Sphenomorphus langkawiensis, Grismer, Lee, 2008

Grismer, Lee, 2008, A new species of insular skink (Genus Sphenomorphus Fitzinger 1843) from the Langkawi Archipelago, Kedah, West Malaysia with the first report of the herpetofauna of Pulau Singa Besar and an updated checklist of the herpetofauna of Pulau Langkawi, Zootaxa 1691, pp. 53-66 : 55-64

Sphenomorphus langkawiensis sp. nov.

Figure 1

Holotype. Adult male ( DWNP 3023) collected on 7 June 2002 by an unknown collector at 2200 along Cicada Trail, Pulau Singa Besar, Langkawi Archipelago, Kedah, West Malaysia. No other data accompanied the specimen and the collector could not be found.

Paratype. Adult male ( LSUHC 6790) collected by T. Youmans on 1 September 2004 from beneath a rock along a foot trail near the top of Gunung Machinchang at 517 m a.s.l. (6°23’05.49”N; 99°39’.40.67”E) just below the lower cable car station.

Diagnosis. Sphenomorphus langkawiensis is differentiated from all other species of Sundaland and Malay Peninsula Sphenomorphus by being relatively small (SVL 36.0–37.0 mm) and having 34–37 midbody scale rows; smooth as opposed to striated dorsal scales; 60–72 paravertebrals; 70–72 ventrals; four supraoculars; the parietals contacting the posteriormost supraocular; one medially projecting superciliary scale; two loreals; six supralabials and infralabials; 12 lamellae beneath the fourth toe; keeled subdigital lamellae; enlarged preanal scales; no body bands; a dark, diffuse, dorsolateral stripe; and a light dorsolateral and postorbital stripe. See TABLE 2 for the distribution of these character states across all 35 species.

Description of holotype. SVL 36.0 mm; TailL 33.0 mm (tip broken); Ax-GnL 19.8 mm; HeadL 6.8 mm; HeadW 4.6 mm; Sn-ForeL 12.7 mm; rostral wider than long, in broad contact with frontonasal; frontonasal wider than long; prefrontals large, in broad contact, left prefrontal overlaps right; frontal elongate, diamondshaped, in contact with first two supraoculars; four supraoculars; frontoparietals in contact posterior to frontal, contacting posterior portion of second and all of third and fourth supraoculars anteriorly and parietals and interparietal posteriorly; left frontoparietal overlaps right; interparietal diamond-shaped, large, slightly projecting posteriorly, parietal eyespot in posterior projection; parietals large, in medial contact posterior to interparietal, contacting posterior corner of fourth supraocular anteriorly; left parietal overlaps right; nuchal scales absent; nasals small, widely separated, trapezoidal, contacting rostral anteriorly, frontonasal dorsally, first loreal posteriorly, first supralabial ventrally; nostril in center of nasal; supranasals absent; two similarly sized loreals taller than wide; two similarly sized preoculars in contact with posterior margin of second loreal; 9 supraciliaries, posterior supraciliary elongate and projecting dorsomedially; two pretemporals, dorsalmost largest; six and four suboculars (L and R), suboculars contacting dorsal margin of third, fouth, and fifth supralabials; six supralabials, third, fourth, and fifth below eye; three postsupralabials; two primary temporals; two secondary temporals, uppermost not contacting parietals; series of small granular scales at posterior corner of eye; lower eyelid transparent, scaly; mental twice as wide as long; two large, square postmentals contacting first infralabial on each side, left postmental smaller than right; two enlarged pairs of chinshields following postmental, anterior pair contacting medially, posterior pair narrowly separated posteriorly by a single scale; chinshields contacting second and third infralabials; six infralabials; external ear opening slightly less than diameter of eye, obliquely subcircular, lacking anterior lobules; tympanum recessed.

Body scales smooth, cycloid, imbricate; ventral scales same size as dorsal scales; 34 longitudinal scale rows around midbody; 72 paravertebral scale rows; 72 ventral scale rows; two enlarged, medial, preanal scales overlapping outer preanal scales; tail robust, cylindrical; subcaudal scales slightly larger than dorsal caudal scales.

Limbs widely separated when adpressed; scales of dorsal surface slightly larger than those of ventral surface; palmar and plantar scales slightly raised; scales of dorsal surfaces of digits in a single row; 12 keeled, subdigital lamellae on fourth toe; first digit of manus not vestigial.

Color in alcohol. The holotype was not observed alive. Ground color of dorsal surfaces of head, body, limbs, and tail light-brown to dull orange with faint, dark mottling on dorsum; distinct, light, dorsolateral stripe beginning in nuchal region and extending posteriorly above forelimb, becoming indistinct at midbody, bordered below by thick, dark-brown stripe breaking up into a speckled pattern posterior to shoulder region; light spots on head; labial scales banded; venter cream colored, immaculate.

Variation. Differences in mensural and meristic characters between the holotype and the paratype (LSUHC 6790) are listed in TABLE 1 . LSUHC 6790 closely approximates the holotype in coloration except that the overall body coloration is slightly darker due to its more recent preservation. Many of the dorsal scales on the anterior portion of the body of the paratype were destroyed during capture. Distinct scale impressions were left on the underlying tissues, however, so scale counts were not compromised and the overall color pattern is still clearly discernable. Significant sexually dimorphic differences within other species of small, forest floor Sphenomorphus have not been reported and it is hypothesized here, that the absence of females from the type series will not alter the diagnosis of this species. The paratype has one as opposed to two postmentals.

Distribution. Sphenomorphus langkawiensis is known only from Machinchang on Pulau Langkawi and Cicada Trail on Pulau Singa Besar, Kedah, West Malaysia.

Natural history. Sphenomorphus langkawiensis on Pulau Langkawi has been observed only in stunted, wind-blown scrub vegetation at 517 m on Gunung Machinchang although it is likely to occur throughout all forested areas of the island. This species is known only from Cicada Trail on Pulau Singa Besar in lowland dipterocarp forest.

Etymology. The specific epithet langkawiensis is in reference to the Langkawi Archipelago. The suffix ensis is a derivation meaning “from” or “inhabiting” and renders the specific epithet an adjective that must be in grammatical accord with the gender of Sphenomorphus .

continued.

continued.

The need for a phylogeny of the genus Sphenomorphus or at least the establishment of monophyletic subgroups likely to be masquerading under this generic name can not be overstated. Despite attempts by several authors to partition Sphenomorphus into various groups and subgroups ( Boulenger 1887; Brown & Alcala, 1980; Greer 1974; Inger & Hosmer, 1965; Manthey & Grossmann 1997; Taylor 1922; Smith 1937), the monophyly of those groups has remained illusive. In the absence of such hypotheses, it is not possible to unequivocally determine to which species S. langkawiensis is most closely related and indeed this species is welldifferentiated from all other Sundaland and Malay Peninsula taxa.

Surprisingly, Sphenomorphus langkawiensis represents the first endemic species of amphibian or reptile known from the Langkawi Archipelago. This stands in stark contrast to the Seribuat Archipelago off the southeast coast of Peninsular Malaysia which has far fewer islands (62 vs. 104) with much less total surface area (approximately 150 km 2 vs. 400 km 2) but slightly more species diversity (117 vs. 109) and far more endemism (15 species vs. one species; Grismer, 2006b). This is largely due to the fact that the remaining 102 islands comprising the Langkawi Archipelago are virtually unknown and in dire need of exploration. Grismer et al. (2006a) predicted that satellite islands surrounding Pulau Langkawi would have additional species not found on Pulau Langkawi as well as endemic forms, a situation paralleling the insular systems of the Seribuat Archipelago ( Grismer et al. 2006b, Grismer 2006b). Species whose presence can be confirmed from the satellite island of Singa Besar (based on uncatalogued specimens examined in the collection of the DWNP) are presented in TABLE 3 . Of these, Aphaniotis fusca and Sphenomorphus indicus have not been reported from Pulau Langkawi ( TABLE 3 ). Nine additional species from Pulau Langkawi including ( Calotes emma [LSUDPC 1790], Cnemaspis affinis [1791–92], Acrochordus javanicus [LSUDPC 3107], Calamaria schlegeli [LSUDPC 1789], Enhydris bocourti [LSUDPC 1793], and Ovophis monticola [LSUDPC 1795] not reported by Grismer et al. (2006a) are also presented ( TABLE 3 ). These new records underscore the unrealized biodiversity of the herpetofauna of this archipelago. It also beckons to the urgency needed for large scale survey work throughout the other 102 islands in this archipelago, some of which are rapidly becoming mainstream tourism destinations with the associated environmental perturbations.

ANURA

Megophryidae

Leptobrachium smithi x Megophrys aceras x Bufonidae

Bufo asper x Bufo melanostictus x Microhylidae

Kaloula pulchra x Microhyla berdmorei x Microhyla butleri x Microhyla fissipes x Microhyla heymonsi x Rhacophoridae

Philautus parvulus x Polypedates leucomystax x Rhacophorus bipunctatus x Ranidae

Amalops larutensis Ibrahim et al. (2006) Fejervarya cancrivora x x Fejervarya limnocharis x Limnonectes blythii x Limnonectes macrognathus x Occidozyga laevis x Occidozyga lima x Occidozyga martinsii x

to be continued.

CHELONIA

Trionychidae

Amyda cartiaginea x Dogania subplana x Testudinidae

Indotestudo elongata x Bataguridae

Cuora amboinensis x Hieremys annadalei x Siebenrockiella crassicollis x

SQUAMATA (LIZARDS)

Agamidae

Acanthosaura crucigera x

Aphaniotus fusca x Bronchocela cristatella x x Calotes emma LSUDPC 1790 Draco blanfordii x x Draco maculatus x

Leiolepidae

Leiolepis belliana x

Gekkonidae

Cnemaspis affinis LSUDPC 1791 Crytodactylus pulchellus x

Crytodactylus quadrivirgatus x

Gehyra mutilata x

Gekko gecko x

Gekko monarchus Zimmerer (2004) x Gekko smithi Ibrahim et al. (2006) Hemidactylus frenatus x

Hemidactylus platyurus x

Ptychozoon kuhli x x Scincidae

Dasia olivacea x

Emoia atrocostata Ibrahim et al. (2006)

to be continued.

( TABLE 3 . continued) SQUAMATA (SNAKES)

Typhlopidae

Ramphotylops braminus x Cylindrophidae

Cylindrophis ruffus x Pythonidae

Python reticulatus x Acrochordidae

Acrochordus javanicus LSUDCP 3107 Colubridae

Ahaetulla fasciolata Zimmerer (2004) Ahaetulla nasuta Zimmerer (2004) Ahaetulla prasina x Boiga cyanea x Boiga cynodon x Boiga dendrophila x x Calamaria pavimentata x Calamaria schlegeli LSUDPC 1789 Coelognathus flavolineatus x Chrysopelea ornata x Chrysopelea paradisi x Dendrelaphis caudolineatus x Dendrelaphis formosus x Dendrelaphis kopsteini x Dendrelaphis pictus x x Dryocalamus subannulatus x Dryophiops rubescens x Enhydris bocourti LSUDPC 1793 Enhydris enhydris x Gonyosoma oxycephalum x Homolopsis buccata x

to be continued.

Pulau Langkawi Pulau Singa Besar

Oligodon cyclurus

Pareas margaritophorus x Rhabdophis chrysargos x Xenochrophis trianguligerus x Ptyas carinata x Xenopeltidae

Xenopeltis unicolor x Elapidae

Bungarus candidus x Calliophis maculiceps x Naja kaouthia x Ophiophagus hannah x Viperidae

Calloselasma rhodostoma x Cryptelytrops purpureomaculatus x Cryptelytrops venustus x Ovophis monticola LSUDPC 1795 Popeia fucata x Tropidolaemus wagleri Zimmer (2004)

Figures

FIGURE 1. Holotype of Sphenomorphus langkawiensis (DWNP 3023) from Cicada Trail, Pulau Singa Besar, Kedah, West Malaysia.

Tables

TABLE 2. Selected scale counts, mensural and color pattern characteristics of the species of Sphenomorphus from the Sunda Shelf and the Malay Peninsula. o = absence of character state; + = presence of character state; pro = projecting dorsomedially. - indicates character state could not be examined due to inaccessibility of specimens or its description in the literature. The data from asterisked species were taken from the literature.

	langkawiensis	aesculeticola	anomolopus	bukitensis	butleri	buttikoferi	cameronicus
snout-vent length	36–37	40–43	70	40.5–44	34–44	35	70
midbody scale rows	34–37	26–32	38–39	31–33	31–33	24	38
dorsal scales striated	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
paravertebral scale rows	60–72	-	71	73–74	66–67	-	69
ventral scale rows	70–72	60–68	-	61–74	62–63	-	-
supraoculars	4	4	5	4	4	4	4
parietals contact supraocular	1	+	+	+	+	+	+
supraciliaries	1 pro	1 pro	1 pro	2 pro	2 pro	-	1 pro
prefrontals in contact	+	0	+	+	+	+	0
loreals	2	2	2	2	1,2	-	2
supralabials	6	6	7	6	6	-	7
infralabials	5–6	5	6–7	5	5–6	-	5
4th toe lamellae	11–12	6–10	16–17	12–13	12–13	21–23	20–21
lamellae texture	keeled	-	-	keeled	smooth	smooth	-
enlarged preanal scales	1	0	+	0	+	+	+
body banded	0	0	+	0	0	-	0
dark dorsolateral stripe	1	0	0	faint	+	+	+
light postorbital stripe	1	0	0	0	0	-	0
light dorsolateral stripe	1	0	0	0	0	0	0
sample size	2	*	*	2	5	*	*
continued.

TABLE 1. Data on the type series of Sphenomorphus langkawiensis. 0 = absence of character state; 1 = presence of character state; pro = projecting dorsomedially. - indicates character state could not be examined due to damage.

	DWNP 3023	LSUHC 6790
	holotype	paratype
sex	m	m
snout-vent length (SVL)	36.0	37
tail length (TL)	33	45
axila-groin length (Ax-GnL)	19.8	19.6
head length (HeadL)	6.8	6.6
head width (HeadW)	4.6	4.7
snout to forelimb (Sn-ForeL)	12.7	12.1
midbody scale rows	34	37
paravertebral scale rows	72	60
ventral scale rows	72	70
supraoculars	4	4
parietals contacting supraocular	1	1
supraciliaries	1 pro	-
prefrontals in contact	1	1
loreals	2	2
supralabials	6	6
infralabials	6	5
4th toe lamellae	12	11
lamellae texture	keeled	keeled
overlap of limbs	0	0
dark dorsolateral stripe	1	1

TABLE 3. Checklist of the herpetofauna of Pulau Langkawi and Pulau Singa Besar. The citings of Ibrahim et al. (2006) and Zimmerer (2004) represent unconfirmed records (i. e. no voucher specimens of photographs). All records from Pulau Singa Besar are based uncatalogued specimens examined in the herpetological collection of the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP), Krau, Pahang, West Malaysia.

	Pulau Langkawi	Pulau Singa Besar
GYMNOPHIONA
Ichthyophidae
Ichthyophis sp.	x