Lepidothyris hinkeli joei, Wagner, Philipp, Böhme, Wolfgang, Pauwels, Olivier S. G. & Schmitz, Andreas, 2009

Wagner, Philipp, Böhme, Wolfgang, Pauwels, Olivier S. G. & Schmitz, Andreas, 2009, A review of the African red – flanked skinks of the Lygosoma fernandi (BURTON, 1836) species group (Squamata: Scincidae) and the role of climate change in their speciation., Zootaxa 2050, pp. 1-30 : 14-16

Lepidothyris hinkeli joei ssp. n.

Holotype: ZFMK 64410 Oyo, Bokouelé, Peoples Rep. Congo, leg. E. Fischer & H.Hinkel, 1993. Paratypes: MNHG 2539.71 Kasai–Occidental, Dekese, Dem. Rep. Congo, leg. S. Battoni, 1959.

IRSNB 2644 Yangambi, Distr. Stanleyville, Congo Belge (= DR Congo), leg. G. Gilert, 18.IV.1946

IRSNB 2645 Ibembo (forêt), Uele, Congo Belge (= DR Congo), leg. H. Siméons, 20.II.1940.

IRSNB 2646 Ibembo (forêt), Uele, Congo Belge (= DR Congo), leg. H. Siméons, 20.II.1940.

Diagnosis: The new subspecies differs from the nominotypic form in having a monochromatic back, without lateral bars continuing on the back. Lateral bars in most cases smaller and lower in number than in the nominate form, not bordered with white dots; lower lip is lighter than in L. hinkeli hinkeli and without any black markings on the first sublabial scales; body scales in most cases stronger keeled than in the nominate form.

Colouration. Throat and belly white, without any markings; dark framed light patches on the sides of the head between ear opening and forelimb, dark framing is lacking towards ventrally; laterally between the limbs there are eight to eleven dark stripes, not reaching the dorsal side of the body.

Size. The maximum snout–vent length of the analysed specimens is 146.0 mm, average is 115.5 mm.

Description of Holotype: Snout–vent length: 111.9 mm, tail is broken behind 38.9 mm, head length 23.4 mm, head wide 15.2 mm, head height 10.8 mm. Body stout, sub–cylindrical; there are 36 scales around the body and 65 longitudinal ventral scales; limbs short and strong with five toes, dark above, light below; 4th fingers with eleven digits on both sides, 4th toes with 15 digits on the left and 16 digits on the right side; ear opening visible, oval to round, with two small ear lobules, little less in diameter than half of the length of the eye opening, little less broad than high, tympanum visible; lower eyelid with two scale rows; dorsal body scales moderately keeled with three keels; lateral body scales smooth to moderately keeled with three small keels; dorsal tail scales moderately keeled to smooth with three keels, lateral tail scales relatively smooth with three keels; head not distinctly set off from body; eye opening as long as the distance between the posterior edge of the eye to the ear opening; distance from tip of snout to anterior edge of eye little shorter than distance from posterior edge of eye to ear; occipital scale lacking; parietal organ set in the posterior edge of the interparietal scale; frontal scale a bit longer than broad; two frontoparietal and prefrontal scales at the anterior side of the frontal scale; one frontonasal scale; two internasal scales; rostral scale broader than high; two nasal scales equal in size, nostril in the middle of the scales; two loreal scales, equal in size; two preocular scales; four supraocular scales; eight supralabial and sublabial scales on each side; mental scale broader than high; three pairs of submaxillary scales, the first one is entire.

Colouration. Head and back red to red–brown; on the back no darker bars visible; supralabial and sublabial scales the same colour as the head; lateral body colouration between ear opening and forelimb light, framed by a darker undulate bar on the upper side from ear opening to the forelimb; ground colour of the lateral body sides is red to red–brown, contrary to the paratype series only a few dark bars are visible between the limbs (artefact due to preservation); incomplete tail light red to red–brown, also an artefact due to preservation, without any markings or darker bars; belly and throat whitish to reddish, without any stripes.

Variation of paratypes: The paratype series agrees in morphology with the given description of the holotype. They differ slightly in aspects of the colouration: 8 to 11 small to medium sized black stripes on the lateral body sides, stripes not bordered with dots; the not autotomized tails have broader lateral stripes than the body, stripes cross the ventral part of the tail; incomplete tail diffuse black and red.

Etymology: We dedicate the new subspecies to Dr. Rüdiger (Joe) Wagner, the father of the senior author, to acknowledge his valuable work over many years.