Molecular and morphological assessment of Delma australis Kluge (Squamata: Pygopodidae), with a description of a new species from the biodiversity ‘ hotspot’ of southwestern Western Australia
Author
Maryan, Brad
Author
Brennan, Ian G.
Author
Adams, Mark
Author
Aplin, Ken P.
text
Zootaxa
2015
3946
3
301
330
journal article
10.11646/zootaxa.3946.3.1
21a54f6c-7b8e-4da6-81ac-05703db5bbf1
1175-5326
244607
91C0214A-7A3D-4DEC-9D24-7B10928AC127
Delma australis
species-group
Diagnosis.
Based on the molecular analysis of
Jennings
et al.
(2003)
and this study we formally propose a
D. australis
species-group, currently comprising
D. australis
,
D. hebesa
sp. nov.
and
D. torquata
. The morphological characteristics of this species-group are relatively small-size (SVL to
93 mm
); ventral scales usually not markedly larger than adjacent lateral scales (enlarged in some
D. torquata
); one pair of supranasal scales; modally 16 or 18 midbody scales (occasionally 17, 19 or 20); loreal scale row usually interrupted by a ventral extension of supraloreal scale that contacts upper labials. For comparisons of ventral body scale size between
D. australis
and
D. fraseri
see
Kluge (1974: 9)
.