Psychosaura, Hedges & Conn, 2012

Hedges, S. Blair & Conn, Caitlin E., 2012, A new skink fauna from Caribbean islands (Squamata, Mabuyidae, Mabuyinae) 3288, Zootaxa 3288 (1), pp. 1-244 : 137-138

Genus Psychosaura gen. nov.

Brazilian Sharp-nosed Skinks

Type species. Mabuya macrorhyncha Hoge, 1946:241 .

Diagnosis. Species in this genus are characterized by (1) frontoparietals, two, (2) supraciliaries, 4–5, (3) supraoculars, four, (4) prefrontal contact, absent, (5) parietal contact, present, (6) rows of nuchals, 1–2, (7) dorsals + ventrals, 114 in one specimen of P. macrorhyncha scored by us (50–58 dorsals and 33–38 ventrals, counted by a different method; Rodrigues et al. 2000), (8) total lamellae, 201, (9) dark middorsal stripe, absent, (10) dark dorsolateral stripes, present, (11) dark lateral stripe, present, and (12) dark ventral striping, absent. They are intermediate in size, with a range of maximum body sizes among the species of 74–85 mm ( Vrcibradic & Rocha 2011) ( Table 2).

The presence of dark dorsolateral stripes separates Psychosaura from Alinea , Capitellum , Copeoglossum , Exila , Maracaiba , and Notomabuya (dark dorsolateral stripes absent). In several other genera ( Mabuya , Marisora , and Varzea ), dark dorsolateral stripes are usually absent as well. It differs from Aspronema , Brasiliscincus , Capitellum , and Manciola by having a higher number of total lamellae (201 versus 147–194 in those other species). From Aspronema and Manciola , it is distinguished by the absence of a narrow dark middorsal stripe. It differs from Exila , Notomabuya , and Panopa by having two (versus one) frontoparietals. It differs from Exila and Panopa in lacking prefrontal contact (versus prefrontals in contact or fused). Psychosaura also differs from Panopa in having 1–2 rows of nuchals versus 3–5 rows. It differs from Orosaura (97 mm maximum SVL ) in being slightly smaller (74–85 mm maximum SVL ) and in having a prominent head. In having dark palms and soles, Psychosaura differs from Brasiliscincus , Manciola , Notomabuya , and most Spondylurus (pale palms and soles, except S. caicosae sp. nov., S. fulgidus , and S. lineolatus ).

Content. Two species are placed in this genus: Psychosaura agmosticha and P. macrorhyncha ( Table 1).

Etymology. The generic name ( Psychosaura ) is a feminine noun from the Greek psyche (mind) and saura (lizard), meaning “thinking lizard,” in allusion to the prominent heads, gracile bodies, and agile, active habits of the species.

Remarks. Rodrigues (2000) summarized information on the two species placed here in Psychosaura . He separated them from all other South American Mabuyinae (except those placed here in Panopa ) as having a "prominent head," although he did not present snout or head length measurements. The two included species cluster strongly (100% bootstrap support) in the tree ( Fig. 5 ), although the position of the lineage with respect to other genera is not well-established. Psychosaura macrorhyncha (and presumably P. agmosticha ) is more scansorial than other species (Vrcibradic & Rocha 1996) and this habit is often correlated with species having gracile bodies, long limbs, long digits, and long, pointed snouts. Other species with this ecology and morphology include Panopa carvalhoi , P. croizati , Alinea pergravis and Spondylurus fulgidus .

Figures

FIGURE 5 (continued on the next page)