Neusticurus, DUMERIL & BIBRON

Doan, Tiffany M. & Castoe, Todd A., 2005, Phylogenetic taxonomy of the Cercosaurini (Squamata: Gymnophthalmidae), with new genera for species of Neusticurus and Proctoporus, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 143 (3), pp. 405-416 : 410

NEUSTICURUS DUMÉRIL & BIBRON

Type species: Lacerta bicarinata Linnaeus, 1758: 201 .

Neusticurus bicarinatus group: Uzzell, 1966: 311.

Definition: Tongue with imbricate, scale-like papillae. Nostril pierced in a single nasal; nasals separated usually by paired or single frontonasals; prefrontals paired or irregular, sometimes with a diamond shaped scale between frontonasal and prefrontals; interparietal usually bordered by a pair of parietals laterally, by a series of 3-9 smaller scales posteriorly; occipitals differentiated or not; temporal scales differentiated or not, irregular, sometimes keeled; rostral large, mental and postmental single, followed by several paired chin shields; gular crease feeble or absent. Collar fold moderately to well developed. Lower eyelid developed, with a palpebral disc divided into 3-6 scales, sometimes pigmented. Tympanum slightly to deeply recessed, overhung by surrounding scales of surface of head. Dorsal scales uniformly small, or heterogeneous, imbricate, with keeled tuberculate scales, sometimes intermixed with small flat or convex scales, in longitudinal, oblique, or transverse and oblique rows. Ventral scales usually flat, rounded posteriorly, imbricate, in transverse and 8–10 longitudinal rows, lateralmost rows convex or keeled in some species. Limbs pentadactyl, digits clawed; forefoot with enlarged, plate-like scales along inner margin between thumb and wrist; under side of third and fourth toes with paired scales proximally, inner scale a rounded tubercle. Tail strongly compressed; a double caudal crest, feebly to strongly developed. Femoral and preanal pores form an unbroken series: 32–72 in males; 1-18 in females. Preanal plate in 2-3 rows, posteriormost row with 5-7 scales in both sexes. Males and females with or without conspicuous, white-centred, black-bordered ocelli on their lateral body surfaces. Hemipenis without basal hooks; flounces without minute calcareous spinules.

Diagnosis: Neusticurus differs from members of Alopoglossinae by having its tongue covered in imbricate, scale-like papillae instead of oblique plicae ( Harris, 1994), from Gymnophthalminae by having moveable eyelids, from Rhachisaurinae by having external ear openings, and from Ecpleopinae by having heterogeneous dorsal scalation. Within Cercosaurinae (sensu Castoe et al., 2004) , Neusticurus differs from all genera except Echinosaura , Potamites and Teuchocercus by having heterogeneous dorsal scales.