Eremias laticeps Smith, 1845

Sebastian Kirchhof, Johannes Penner, Mark-Oliver Rödel & Johannes Müller, 2017, Resolution of the types, diagnostic features, and distribution of two easily confused Sand Lizards, Pedioplanis laticeps (Smith, 1845) and P. burchelli (Duméril & Bibron, 1839) (Squamata: Lacertidae), Zootaxa 4318 (1), pp. 82-109 : 89

Eremias laticeps Smith, 1845

The type specimen BMNH 1946.8.7.56 ( Fig. 4 ), collected by Smith, matches perfectly his description and drawings ( Smith 1845). However, it is evident that Smith described only one side of the voucher; femoral pores are given by Smith (1845) as 13, but are left side 13, right side 14; Smith described the freno-nasal and the freno-ocular plate ( Smith 1845) as “freno-nasal plate small, quadrangular, rather longer than deep, freno-ocular plate large and subtriangular” (Plate 48: 3 and 3a), whereas on the right side the freno-nasal plate is small, quadrangular, rather longer than deep, and the freno-ocular plate large and subtriangular, and on the left side the freno-nasal and freno-ocular are fused ( Fig. 4 ). This is consistent with the lithograph in Plate 48: 3 and 3a being reversed and showing the right side of the head, which as FitzSimons (1937) explained, is a consequence of this printing technique. However, this contradicts our findings regarding Plate 48: 7a ( Smith 1845) depicting E. capensis .

Why the description of the type specimen given by Boulenger (1921) does not match with Smith (1845) cannot be determined. All specimens of P. laticeps examined by Boulenger (1921) are still in the BMNH collection and can be assigned correctly, plus three specimens (BMNH 1988.511, BMNH 1988.513–514) subsequently presented by E. N. Arnold in 1988 ( Table 2 ).

Although BMNH 1946.8.7.56 is treated as the type of E. laticeps , it should be noted that Smith described one voucher in detail but mentioned a total of three specimens ( Smith 1845), which consequently form syntypes. All other specimens in the collection of the BMNH presented by Smith or Lord Derby cannot be the one described by Smith as none has only 5 upper labials in front of the subocular ( Smith 1845, Plate 48: 3a; Fig. 4 and Table 2 this work). For stability we herein designate in accordance with Articles 74.1. and 74.7. of the Code (ICZN, 1999), specimen BMNH 1946.8.7.56 as lectotype of Pedioplanis laticeps Smith, 1845 , which is depicted on plate 46 figure 1 and plate 48, figures 3 and 3a of the original description. Consequently, specimens BMNH 1865.5.4.87 and BMNH 1865.5.4.88 become paralectotypes.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Holotype BMNH 1946.8. 7.56 (previously 65.5.4.55) of Eremias laticeps Smith, 1845: (A) original drawing of the whole individual modified from Plate 46: 1 (Smith 1845); (B) dorsal view of the museum voucher; (C) ventral view; (D) dorsal head; (E) original drawing of the dorsal head modified from Plate 48: 3 (Smith 1845); (F) ventral head; (G) lateral head left; (H) original drawing of the lateral head modified from Plate 48: 3 a (Smith 1845); (I) lateral head right. Scale units 1 mm.