Submitted date: 04 November 2008 Accepted date: 05 January 2009 Published date: 06 April 2009 Pp. 16–18
MUTUALISM IN Ramanella nagaoi MANAMENDRA-ARACHCHI & PETHIYAGODA, 2001 (AMPHIBIA : MICROHYLIDAE) AND Poecilotheria SPECIES (ARACNIDA : THEREPOSIDAE) FROM SRI LANKA
Ramanella nagaoi is an endemic and vulnerable species of Family Microhylidae distributed in lowland wet zone rain forests and reproduce and live in and around tree hollows. This article presents some aspects of mutualism of R. nagaoi with Poecilotheria ornata and P. (cf.) subfusca thereposid spiders in random field visits during the past seven years. This is the first observation of this symbiotic behaviour.
Submitted date: 20 January 2009 Accepted date: 27 January 2009 Published date: 06 April 2009 Pp. 2–15, pls. 1–4.
THE ORIGINAL DESCRIPTIONS AND FIGURES OF SRI LANKAN AGAMID LIZARDS (SQUAMATA : AGAMIDAE) OF THE 18TH AND 19TH CENTURIES
A.A. Thasun Amarasinghe*, Ulrich Manthey, Edi Stöckli, Ivan Ineich, Sven O Kullander, Franz Tiedemann, Colin McCarthy & Dinesh E. Gabadage *Corresponding author. E-mail: thasun.taprobanica@gmail.com
Abstract Eighteen species of agamid lizards are recognized from Sri Lanka, representing one subfamily: Draconinae. Thirteen of these species were described in the period 1758-1887. The early descriptions of agamid lizards were very brief and often written in languages other than English. Original descriptions and images of type specimens are provided for Calotes calotes (Linnaeus, 1758), C. versicolor (Daudin, 1802), C. nigrilabris Peters, 1860, C. liocephalus Günther, 1872, C. liolepis Boulenger, 1885, C. ceylonensis Müller, 1887, Otocryptis wiegmanni Wagler, 1830, Ceratophora stoddartii Gray, 1835, C. tennentii Günther, 1861, C. aspera Günther, 1864, Lyriocephalus scutatus (Linnaeus, 1758), Cophotis ceylanica Peters, 1861, and Sitana ponticeriana Cuvier, 1829. Translations to English are provided of original descriptions that were published in Latin, French, and German.
Key words : Agamidae, English translation, original description, Sri Lanka, taxonomy, type specimen
Submitted date: 28 March 2020 Accepted date: 30 April 2020 Published date: 21 May 2020 Pp. 31–38, pls. 12–14.
ON TWO POORLY KNOWN, INSULAR SKINKS, Eutropis tytleri (THEOBALD, 1868) AND E. andamanensis (SMITH, 1935) (REPTILIA : SCINCIDAE), ENDEMIC TO THE ANDAMAN ISLANDS, INDIA
Abstract We examined the holotype of Eutropis tytleri and one of the syntypes of E. andamanensis collected from the Andaman Islands, currently deposited at the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI). Information on taxonomy, morphology, distribution, behaviour and natural history of these two poorly-known, insular endemic skinks are presented here based on individuals recorded and examined in-situ, in the field as well as preserved material. Their types are illustrated and redescribed. A distribution map is presented based on records from the present study; threats and conservation status are discussed.
Abstract A new species of the endemic scincid lizard genus Lankascincus from the Rakwana hills of Sri Lanka, is described. The new species is distinguished from its congeners by possessing the following combination of characters: maximum SVL less than 35.0 mm, prefrontals in broad contact, seven supralabials, last supralabial scale split, 24 mid-body scale rows, 46–48 paravertebrals, 49–51 ventrals, 13–16 lamellae on fourth toe, and a conspicuous dark brown band from snout to mid-tail, gradually fading posteriad. The number of palpebral scales around eye is used as a meristic character in the genus Lankascincus for the first time.
Key words : Central highlands, rainforest, Ristella, South Asia, systematics, taxonomy
Submitted date: 05 December 2019 Accepted date: 17 March 2020 Published date: 21 May 2020 Pp. 12–22, pls. 4–8.
A REVISION OF Eutropis rudis (BOULENGER, 1887), RESURRECTION OF E. lewisi (BARTLETT, 1895) AND DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES (REPTILIA : SCINCIDAE) FROM GREAT NICOBAR
A.A. Thasun Amarasinghe*, S.R. Chandramouli, Kaushik Deuti, Patrick D. Campbell, Sujan M. Henkanaththegedara & Suranjan Karunarathna *Corresponding author. E-mail: thasun@rccc.ui.ac.id
Abstract We examined the syntype series of Eutropis rudis (6 specimens) collected from Sumatra and Borneo, currently deposited at the Natural History Museum, London. We observed that the type series is composed of two species. In order to stabilize application of the name, we designate a lectotype for E. rudis from Sumatra. Mabuya lewisi, described based on a specimen from Borneo, is resurrected as a valid species of Eutropis and redescribed. Based on morphology and geographic distribution, we describe a new species of this complex from Great Nicobar Island with two specimens deposited at the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), Kolkata.
Key words : Borneo, Great Channel, lectotype, Mabuya, Sumatra, systematic, taxonomy