Sauresia synoria, Schools & Hedges, 2024

Schools, Molly & Hedges, Blair, 2024, A new forest lizard fauna from Caribbean islands (Squamata, Diploglossidae, Celestinae), Zootaxa 5554 (1), pp. 1-306 : 251-255

Sauresia synoria sp. nov.

Borderland Four-toed Forest Lizard

(Fig. 93–94)

Sauresia sepsoides — Schwartz & Henderson, 1988:162 (part).

Sauresia sepsoides — Schwartz & Henderson, 1991:463 (part).

Celestus sepsoides — Hedges et al., 2019:17 (part).

Sauresia sepsoides — Schools & Hedges, 2021:231 (part).

Sauresia sepsoides — Landestoy et al., 2022: 205 (part).

Holotype. ANSP 38689 , an adult male from 22 km N Pedernales (at the Rio Mulito ), Pedernales province, Dominican Republic, collected by S. Blair Hedges and Richard Thomas on 26 June 1985 (18.1544, -71.7581; 274 m).

Paratypes (n=3). DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. Pedernales. SBH 160343 , Richard Thomas and S. Blair Hedges, Pedernales, 22 km N at Rio Mulito , 6 June 1985 . HAITI. Sud-Est. MCZ R-131326–7, George Whiteman, Thiotte on road to Sal Trou, 1–31 March 1972 .

Diagnosis. Sauresia synoria sp. nov. has (1) a dorsal pattern of absent, (2) head markings absent/present, (3) markings in the longitudinal paramedian area present, (4) dots arranged in bars in the lateral band absent, (5) a maximum SVL of 53.5–72.0 mm, (6) ventral scale rows, 114–127, (7) midbody scale rows, 34–36, (8) total lamellae on one hand, 16–18, (9) total strigae on ten scales, 84–111, (10) relative length of all digits on one hindlimb, 10.5– 12.3 %, (11) relative distance between the angled subocular and mouth, 0.0561 –0.472 %, (12) relative eye length, 2.47–2.94 %, (13) relative forelimb length, 9.14–11.9 %, (14) relative ear width, 0.361 –0.670 %, (15) relative rostral height, 1.82–1.94 %, (16) relative head length, 12.3–15.9 %, (17) relative mental width, 1.21–1.70 %, (18) relative postmental width, 2.09–2.75 %, (19) relative cloacal width, 5.62–6.94 %, (20) relative prefrontal width, 3.01–3.30 %, (21) relative largest supraocular width, 1.57–1.91 %, (22) relative longest finger length, 1.75–2.52 %, (23) relative distance between the ear and eye, 5.91–7.81 %, (24) relative head width, 70.8–76.0 %, (25) relative frontal width, 82.0–94.4 %, (26) relative nasal height, 0.754–1.09 %, (27) relative angled subocular height, 0.880–1.22 %, (28) relative distance between the eye and naris, 2.67–3.61 %, (29) relative canthal iii length, 0.943–1.31 %, (30) relative angled subocular width, 1.82–2.30 %, and (31) relative nasal length, 1.13–1.35 %. The species stem time is 0.78 Ma and no data are available to estimate the species crown time (Fig. 4).

We distinguish Sauresia synoria sp. nov. from the other species of Sauresia based on a complex of traits. From Sauresia agramma sp. nov., we distinguish S. synoria sp. nov. by the midbody scale rows (34–36 versus 37–39), the relative frontal width (82.0–94.4 versus 80.2–81.9), and the relative nasal width (1.13–1.35 versus 1.36–1.57). From S. cayemitae sp. nov., we distinguish S. synoria sp. nov. by the frontal width by the SVL (3.78– 4.32 versus 3.11–3.75) (see Remarks). From S. gracilis sp. nov., we distinguish S. synoria sp. nov. by the dorsal pattern (absent versus mottled/lineate), the adult SVL (53.5–72.0 versus 51.1), the ventral scale rows (114–127 versus 103), the relative length of digits on one hindlimb (10.5–12.3 versus 13.8), the relative eye length (2.47–2.94 versus 2.97), the relative mental width (1.21–1.70 versus 1.76), the relative postmental width (2.09–2.75 versus 2.76), the relative cloacal width (5.62–6.94 versus 7.18), the relative prefrontal width (3.01–3.30 versus 3.81), the relative largest supraocular width (1.57–1.91 versus 2.44), the relative head width (70.8–76.0 versus 67.6), and the relative width of canthal iii (0.943–1.31 versus 1.82). From S. manicula sp. nov., we distinguish S. synoria sp. nov. by the midbody scale rows (34–36 versus 37–38), the total strigae on ten scales (84–111 versus 119–150), the relative eye length (2.47–2.94 versus 2.29–2.32), the relative prefrontal width (3.01–3.30 versus 3.32–3.62), and the relative frontal width (82.0–94.4 versus 81.5). From S. pangnolae sp. nov., we distinguish S. synoria sp. nov. by the relative ear width (0.361 –0.670 versus 0.681–1.11), the relative prefrontal width (3.01–3.30 versus 3.70–3.83), the relative frontal width (82.0–94.4 versus 69.6–81.5), and the relative nasal width (1.13–1.35 versus 1.38–1.62). From S. habichi , we distinguish S. synoria sp. nov. by the midbody scale rows (34–36 versus 38–41), the relative prefrontal width (3.01–3.30 versus 3.39–3.96), the relative largest supraocular width (1.57–1.91 versus 1.96–2.23), the relative head width (70.8–76.0 versus 77.7–78.6), the relative frontal width (82.0–94.4 versus 71.8–77.5), and the relative nasal width (1.13–1.35 versus 0.942–1.12). From S. sepsoides , we cannot distinguish S. synoria sp. nov. (see Remarks).

FIGURE 93. (A–F) Sauresia synoria sp. nov. (ANSP 38689, holotype), SVL 53.5 mm.

Description of holotype. ANSP 38689. An adult male; SVL 53.5 mm; tail nearly cylindrical, broken, 3.01 mm (5.63% SVL); axilla-to-groin distance 36.2 mm (67.7% SVL); forelimb length 6.38 mm (11.9% SVL); hindlimb length 9.51 mm (17.8% SVL); head length 7.61 mm (14.2% SVL); head width 5.74 mm (10.7% SVL); diameter of orbit 1.57 mm (2.93% SVL); horizontal diameter of ear opening 0.32 mm (0.598% SVL); vertical diameter of ear opening 0.18 mm (0.336% SVL); length of all toes on one foot 6.56 mm (12.3% SVL); shortest distance between angled subocular and lip 0.03 mm (0.0561% SVL); shortest distance between the ocular and auricular openings 3.58 mm (6.69% SVL); longest finger length 1.35 mm (2.52% SVL); largest supraocular width 1.02 mm (1.91% SVL); cloacal width 3.23 mm (6.04% SVL); mental width 0.82 mm (1.53% SVL); postmental width 1.12 mm (2.09% SVL); prefrontal width 1.69 mm (3.16% SVL); frontal width 94.4% frontal length; nasal height 0.52 mm (0.972% SVL); angled subocular height 0.55 mm (1.03% SVL); shortest distance between the eye and naris 1.76 mm (3.29% SVL); canthal iii width 0.51 mm (0.953% SVL); angled subocular width 1.19 mm (2.22% SVL); nasal width 0.72 mm (1.35% SVL); rostral 1.93X 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 narrower than posterior ones; frontonasals and prefrontal fused into a single large plate with a convex posterior margin, much wider than long, bordered by posterior internasals, 1 st loreal (left), 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 smaller than parietals and separating them, posteriorly touching the interoccipital, which is longer than wide; 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)/above suture between 1 st and 2 nd supralabials (right); 1 postnasal (left)/(right); 2 loreals (left)/(right); 1 st loreal higher than wide (left)/(right), in contact with postnasal, posterior internasal, prefrontal/frontonasal complex, 1 st median ocular, canthal iii, 2 nd loreal, and 3 rd and 4 th supralabials (left)/postnasal, posterior internasal, canthal iii, 2 nd loreal, and 3 rd –4 th supralabials (right); 2 nd loreal shorter than 1 st, higher than wide (left)/(right), excluded from contact with supraocular by canthal iii (left)/(right); 2 nd loreal posteriorly bordering the lower preocular (left)/upper and lower preoculars (right); canthal iii wider than high (left)/(right), contacting 1 st median ocular, anterior supraciliary, upper and lower preoculars, and 1 st and 2 nd loreals (left)/1 st median ocular, anterior supraciliary, upper preocular, posterior internasal, and 1 st and 2 nd loreals (right); 9 median oculars (left)/(right), 1 st contacting the prefrontal (left)/(right); 1 upper preocular (left)/(right); 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 infralabials (left)/(right), 4–6 (left)/5 (right) to level below center of eye; mental small, followed by a single, larger postmental; 4 pairs of enlarged chin shields; 1 st –2 nd pairs in contact with one another; 3 rd pair in contact with one another anteriorly, posteriorly separated by one scale; 4 th pair separated by 1–2 scales; 108 transverse rows of dorsal scales from interoccipital to base of tail; 126 transverse rows of ventral scales from mental to vent; 35 scales around midbody; 4 digits; finger lengths 3>2>4>1; 6 lamellae under longest finger (left)/(right); 17 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.

Color (in alcohol): dorsal surface of head medium brown with darker brown areas on scale borders; lateral surfaces of head grading from medium brown to an orange-cream with darker brown areas extending from the nasal scale to past the eye with some cream borders on scales; dorsal surfaces of the body are medium brown with darker areas in the middle of many scales giving a lineate appearance; dorsal surface of tail the same medium brown as the head with darker areas in the middle of many scales giving a lineate appearance; lateral areas grade from dark brown to orange-cream; dorsal surfaces of the limbs are medium brown, patternless; lateral and ventral areas of the limbs fade to orange cream; ventral surfaces of the head, body, and tail are yellow-cream color with medium brown mottling.

Variation. The majority of the examined material lacks a dorsal pattern other than mottling on the back of the neck. In the holotype and SBH 160343, multiple faded longitudinal paramedian lines extend down the dorsum. Both the holotype and SBH 160343 possess darker outlines on head scale borders whereas the heads are patternless in the other specimens.All specimens lack dots arranged in bars in the lateral area. Measurements and other morphological data for the holotype are presented in Table 1.

Distribution. Sauresia synoria sp. nov. is known only from the locality of the type series, which was collected in extreme southeastern Haiti and extreme southwestern Dominican Republic, where it was collected at an elevation of 270 m (Fig. 80). It has an extent of occurrence ~ 250 km 2.

Ecology and conservation. Little ecological information is associated with the type species other than the holotype was collected during the day and the paratype was collected at night under a rock.

We consider the conservation status of Sauresia synoria sp. nov. to be Endangered B1ab(iii), based on IUCN Redlist criteria ( IUCN 2023). It faces a primary threat of habitat destruction resulting from agriculture and charcoaling. Haiti is heavily deforested with <1% of the nation’s primary forest remaining, and the Dominican Republic also has suffered habitat loss ( Hedges et al. 2018). Secondary threats to this species include predation from introduced predators, including the mongoose and black rats. Studies are needed to determine the health of any remaining populations and threats to the survival of the species.

FIGURE 94. Sauresia synoria sp. nov. (SBH 160343), in life. From 22 km N Pedernales at Rio Mulito, Pedernales Province, Dominican Republic. Photograph by SBH.

Reproduction. Litter size two (live mass of litter, 0.53 g) (SBH, field data).

Etymology. The species name ( synoria ) is a noun, from the Greek, meaning “borderland,” in reference to this species’ range extending into both the Dominican Republic and Haiti.

Remarks. Previously, this species was considered to be Sauresia sepsoides . Additional material in museum collections currently catalogued as S. sepsoides from in or near the distribution of S. synoria sp. nov. should be examined to determine if they represent this species.

Sauresia synoria and S. cayemitae cannot be morphologically separated based on our standard suite of characters; however, they can be separated by the frontal width by the SVL (3.78–4.32 [n=2] versus 3.11–3.75 [n=7]). Sauresia synoria sp. nov. and S. sepsoides cannot be distinguished based on our suite of morphological characters; however, these species are not each other’s closest relative, are genetically distinct from one another (Fig. 3), and have been diverged for 2.46 My (Fig. 4). Multiple characters distinguish S. synoria sp. nov. and its closest relative, S. manicula sp. nov. In addition, Sauresia synoria sp. nov. possesses thymine at site 105 of the CytB gene while Sauresia sepsoides possesses cytosine. Sauresia synoria sp. nov. also possesses guanine at site 108 of the CytB gene while Sauresia sepsoides possesses adenine.

Sauresia synoria sp. nov. is included in our genetic dataset and has significant support in both Bayesian and ML analyses at the stem node that places it as the closest relative to S. manicula sp. nov. Based on our timetree (Fig. 4), S. synoria sp. nov. diverged from its closest relative 0.78 Ma, consistent with typical species of vertebrates (> 0.7 Ma; Hedges et al. 2015). We recognize S. synoria sp. nov. as a distinct species based on the multiple morphological traits that separate it from S. manicula sp. nov. Sauresia synoria sp. nov. was recovered as conspecific with Sauresia manicula sp. nov. in our ASAP analysis.

Genus Wetmorena ( Cochran 1927)

Short-headed Four-toed Forest Lizards

(Fig. 95)

Wetmorena Cochran, 1927:91 . Type species. Wetmorena haetiana Cochran, 1927:91 , by original designation.

Diagnosis. Species of Wetmorena have (1) a dorsal pattern of absent/irregular dots/dots in series/lineate, (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 46.9–102 mm, (6) ventral scale rows, 100–126, (7) midbody scale rows, 27–43, (8) total lamellae on one hand, 14–26, (9) total strigae on ten scales, 73–153, (10) relative length of all digits on one hindlimb, 9.44–19.7 %, (11) relative distance between the angled subocular and mouth, 0.00–0.600 %, (12) relative eye length, 2.07–3.74 %, (13) relative forelimb length, 8.05–17.2 %, (14) relative ear width, 0.00–0.634 %, (15) relative rostral height, 1.58–2.58 %, (16) relative head length, 12.1–14.1 % (or not applicable), (17) relative mental width, 1.40–2.24 %, (18) relative postmental width, 1.75–3.05 %, (19) relative cloacal width, 4.69–7.64 %, (20) relative prefrontal width, 3.26–4.60 %, (21) relative largest supraocular width, 1.62–2.97 %, (22) relative longest finger length, 1.44–5.35 %, (23) relative distance between the ear and eye, 5.80–6.61 % (or not applicable), (24) relative head width, 64.0–77.5 % (or not applicable), (25) relative frontal width, 73.6–114 %, (26) relative nasal height, 0.712–1.24 %, (27) relative angled subocular height, 0.851–1.52 %, (28) relative distance between the eye and naris, 2.25–5.20 %, (29) relative canthal iii length, 0.481–1.33 %, (30) relative angled subocular width, 1.55–2.47 %, and (31) relative nasal length, 0.803–1.95 %. Notably, Wetmorena possesses four digits (as opposed to five), a trait also observed in Sauresia .

FIGURE 95. Map showing the distribution of Wetmorena . Hollow symbols indicate unexamined records assignable to species.

Content. Six species (Table 3): Wetmorena agasepsoides , W. haetiana , W. mylica , W. obscura sp. nov., W. orosaura sp. nov., and W. surda .

Distribution. Wetmorena occurs only on Hispaniola, primarily in upland areas of the Massif de la Selle ( Haiti) and the Sierra de Bahoruco and Sierra Martin Garcia ( Dominican Republic), but also in adjacent lowlands of the Barahona Peninsula.