A New Species of Emoia (Squamata: Scincidae) from Papua New Guinea
I describe a new species of Emoia that is the sixth member in the E. cyanogaster group. It differs from all other Emoia species in its distinctive pattern of serrated black stripes on an emerald-green ground color. Further distinguishing features include its relatively small size, long and narrow snout, large number of toe lamellae, and lack of a distinct interparietal. Specimens of the new species had previously been assigned to E tetrataenia, but the more elongated snout and unique color pattern easily distinguish it from the latter, which is restricted to the D'Entrecasteaux Islands. The new species is known only from Rossel Island in the Louisiade Archipelago, the southeasternmost island of Papua New Guinea, and it is likely endemic to that island. A combination of morphological and distributional evidence suggests that the new species, E. tetrataenia, and E kordoana are probably each other's closest relatives.Abstract
(A) Dorsal and (B) ventral views immediately after euthanasia of paratype of Emoia beryllion (BPBM 19992). Scale bar = 1 cm.
Portraits in life of all members of the Emoia cyanogaster group. (A) E. beryllion, paratype, BPBM 19992, Damunu, Rossel Island, Papua New Guinea (PNG); (B) E. tetrataenia, BPBM 42083, Sibonai, Normanby Island, PNG; (C) E. kordoana, BPBM 37491, Mt Victory, Oro Province, PNG; (D) E. longicauda, BPBM 39282, Woodlark Island, PNG; (E) E. cyanogaster, KU 341177, Choiseul Island, Solomon Islands; (F) E. sorex, uncaptured, Morotai Island, Indonesia. Photo credits: (A) G. Shea; (B, C, D) F. Kraus; (E) J. Richmond; (F) V. Weijola.
Map of Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea, showing distribution of members of the Emoia cyanogaster group in this region. Key: E. beryllion (circles; type locality is solid circle), E. kordoana (diamonds), E. longicauda (open stars), and E. tetrataenia (squares).
