Kaestlea: A new genus of scincid lizards (Scincidae: Lygosominae) from the Western Ghats, south-western India

A lineage of lygosomines, allocated in the past variously to Scincella, Lygosoma, Leiolopisma and Asymblepharus, comprising five nominal species endemic to the Western Ghats of south-western India, is allocated to a new genus, Kaestlea.The genus includes the following species: Mocoa bilineata Gra...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Eremchenko, Valery K., Das, I.
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Centre for Herpetology, Madras Crocodile Bank Trust 2004
Subjects:
Online Access:http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/11935/
http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/11935/1/Kaestlea%20a%20new%20genus%20%28abstract%29.pdf
Description
Summary:A lineage of lygosomines, allocated in the past variously to Scincella, Lygosoma, Leiolopisma and Asymblepharus, comprising five nominal species endemic to the Western Ghats of south-western India, is allocated to a new genus, Kaestlea.The genus includes the following species: Mocoa bilineata Gray, 1846; Mocoa travancorica Beddome, 1870; Lygosoma beddomii Boulenger, 1887; Lygosoma laterimaculatum Boulenger, 1887 and Lygosoma (Leiolopisma) travancoricum var. palnica Boettger, 1892. Lectotypes of all recognised species are designated. The relationships of these species with others lygosomine skinks of Asia and America (including the genera Scincella, Sphenomorphus and Asymblepharus) are discussed. Diagnoses and a key to the species of Kaestlea are provided.