Wetmorena agasepsoides ( Thomas 1971 )

Schools, Molly & Hedges, Blair, 2024, A new forest lizard fauna from Caribbean islands (Squamata, Diploglossidae, Celestinae), Zootaxa 5554 (1), pp. 1-306 : 256-259

Wetmorena agasepsoides ( Thomas 1971)

Serpentine Forest Lizard

(Fig. 96–97)

Diploglossus agasepsoides Thomas, 1971:2 . Holotype: USNM 166964 , collected by Richard Thomas from Barreras, Azua province, Dominican Republic, on 22 July 1969 (18.3228, -70.9042; 155 m).

Sauresia agasepsoides — Schwartz & Henderson, 1988:162.

Sauresia agasepsoides — Schwartz & Henderson, 1991:462.

Celestus agasepsoides — White & Powell, 1996:1.

Celestus agasepsoides — Hedges et al., 2019:16.

Wetmorena agasepsoides — Schools & Hedges, 2021:232.

Wetmorena agasepsoides — Landestoy et al., 2022: 205.

Material examined (n=10). DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. Azua. KU 93387 , Barreras , 25 July 1969 ; USNM 166963 , Barreras, 22 July 1969 ; USNM 166964 , Richard Thomas, Barreras, 22 July 1969 . Barahona. ANSP 38712 , S. Blair Hedges and Richard Thomas, Canoa, 0.3 km S, 13.5 km E (airline), 19 June 1985 ; ANSP 38713–4 , Richard Thomas and S. Blair Hedges, Canoa, 13.7 km due E (airline), 19 June 1985 . Pedernales. ANSP 38710–1 , S. Blair Hedges, Richard Thomas, and locals, Bucan Detwi , 6 January 1998 ; ANSP 38715 , Richard Thomas and S. Blair Hedges, 14.5 km S of Los Arroyos , 12 August 1983 ; ANSP 38716 , Richard Thomas and locals, Troudiye, Richard Thomas and locals, 6 January 1998 .

Diagnosis. Wetmorena agasepsoides has (1) a dorsal pattern of absent, (2) head markings absent/present, (3) markings in the longitudinal paramedian area absent/present, (4) dots arranged in bars in the lateral band absent, (5) a maximum SVL of 49.1–58.6 mm, (6) ventral scale rows, 110–121, (7) midbody scale rows, 27–31, (8) total lamellae on one hand, 14–17, (9) total strigae on ten scales, 94–153, (10) relative length of all digits on one hindlimb, 9.44–11.2 %, (11) relative distance between the angled subocular and mouth, 0.00–0.224 %, (12) relative eye length, 2.22–3.11 %, (13) relative forelimb length, 8.05–9.58 %, (14) relative ear width, 0.292 –0.634 %, (15) relative rostral height, 1.58–2.58 %, (16) relative head length, 12.1–14.4 %, (17) relative mental width, 1.40–1.66 %, (18) relative postmental width, 1.75–2.30 %, (19) relative cloacal width, 4.69–6.57 %, (20) relative prefrontal width, 2.77–3.35 %, (21) relative largest supraocular width, 1.66–2.07 %, (22) relative longest finger length, 1.44–2.01 %, (23) relative distance between the ear and eye, 5.80–6.61 %, (24) relative head width, 64.0–77.5 %, (25) relative frontal width, 74.9–94.4 %, (26) relative nasal height, 0.712 –0.933 %, (27) relative angled subocular height, 0.851–1.09 %, (28) relative distance between the eye and naris, 2.25–3.27 %, (29) relative canthal iii length, 0.481 –0.970 %, (30) relative angled subocular width, 1.55–2.36 %, and (31) relative nasal length, 0.803–1.55 %. The species stem time is 4.75 Ma and the species crown time is 0.54 Ma (Fig. 4).

Wetmorena agasepsoides has a smaller relative forelimb length (8.05–9.58) and relative longest finger length (1.44–2.01) than all other species of the genus. This species also has a larger relative auricular length (0.292 –0.634) than all other species of the species. Notably, W. agasepsoides possesses external auricular openings while all other species of the genus lack this trait.

From Wetmorena haetiana , we distinguish W. agasepsoides by the adult SVL (49.1–58.6 versus 78.3–102), the midbody scale rows (27–31 versus 34–39), the total lamellae on one hand (14–17 versus 18–26), the relative length of digits on one hindlimb (9.44–11.2 versus 13.0–18.2), the relative forelimb length (8.05–9.58 versus 12.4–15.7), the relative ear width (0.292 –0.634 versus 0.00), the relative prefrontal width (2.77–3.35 versus 3.44–4.60), and the relative longest finger length (1.44–2.01 versus 2.65–3.63). From W. mylica , we distinguish W. agasepsoides by the adult SVL (49.1–58.6 versus 76.0–98.2), the midbody scale rows (27–31 versus 37–41), the relative forelimb length (8.05–9.58 versus 10.5–14.3), the relative ear width (0.292 –0.634 versus 0.00), and the relative longest finger length (1.44–2.01 versus 2.43–2.95). From W. obscura sp. nov., we distinguish W. agasepsoides by the dorsal pattern (absent versus lineate), the midbody scale rows (27–31 versus 35–36), the total lamellae on one hand (14–17 versus 20–21), the total strigae on ten scales (94–153 versus 73–83), the relative length of digits on one hindlimb (9.44–11.2 versus 13.8–16.2), the relative distance between angled subocular and mouth (0.00–0.224 versus 0.295 –0.426), the relative forelimb length (8.05–9.58 versus 13.6–16.3), the relative ear width (0.292 –0.634 versus 0.00), the relative mental width (1.40–1.66 versus 1.72–2.24), the relative postmental width (1.75–2.30 versus 2.49–3.05), the relative prefrontal width (2.77–3.35 versus 4.03–4.58), the relative longest finger length (1.44–2.01 versus 4.08–5.35), and the relative distance between the eye and naris (2.25–3.27 versus 3.68–5.01). From W. orosaura sp. nov., we distinguish W. agasepsoides by the dorsal pattern (absent versus lineate/irregular dots), the adult SVL (49.1–58.6 versus 59.6–68.0), the midbody scale rows (27–31 versus 33–41), the total lamellae on one hand (14–17 versus 22–26), the relative length of digits on one hindlimb (9.44–11.2 versus 18.6–19.7), the relative forelimb length (8.05–9.58 versus 16.9–17.2), the relative ear width (0.292 –0.634 versus 0.00), the relative postmental width (1.75–2.30 versus 2.31–2.68), the relative cloacal width (4.69–6.57 versus 6.69–6.88), the relative prefrontal width (2.77–3.35 versus 3.85–4.11), the relative largest supraocular width (1.66–2.07 versus 2.27–2.39), the relative longest finger length (1.44–2.01 versus 3.86–4.46), the relative nasal height (0.712 –0.933 versus 1.07– 1.16), the relative angled subocular height (0.851–1.09 versus 1.22–1.45), the relative distance between the eye and naris (2.25–3.27 versus 3.37–3.91), and the relative width of canthal iii (0.481 –0.970 versus 1.14–1.26). From W. surda , we distinguish W. agasepsoides by the dorsal pattern (absent versus irregular dots/dots in series/lineate), the adult SVL (49.1–58.6 versus 62.5–81.9), the total lamellae on one hand (14–17 versus 18–21), the relative forelimb length (8.05–9.58 versus 11.3–13.9), the relative ear width (0.292 –0.634 versus 0.00), the relative prefrontal width (2.77–3.35 versus 3.47–3.91), the relative longest finger length (1.44–2.01 versus 2.12–2.98), and the relative width of canthal iii (0.481 –0.970 versus 1.17–1.33).

Description of holotype. USNM 166964. An adult; SVL 58.6 mm; tail nearly cylindrical, broken in life midway, regenerated, 43.8 mm (74.7% SVL); axilla-to-groin distance 42.0 mm (71.7% SVL); forelimb length 13.0 mm (22.2% SVL); hindlimb length 8.44 mm (14.4% SVL); head length 7.10 mm (12.1% SVL); head width 5.50 mm (9.39% SVL); head width 77.5% head length; diameter of orbit 1.30 mm (2.22% SVL); horizontal diameter of ear opening 0.24 mm (0.410% SVL); vertical diameter of ear opening 0.35 mm (0.597% SVL); length of all toes on one foot 5.71 mm (9.74% SVL); shortest distance between angled subocular and lip 0.13 mm (0.222% SVL); shortest distance between the ocular and auricular openings 3.41 mm (5.82% SVL); longest finger length 0.99 mm (1.69% SVL); largest supraocular width 0.97 mm (1.66% SVL); cloacal width 3.19 mm (5.44% SVL); prefrontal width 1.62 mm (2.76% SVL); frontal width 94.4% frontal length; nasal height 0.43 mm (0.734% SVL); angled subocular height 0.57 mm (0.973% SVL); shortest distance between the eye and naris 1.32 mm (2.25% SVL); canthal iii width 0.42 mm (0.717% SVL); angled subocular width 0.91 mm (1.55% SVL); nasal width 0.47 mm (0.802% SVL); rostral 1.58X as wide as high, visible from above, not in contact with nasals, in contact with 1 st supralabial and anterior internasal (left)/(right); anterior internasals are slightly narrower than posterior ones; frontonasals and prefrontal fused into a single large plate with a straight posterior margin, much wider than long, bordered by posterior internasals, 1 st loreals, 1 st median oculars, and the frontal; frontal longer than wide; a pair of frontoparietals, separated by the posterior prolongation of the frontal and the interparietal plate; interparietal plate slightly larger than parietals and separating them, posteriorly touching the interoccipital, which is wider than long; parietal separated from supraoculars by 1 st and 2 nd temporals and frontoparietal (left)/(right); nasal single; nostril just posterior to suture between 1 st and 2 nd supralabials (left)/(right); 1 postnasal (left)/(right); 1 loreal (left)/(right); postnasal, posterior internasal, prefrontal/frontonasal complex, frontal, 1 st median ocular, upper and lower preoculars, and the 3 rd and 4 th supralabials (left)/(right); 9 median oculars (left)/(right), 1 st contacting the prefrontal (left)/(right); 2 (left)/2 (right) upper preoculars; an irregular anterior supraciliary (left)/(right); 6 lateral oculars (left)/(right); 5 temporals (left)/(right); 2 suboculars (left)/(right); posterior subocular large and elongate (left)/(right); anterior subocular small (left)/(right); 8 supralabials (left)/(right), 5 to level below center of eye (left)/(right); 8 (left)/9 (right) infralabials, 5 to level below center of eye (left)/(right); mental small, followed by a single postmental of equal size; 4 pairs of enlarged chin shields; 1 st pair in contact with one another; 106 transverse rows of dorsal scales from interoccipital to base of tail; 114 transverse rows of ventral scales from mental to vent; 29 scales around midbody; 4 digits; finger lengths 3>2>4>1; 5 lamellae under longest finger (left)/(right); 23 total lamellae on one hand; toe lengths 3>2>4>1; 11 (left)/10 (right) lamellae under longest toe; keelless and striate dorsal body and caudal scales; smooth ventral scales; 106 total strigae counted on ten scales.

Color (in alcohol): dorsal surface of head medium brown with some darker brown mottling; lateral surfaces of head grading from medium brown to pale tan with darker brown eye masks and spots on the labial scales; dorsal surfaces of the body are medium brown with darker areas in the center of the scales giving a lineate appearance; dorsal surface of tail the same as the body, regenerated section is bright yellow; dorsal surfaces of the limbs are orange-brown; lateral and ventral areas of the limbs fade to orange-cream with some pale brown mottling; ventral surfaces of the head, body, and tail are gray-tan with some darker mottling on the throat.

Variation. The majority of the examined material resembles the holotype in having a dorsal pattern of faded lines extending down the dorsum. USNM 166963 is completely patternless, whereas KU 93387 is patternless other than several irregular flecks on the neck. ANSP 38715 and ANSP 38714 have patternless heads, whereas the other examined specimens have dark outlines on their head scales. KU 93387 and USNM 166963 also have darker, irregular areas on their heads. All specimens lack dots arranged in bars in the longitudinal paramedian area. Measurements and other morphological data for the holotype and other examined material are presented in Table 1.

FIGURE 96. (A–F) Wetmorena agasepsoides (USNM 166964, holotype), SVL 58.6 mm.

Distribution. Wetmorena agasepsoides is distributed in three southwestern areas of the Dominican Republic at elevations of 10–750 m (Fig. 95). It has an extent of occurrence of ~ 2,600 km 2.

Ecology and conservation. Little has been recorded of the ecological habits of Wetmorena agasepsoides . Individuals have been collected under rocks and other surface debris ( Thomas 1971; Schwartz & Henderson 1991; White et al. 1992). A stomach content analysis of this species showed that its diet mostly consists of invertebrates including beetles, beetle larvae and pupae, crickets, roaches, flies, ants, and centipedes ( White et al. 1992). Thomas (1971) suspected that the Sierra de Martín García population is a geographic isolate, as the surrounding areas were mostly xeric cactus scrub as opposed to the mesic forest on the Sierra de Martín García.

The IUCN Redlist ( IUCN 2023) considers the conservation status of Wetmorena agasepsoides to be Endangered B1ab(iii) “due to its limited distribution (with an extent of occurrence of 2509 km 2), occurrence in two locations and ongoing threats from agriculture expansion and wood extraction.” The original description also reported that areas surrounding the type locality had already been heavily cut for charcoal ( Thomas 1971). Studies are needed to determine the health of remaining populations and threats to the survival of the species. Captive-breeding programs should be undertaken, because eradication of introduced mammalian predators is currently not possible on large islands.

Reproduction. No data on reproduction are available for this species.

Etymology. The name agasepsoides is derived from the Greek aga (meaning “very”) and sepsoides , in reference to the elongate species Sauresia sepsoides , considered by Thomas (1971) to be its closest relative. Hence, it refers to the very elongate habitus of this species. See the etymology for Sauresia sepsoides for additional information on the origin of the word “ sepsoides .”

Remarks. When described, Wetmorena agasepsoides was considered a close relative of Sauresia sepsoides , likely because of the presence of ears ( Thomas 1971). Wetmorena agasepsoides is included in our genetic dataset and has significant support in both Bayesian and ML analyses at the crown node that defines it as a species. The stem node that places W. agasepsoides as the closest relative to W. obscura sp. nov. has a support value of 66% in our ML analysis and is not supported in our Bayesian analysis. Using genomic data, Schools et al. (2022) placed W. agasepsoides as the outgroup to all other species of Wetmorena with significant support in both ML and Bayesian analyses. Based on our timetree (Fig. 4), Wetmorena agasepsoides diverged from its closest relative ( W. obscura sp. nov.) 4.75 Ma, consistent with typical species of vertebrates (> 0.7 Ma; Hedges et al. 2015). Wetmorena agasepsoides was recognized as a distinct species by our ASAP analysis.

FIGURE 97. Wetmorena agasepsoides (ANSP 38713), SVL 57.6 mm, in life. From 13.7 km due E Canoa, Barahona Province, Dominican Republic. Photograph by SBH.