Diploglossus Wiegmann, 1834

Schools, Molly & Hedges, S. Blair, 2021, Phylogenetics, classification, and biogeography of the Neotropical forest lizards (Squamata, Diploglossidae), Zootaxa 4974 (2), pp. 201-257 : 236-237

Genus Diploglossus Wiegmann, 1834

Neotropical Forest Lizards

Figs. 22–23

Diploglossus Wiegmann, 1834:36 . Type species: Tiliqua fasciatus Gray, 1831:71 , by subsequent designation ( Fitzinger 1843:23).

Microlepis Gray, 1839:334. Type species: Microlepis undulata Gray, 1839:334, by original designation.

Camilia Gray, 1845:118 . Type species: Tiliqua jamaicensis Gray, 1839:293 , by original designation.

Diagnosis. Species of Diploglossus have (1) claw sheath, present or absent, (2) contact between the nasal and rostral scales, present or absent, (3) scales in contact with the nasal scale, 5–6, (4) postnasal scales, 1–2, (5) position of the nostril in the nasal scale, posterior, (6) keels on dorsal body scales, present or absent, (7) digits per limb, five, (8) longest toe lamellae, 8–18, (9) dorsal scale rows, 88–99, (10) relative head width, 9.20–19.0, (11) relative rostral height, 49.6–62.1, (12) relative frontonasal length, 2.11–4.44, (13) relative interparietal distance, 0–0.658, (14) relative axilla-groin distance, 52.8–76.6.

From Ophiodes , we distinguish Diploglossus by the digits per limb (five versus none, because of lack of limbs in Ophiodes ), number of lamella on longest toe (8–18 versus none, because of lack of limbs in Ophiodes ), and the number of dorsal scales (88–99 versus 130–171).

Content. Ten species ( Table 3 ): Diploglossus delasagra , D. fasciatus , D. garridoi , D. lessonae , D. microlepis , D. millepunctatus , D. monotropis , D. montisserrati , D. nigropunctuatus , and D. pleii .

Distribution. Diploglossus occurs throughout Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Montserrat, as well as in Lower Central America and South America including Malepo Island ( Fig. 23 ). The map does not include the distribution of Diploglossus microlepis , which is unknown.

Etymology. The generic name is a masculine noun formed from the Latin words diplo (two) and glossus (tongue), meaning two tongues, referencing the two forms of papillae found on the anterior and posterior regions of the tongue.

Remarks. Diploglossus is a monophyletic clade with a Bayesian support value of 100% and a ML bootstrap value of 81% ( Fig. 2 ). Our molecular phylogeny includes six of the ten species of Diploglossus ( D. delasagra , D. garridoi , D. lessonae , D. monotropis , D. nigropunctuatus , and D. pleii ).

Figures

FIGURE 2. Phylogenetic tree of diploglossid lizards based on sequences of nine genes: four mitochondrial genes (CytB, ND2, 12S rRNA, and 16S rRNA) and five nuclear genes (AMEL, BDNF, PLPR, RAG1, and ZFP36). Maximum likelihood tree obtained from the nine-gene dataset (59 individuals; 6,949 sites).A scale bar indicates 5% sequence divergence. The numbers at nodes are ML bootstrap values, followed by Bayesian posterior probabilities; asterisks indicate significant (≥ 95%) support, and a dash or zero value indicates weak (<50%) support. The tree is rooted with Pseudopus apodus (Anguidae).

FIGURE 22. Images of (A) Diploglossus delasagra (USNM 512237, SVL 81.3 mm; photograph by S. B. Hedges), (B) Diploglossus garridoi (MNHNCU 4420,SVL 103mm;photograph byS.B.Hedges),(C)Diploglossus monotropis (photograph by Sebastian Lotzkat), (D) Diploglossus montisserrati (photograph by Agnieszka Ogrodowczyk), (E) Diploglossus nigropunctatus (USNM 512241, SVL 111 mm; photograph by S. B. Hedges), and (F) Diploglossus pleii (USNM 326931; photograph by S. B. Hedges).

FIGURE 23. The distribution of Diploglossus. Arrows indicate distribution on Malpelo Island and Montserrat.