Eumeces persicus, Poyarkov, Nikolai, 2017

Eumeces persicus sp. nov.

Proposed vernacular name: Persian striped skink ( Figs. 3–6 View FIGURE 3 View FIGURE 4 View FIGURE 5 View FIGURE 6 ; Tables 3–5)

Holotype: RUZM-SE-07 (Razi University Zoological Museum), an adult male, collected 28 km southwest of Tehran Province from flat plains around the Imam Khomaini Airport (IKA), at 528078 E, 3917723 N, at an elevation of about 1100m, collected by Hiva Faizi, on 26th of June 2011.

Paratypes: two specimens, one male ZMMU R-14723 (SVL: 101.8 mm; TL: 151.2 mm) and one female ZMMU R-15005 (SVL: 96.2 mm, TL: 157 mm) were collocated by Roman Nazarov, 0 4.05. 2014 in Kerman Province, about 20 km SE of Orzueeyeh city, N 28 26; E 56 10, h 1047m a.s.l. This locality is about 900 km from the type locality.

Other material. A single tail (ERP 6506) was collected at the type locality by the authors. It was solely for the molecular analyses.

Etymology. The species epithet “ persicus ” is an adjective that refers to the current known distribution of the new species—Iran (= Persia).

Diagnosis ( Table 4). The new striped, small-bodied Eumeces persicus sp. nov. differs in morphology, habitat characteristics, and behavior from the uniform-colored, large-bodied E. s. princeps and E. zarudnyi . The new species is considered a desert dweller in the plains of central Iranian plateau in the eastern slopes of the Zagros Mountains. It is a medium-sized skink, (SVL: 103.27; TL: 115.45), distinguished by two clear, wide, and brown lateral lines extending from the ear opening to the hindlimbs, and two relatively less distinct brown lines along both sides of vertebral line, with scattered light orange spots in life, two median rows of dorsal scale widely enlarged, in eight longitudinal rows. Eyelids with transparent discs ( Fig. 3 View FIGURE 3 ).

Due to relatively similarity in overall body forms in Eumeces persicus sp. nov. and E. cholistanensis and their geographical vicinity, we present some pholidosis characteristics to clarify the distinctness and validation of these species ( Table 4). Some descriptive differences are as follows: the nasal scale slightly contacts the first supralabial, but not touching the second one; in contrast, in E. cholistanensis (and also in E. s. princeps ) the nasal scale is in contact with first supralabial; the interparietal and frontal are in the same shape, the length of the former is more than half the length of the latter in E. cholistanensis , while in E. persicus sp.nov the length of frontal is greater than the length of interparietal; the frontonasal in E. cholistanensis is slightly smaller than each prefrontal, wider than long, its width less than one and one-half times its length, extending considerably forward between the supranasals, which are laterally in contact with nasals which is exactly in reverse situation in E. persicus sp. nov. There are trianglar prefrontals in E. persicus sp. nov. in comparison with hexagonal prefrontals in E. cholistanensis . Ear openings are vertical with five preauricular lobules in E. persicus sp. nov., in contrast to there being no lobules on the ear openings of E. cholistanensis . The number of subdigital lamellae under the toes and fingers are greater in E. persicus sp. nov. than in E. cholistanensis ( Fig. 3 View FIGURE 3 and Table 4).

Description of Holotype. Upper head scales relatively convex; head relatively short (HL: 20.08 mm); nasal scale contacting the first supralabial not touching the second one; rhomboid frontonasal with equal length and width relatively larger than trianglar prefrontals; frontal hexagonal, distinctly longer than its width; rostral separating nasal shields, slightly broader than high, triangular, distinctly broader than frontonasal in dorsal view; frontal shield at middle of head as long as its distance from both rostral and occipital with median points into frontonasals anteriorly and frontoparietals posteriorly, distinctly longer than width, its length more than two times its greatest width; frontoparietals slightly smaller than prefrontals, relatively hexagonal with a median suture in line with the prefrontals; seven supraoculars with three enlarged median ones; frontal is bordered by three median supraoculars; 4–5 supra ciliaries on each side, in direct contact with supraoculars; interparietal is longer than broad, more than half of the frontal and twice as long as frontonasal, bordered by first pair of nuchals posteriorly, abruptly truncated at both ends; parietals relatively flat and nearly as wide as its length; body scales regular in longitudinal rows juxtaposing relatively; two median dorsal rows enlarged, much wider than long and extended from the nuchals to tail dorsum; 67 paired middorsal enlarged scales, in a single longitudinal row, from interparietal to mid hindlimbs; 71 ventral scales in a single longitudinal row from postmental to anal; eight supra- and seven infralabials; 12 ventral series in longitudinal rows along the belly; 24 scales around midbody; 19 rows of lamella under the fourth finger and 18 under the fourth toe; ear openings vertical with five preauricular lobules, the first one above the largest and the last one the smallest; mental shield narrower than rostral; three azygous postmentals, being broader backward, all broader than mental shield; four pairs of chain shields, first pair not in contact fully, separated by one to four scales backward; two large median preanal shields, 26 scales around the tail base just posterior to vent.

Coloration in life. Some scattered orange spots with very low density on the dorsal surface and a faint yellow/ orange color on supralabial scales on both sides of the body; two vivid wide, dark brown stripes on lateral sides, extended from ear opening to hindlimbs; two median light brown dorsal stripes from mid forelimbs to mid hindlimbs; head uniformly brown-olive; lips, chain, and ventral surfaces whitish ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 ).

Variation and comparisons. There are some metric and meristic differences within the type series which are most likely due to geographic variation and the great distance between the localities of the holotype and paratypes ( Table 5 and Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 ). E. persicus sp. nov. differs from all other species/subspecies of the genus Eumeces by some pholidosis characteristics described above with more details and distinctly different color pattern including regular brown lines dorsally and laterally. A comparison of the new species with some other species/subspecies is included in the phylogenetic tree presented in Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 .

There are some distinct morphological difference between E. persicus sp. nov. and most of its congeners ( Table 4). The coloration of the new species differs from that of E. schneiderii ssp and E. algeriensis by the striped laterals with dark brown stripes. There are five distinct preauricular lobules in E. persicus sp.nov in comparison with the absence of lobules in the ear openings of E. cholistanensis . Three azygous postmentals in the new species differ from the single postmental in E. blythianus and a different color pattern and stripes in comparison with E. indothalensisis . Eumeces persicus sp. nov. is the third Eumeces species known from Iran, and the tenth taxon (includes species and subspecies) described within the genus.

Habitat characteristics ( Fig. 6 View FIGURE 6 ). The habitat of the new species is composed of broad flat vegetated plains with scattered bushes and soft soils. We noticed at least three borrows in the habitats that were most likely used for escaping and nesting. The species is usually found in the course of flood plains or seasonal waterways. E. persicus sp. nov was generally seen to inhibit lower elevations (from 1100–2100 m above sea level) in the central Iranian Plateau) and drier environment than the larger, uniform morphs (e.g., E. schneiderii ).

Distribution. The new species is widely distributed at the eastern Zagros Mountain slopes, in the central plains of Iran from the deserts of southern Tehran (holotype) to Kerman Province (paratypes) encompassing a distribution range of about 900 km ( Fig.1 View FIGURE 1 ). To date, only two localities are known for E. persicus sp. nov. and its distribution is most likely much wider. Further investigation is necessary to find more records in other regions with similar habitats situated between the two current localities. Eumeces persicus sp. nov. is also found in sympatry with other reptile species including snakes and lizards such as Bunopus crassicauda, Tenuidactylus caspium, Trachylepis aurata, Varanus griseus, Spalerosophis diadema, Malpolon insignitus, Lytorhynchus ridgewayi and Platyceps karelini , and specifically in close syntopy with Trapelus agilis .

Variable Holotype Paratype 1 Paratype 2