Parvoscincus Ferner, Brown & Greer, 1997

Linkem, Charles W., Diesmos, Arvin C. & Brown, Rafe M., 2011, Molecular systematics of the Philippine forest skinks (Squamata: Scincidae: Sphenomorphus): testing morphological hypotheses of interspecific relationships, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 163 (4), pp. 1217-1243 : 1236

Parvoscincus Ferner, Brown & Greer, 1997

Type species: Parvoscincus sisoni Ferner, Brown & Greer, 1997 .

Definition: The clade comprising Parvoscincus sisoni ( Ferner, Brown & Greer, 1997) and all species that share a more recent common ancestor with Parvoscincus sisoni than with Anomalopus verreauxii , Calyptotis scutirostrum , Coeranoscincus frontalis , Coggeria naufragus , Ctenotus taeniolatus , Eremiascincus richardsonii , Eulamprus quoyii , Glaphyromorphus isolepis , Gnypetoscincus queenslandiae , Hemiergis decresiencsis , Insulasaurus wrigthi , Lerista lineata , Lipinia pulchella , Lobulia elegans , Nangura spinosa , Notoscincus ornatus , Ophioscincus australis , Otosaurus cumingii , Papuascincus stanleyanus , Pinoyscincus jagori , Prasinohaema flavipes , Saiphos equalis , Scincella lateralis , Sphenomorphus melanopogon , and Tytthoscincus hallieri .

Description: Parvoscincus is diagnosed by the following combination of characters: (1) body size usually small (<55 mm SVL) but larger in high-elevation species (46 mm <SVL <86 mm); (2) four enlarged supraoculars; (3) paravertebral scales 51–110; (4) midbody scale rows 23–46; and (5) subdigital lamellae 10–20.

Included species: Parvoscincus beyeri (Taylor, 1922) , Parvoscincus boyingi ( Brown et al., 2010) , Parvoscincus decipiens (Boulenger, 1894) , Parvoscincus hadros ( Brown et al., 2010) , Parvoscincus igorotorum ( Brown et al., 2010) , Parvoscincus laterimaculatus ( Brown & Alcala, 1980) , Parvoscincus leucospilos (Peters, 1872) , Parvoscincus lawtoni ( Brown & Alcala, 1980) , Parvoscincus luzonensis (Boulenger, 1894) , Parvoscincus kitangladensis (Brown, 1995) , Parvoscincus palawanensis (Brown & Alcala, 1961) , Parvoscincus sisoni ( Ferner, Brown & Greer, 1997) , Parvoscincus steerei (Stejneger, 1908) , and Parvoscincus tagapayo ( Brown et al., 1999) .

Comments: The recently described genus Parvoscincus ( Ferner, Brown & Greer, 1997) is nested within a large clade of Philippine Sphenomorphus (Clade K). Represented in our phylogeny by the type species, Parvoscincus sisoni , it is clear that this genus is not phylogenetically distinct from other Philippine Sphenomorphus as originally proposed ( Ferner, Brown & Greer, 1997). The other species in this genus, Parvoscincus palawanensis , was not sampled; therefore, it is uncertain if it would be related to Parvoscincus sisoni , but we assume that it is until contrary evidence is presented. Clade K is clearly a unique and supported group of mostly small species of Philippine Sphenomorphus . As Parvoscincus is placed within this clade, we recommend that the name Parvoscincus be expanded to include the other small-bodied species in this Philippine clade ( Parvoscincus leucospilos , Parvoscincus tagapayao , Parvoscincus luzonensis , Parvoscincus lawtoni , Parvoscincus kitangladensis , Parvoscincus laterimaculatus , Parvoscincus steerei , Parvoscincus decipiens ) in addition to the secondarily enlarged, montane forest species ( Parvoscincus beyeri , Parvoscincus boyingi , Parvoscincus igorotorum , and Parvoscincus hadros ). Two species ( Sphenomorphus acutus and Sphenomorphus diwata ) in the Philippines are not diagnosable to either Parvoscincus or Pinoyscincus . These morphologically distinct species are genetically most similar to Parvoscincus , but this relationship has low phylogenetic support. We prefer to leave these species incertae sedis until a more thorough examination can be performed.