A New Water Skink of the Genus Tropidophorus (Lacertilia: Scincidae) from Sulawesi, Indonesia

Abstract

The population of the lygosomine genus Tropidophorus on Sulawesi, Indonesia, is usually referred to as T. grayi Günther, 1861, a species originally described from the Philippines, or sometimes by a taxonomically unjustified epithet “apulus”. We therefore reexamined the taxonomic status of the Sulawesi Tropidophorus on the basis of newly obtained specimens and available museum materials. Results indicated that this island population is morphologically distinct from T. grayi, and we thus describe it as a new species. This species most resembles T. grayi by sharing a number of characteristics, such as a divided frontonasal, three preanals, and strongly keeled tail scales. However, it differs from the latter by having weaker keels on dorsal body scales, a relatively longer fourth toe with more subdigitals, and male postanal pores in a single row.