The Kei Islands Monitor Lizard as a Distinct Morphological, Taxonomic, and Conservation Unit

AutorInnen:

Böhme, W., Jacobs, H. J., Koppetsch, T., Schmitz, A.

Erscheinungsjahr:

2019

Vollständiger Titel:

The Kei Islands Monitor Lizard (Squamata: Varanidae: Varanus: Euprepiosaurus) as a Distinct Morphological, Taxonomic, and Conservation Unit

ZFMK-Autorinnen / ZFMK-Autoren:

Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Böhme, Thore Koppetsch

Org. Einordnung:

Herpetologie, Alexander-Koenig-Gesellschaft

Publiziert in:

Russian Journal of Herpetology

Publikationstyp:

Zeitschriftenaufsatz

DOI Name:

doi: 10.30906/1026-2296-2019-26-5-272-280

Keywords:

Varanus, new species, Kei Islands, Maluku Province, Indonesia, conservation

Bibliographische Angaben:

Böhme, W., Jacobs, H. J., Koppetsch, T., Schmitz, A. (2019): The Kei Islands Monitor Lizard (Squamata: Varanidae: Varanus: Euprepiosaurus) as a Distinct Morphological, Taxonomic, and Conservation Unit. - Russian Journal of Herpetology 26 (5): 272 - 280; doi: 10.30906/1026-2296-2019-26-5-272-280

Abstract:

We describe a new species of the Varanus indicus group (subgenus Euprepiosaurus) from the Kei Islands, Indonesia, which differs from its close relative V. indicus by a light tongue, a conspicuous color pattern composed of distinct yellowish ocelli on a blackish ground color and by some scalation characters. From its more distantly related, but morphologically similar relative V. finschi it differs by its midbody scale count and by some peculiarities of its scale microstructure. The new taxon, endemic to the Kei Islands, is also discussed in the light of conservation problems for many Indonesian island endemics.