b. Flanks with a parallel series of oblique narrow dark lines that are never formed by blotches or ocelli; usually with 38–54 total loreal scales; species distributed in central and western Panama.................................... Dactyloa ibanezi

10a. Flanks in males with oblique rows of ocelli or blotches, in females with scattered dark green spots; male dewlap orange with white anterior margin; 12–14 (mean 12.9) scales between first canthals and 7–13 (mean 10.2) between second canthals; species distributed in the border between Panama and Colombia, in the mountain ranges of Pirre, and Jingurudó, and the southern corner of the Darién mountain range....................................................... Dactyloa purpurescens

10b. Flanks in males and females with rows of ocelli in oblique broad dark green bands; male dewlap orange with continuous white margin; 12–18 (mean 14.5) scales between first canthals and 10–16 (mean 12.3) between second canthals; species distributed in eastern Panama in the mountain ranges of Majé, Piedras-Pacora, and San Blas, and the central and northern portions of the Darién mountain range...................................................................... Dactyloa maia