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Asian Herpetological Research 2016, 7(1): 64–68
DOI: 10.16373/j.cnki.ahr.150052
1. Introduction
Sphenomorphus oligolepis (suggested common name:
MIMIKA FOREST SKINK) is a member of the S.
maindroni group (sensu Greer and Shea, 2004). It is a
poorly known skink with apparently disjunct populations
on mainland New Guinea and has experienced a very
limited treatment in the scientific literature (e.g., de
Rooij, 1915; Greer, 1973; Greer and Shea, 2004). The
species has been reported from the Mimika River (the
type locality; Boulenger, 1914) and the Lorentz River,
Papua Province, Indonesia (de Rooij, 1915), and more
recently from several localities in Papua New Guinea (see
Greer, 1973: Figure 8), including Bikim, Matkomrae, and
Mendua (Western Province); Soliabeda (Simbu Province),
and Oroi (Gulf Province). Additional specimens housed
in the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Cambridge,
First Record of the Poorly Known Skink Sphenomorphus oligolepis
(Boulenger, 1914) (Reptilia: Squamata: Scincidae) from Seram
Island, Maluku Province, Indonesia
Sven MECKE1*, Max KIECKBUSCH1, Mark O’SHEA2 and Hinrich KAISER3
* Corresponding author: Sven MECKE, from Philipps-Universität
Marburg, Germany, with his research focusing on the taxonomy,
systematics, and biodiversity of Indo-Australian amphibians and
reptiles.
E-mail: meckes@staff.uni-marburg.de
Received: 17 July 2015 Accepted: 17 February 2016
Abstract Based on four specimens discovered in the collection of The Natural History Museum, London, United
Kingdom, we present a new distribution record for the skink Sphenomorphus oligolepis for Seram Island, Maluku
Province, Indonesia. This nd constitutes the westernmost record for the species and extends its range by over 800 km.
The species was heretofore only known from apparently isolated mainland New Guinean populations.
Massachusetts, USA (MCZ) and the Bernice P. Bishop
Museum, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA (BPBM) were
collected in Gulf Province at Kikori (MCZ R-150879)
and Weiana (MCZ R-101484), and in Morobe Province
at Aseki (BPBM Herp-17441–48; 19103–09), with a
single voucher collected at Timika, Papua Province,
Western New Guinea, Indonesia (BPBM Herp-42441).
The westernmost record of S. oligolepis known to date is
the type locality, and the species has never been recorded
from localities other than on mainland New Guinea. Here
we report a rst record of S. oligolepis from Seram Island,
Maluku Province, Indonesia (for a distribution map see
Figure 1).
2. Material and Methods
During a taxonomic investigation of skinks in the
collection of The Natural History Museum, London,
United Kingdom (BMNH), two of the authors (HK and
SM) discovered four specimens of a scincid lizard from
Seram Island, Maluku Province, Indonesia, labeled
“Sphenomorphus sp. A” (BMNH 1998.299–303; Figure 2).
Keywords Scincidae, Lygosominae, Sphenomorphus oligolepis, new record, Seram, Maluku Islands, Indonesia,
Wallacea
1 Department of Animal Evolution and Systematics and Zoological Collection Marburg, Faculty of Biology, Philipps-
Universität Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch-Straße 8, 35032 Marburg, Germany
2 Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Wolverhampton, Wulfruna Street, Wolverhampton, WV1 1LY, United
Kingdom; and West Midland Safari Park, Bewdley, Worcestershire DY12 1LF, United Kingdom
3 Department of Biology, Victor Valley College, 18422 Bear Valley Road, Victorville, California 92395, USA; and
Department of Vertebrate Zoology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC
20013, USA
SHORT NOTES
Sven MECKE et al. First Record of Sphenomorphus oligolepis from SeramNo. 1 65
The four specimens had been caught by Paul Edgar and
Ronald Lilley in pitfall traps in a lowland rainforest
(elevation ca. 50 m) near Solea, northwestern Seram,
in late August and early September 1987, during a
herpetofaunal survey of the island. Climate data for the
collection locality and survey methods were summarized
in detail by Edgar and Lilley (1993).
Comparative measurements and scale counts (Table
1) of “Sphenomorphus sp. A” and other museum
specimens examined were performed according to the
following protocol. Measurements were taken on the
right side of the body to the nearest 0.1 mm using digital
calipers. Eidonomic characters (abbreviations provided
in parentheses) used include snout-vent length (SVL),
measured from tip of snout to cloaca; tail length (TailL),
measured from cloaca to tip of tail; arm length (ArmL),
measured from axilla to tip of longest nger; leg length
(LegL), measured from point of posterior body insertion
to tip of longest toe; head length (HeadL), measured from
tip of snout to anterior edge of ear opening, head width
(HeadW), measured at widest point of head; number
of scales rows at midbody (MBSR), number of nuchal
scales (NS), number of paravertebral scales (PVS),
counted in one row beginning with the rst nuchal scale
to the first scale fully anterior to the rear edge of the
hindlimbs; number of supralabials (SupraLab); number
of supracilaries (SupraCil), and the number of enlarged
lamellae under the 4th toe (4TLam), counted as all scales
wider than the plantar scales distal to the cleft between
the 3rd and 4th digits. We also calculated the following
ratios: ArmL/SVL, LegL/SVL, HeadL/SVL. Greer (1973)
found female specimens of S. oligolepis to be gravid at
a minimal SVL of 43.0 mm. Hence, we assume that the
four unsexed specimens from Seram (minimal SVL 48.0
mm) are adults.
3. Results and Discussion
The four specimens could be easily identied as members
of the Sphenomorphus maindroni group (sensu Greer and
Shea, 2004; 22 species recognized) by the presence of a
post-supraocular scale. While the highest species diversity
of the S. maindroni group is found in New Guinea,
members of this assemblage also occur in the Bismarck
Archipelago and the Solomon Islands, the southern part of
the Philippines, Palau, and some of the Moluccan Islands
Figure 1 Distribution of Sphenomorphus oligolepis in New Guinea and in the Moluccas (black symbols). The type locality of the species
(Mimika River, West Papua, Indonesia; BMNH 1946.8.3.47–48) is indicated by a star. The triangle denotes the new distribution record for
Seram Island, Maluku Province, Indonesia (BMNH 1998.299–302). Numbers accompanying black circles identify the following known
localities for S. oligolepis: (1) Lorentz River (de Rooij, 1915), (2) Timika, Nayaro Settlement (BPBM Herp-42441), (3) Matkomrae (MCZ
R-130716), (4) Menuda (MCZ R-130717), (5) Bikim (MCZ R-130718), (6) 30 km N, 14 km W Kikori (MCZ R-150879), (7) Weiana (MCZ
R-101484), (8) Soliabedo (MCZ R-118857), (9) Oroi (MCZ R-109330–45, 118854–56; WAM R-67631–32), (10) Aseki (BPBM Herp-
17441–48; 19103–09). Map prepared by Sven Mecke.
Asian Herpetological Research Vol. 766
(Greer and Shea, 2004).
Identification of the four Sphenomorphus specimens
from Seram as S. oligolepis was conrmed eidonomically,
based on the descriptions in Boulenger (1914), de Rooij
(1919), Greer (1973), and the diagnostic characters
presented by Greer and Shea (2004), who also provided
a key to the members of the S. maindroni group. We
also examined the syntypes of S. oligolepis (BMNH
1946.8.3.47–48; Figure 3) for direct comparison.
In overall eidonomy (size, body proportions, scalation,
general aspects of coloration), the specimens from Seram
conform to the descriptions of Sphenomorphus oligolepis
as presented in the relevant literature (Boulenger, 1914;
de Rooij, 1915; Greer, 1973; Greer and Shea 2004).
Morphometric and meristic data for the specimens
(Table 1) show that they fall well within the range of S.
oligolepis, although the data available in the literature are
quite limited. The Seram specimens are also diagnosable
as S. oligolepis using the identication key of Greer and
Shea (2004). In addition, the last supralabial scale in the
Seram specimens is divided, as is typical for S. oligolepis
(Glenn Shea, in litt.). Moreover, eidonomic data of the
Sphenomorphus specimens from Seram also conform
to those of the syntypes of S. oligolepis (Table 1)1. We
therefore conclude that the Seram specimens provisionally
labeled “Sphenomorphus sp. A” are members of this
species, which is hereby recorded for the rst time as part
of the Seram herpetofauna. This record for S. oligolepis is
the westernmost record for the species, and the rst non-
New Guinean; it is the rst from the biogeographic region
known as Wallacea.
Sphenomorphus oligolepis is readily distinguishable
from S. undulatus, the only other species of the S.
maindroni group known from Seram (de Rooij, 1915;
Dunn, 1927; Edgar and Lilley, 1993) by separated
prefrontal scales (vs. prefrontals in medial contact in
S. undulatus), a single infralabial in contact with the
postmental (vs. two infralabials in contact with the
Table 1 Morphometric (in mm) and meristic data of the four specimens of Sphenomorphus oligolepis from Seram Island, Maluku Province,
Indonesia (BMNH 1998.299–302), and of the two syntypes of this species (BMNH 1946.8.3.47–48). Only characters that allow comparison
with data in the relevant literature are shown. When meristic characters occurring bilaterally where different on both sides of the body, this is
indicated by the letters ‘R’ (right) and ‘L’ (left). Otherwise the respective character is represented by a single value. When tails were found to
be partly regenerated, this is indicated by a superscript ‘R’ after TailL. Numbers in square brackets show sample sizes (individuals) or cases,
if the superscript ‘C’ is used. Numbers in parentheses refer to mean values or, when underlined, modal values.
SPECIMEN OR
REFERENCE
CHARACTERS
SVL
TailL
ArmL
ArmL/SVL
LegL
LegL/SVL
HeadL
HeadL/SVL
HeadW
MBSR
NS
SupraLab
SupraCil
4TLam
BMNH 1998.299 48.8 31.5R7.7 0.16 11.3 0.23 8.0 0.16 6.1 24 3R 0L = 3 total 7 7 9R 10L
BMNH 1998.300 48.0 47.2R5.8 0.12 10.6 0.22 7.8 0.16 6.1 24 4 = 8 total 7 6R 7L 9
BMNH 1998.301 50.6 broken 7.0 0.14 10.8 0.22 7.7 0.15 6.0 24 0 7 7 9R 10L
BMNH 1998.302 49.5 41.4R6.9 0.14 11.9 0.24 8.1 0.14 6.1 28 0 7 7 9R 10L
BMNH 1946.8.3.47
(syntype) 54.5 57.5R7.5 0.14 12.0 0.22 8.6 0.16 6.8 24 3R 3L = 6 total 7 7 10
BMNH 1946.8.3.48
(syntype) 53.5 tail-stump 7.5 0.14 12.0 0.23 8.6 0.16 6.3 24 4R 3L = 7 total 7 7 11
Boulenger, 1914 55.0 60R10.0 - 13.0 - 12.0a- - 24 6–10 total - 7 12–13
Greer, 1973
max. 55.0;
gravid ♀♀
43.0–53.0
- - - - - - - - 24–28
(26)
-6–7 - 9–12
Greer and Shea, 2004 51–55 [5] - - - - - - - - 24–28
(26.6) [5]
5–13 total
(8.2) [5]
7
(see key) - 9–12 [9C]
a Boulenger measured HeadL from the tip of the snout to the occipital condyle (Boulenger 1885).
1Data on the number of PVS in S. oligolepis, although available for most other S. maindroni group members, are not provided in the relevant
literature. Although our examination of the Seram specimens yielded PVS counts different from those of the type specimens of S. oligolepis
(63–69 in the Seram specimens, and 57 and 58 in the type series of S. oligolepis), Glenn Shea examined 38 specimens of S. oligolepis and
obtained a PVS range of 55–73 (Glenn Shea, unpubl. data), indicating that this character is much more variable than in the type series.
Sven MECKE et al. First Record of Sphenomorphus oligolepis from SeramNo. 1 67
postmental in S. undulatus), and a much lower number of
4TLam (9–12 vs.17–23 in S. undulatus) (see Greer and
Shea, 2004: Table 2 and Key to Species; pers. obs.).
The species (listed as “Sphenomorphus sp. A”) was
reported to be diurnal and fossorial by Edgar and Lilley
(1993). According to these authors, on Seram it was found
in lowland rainforest (50 m) and in forest above 700 m,
but no voucher specimens were obtained from the higher
locality. In a lowland rainforest near Solea, northwestern
Seram, S. oligolepis occurs in syntopy with three species
of geckos, a dibamid, five skinks, two blindsnakes, one
colubrid snake, and one elapid snake species (Edgar and
Lilley, 1993: Table 4).
Sphenomorphus oligolepis appears to be a widely,
though not necessarily continuously, distributed species
in southern New Guinea (distribution extends ~1200 km
from west to east; Figure 1), where it has been found
in lowland rainforests and freshwater swamp forests
(elevations 0–550 m), but also at higher elevations in
the lower montane southeastern Papuan rainforests
(elevations up to 1250 m). It might be expected that
the species also occurs in the lowland rainforests of the
‘neck’ of the Vogelkop Peninsula (West Papua Province,
Indonesia), and further range extensions in the western
part of New Guinea can be expected. These would ll the
largest known distribution gap for S. oligolepis (linear
distance of > 800 km; Figure 1).
It should be noted that many mainland New Guinean
lizard taxa have rather discontinuous distribution patterns,
often with larger gaps between isolated populations (see
distribution maps provided by Allison and Kraus, 2011).
Obvious distribution gaps might be the result of a true
spatial separation of single species (intraspecic allopatry)
or represent potential interspecific barriers between
Figure 2 Sphenomorphus oligolepis (BMNH 1998.299–302) from Seram Island, Maluku Province, Indonesia. (A) Specimens in dorsal view.
(B) Specimens in ventral view. Scale = 10 mm. Photos by Thomas Beitz.
Figure 3 Syntypes of Sphenomorphus oligolepis (BMNH
1946.8.3.47–48) in (A) dorsal and (B) ventral view. Photos by Mark
O’Shea.
Asian Herpetological Research Vol. 768
similar looking, though different taxa (interspecific
allopatry in an undiscovered biodiversity). However,
distribution gaps might rather reflect an undersampling
bias.
Some of these taxa with spatially separated populations
are also found on islands west of New Guinea, including
Seram. Examples may be the gecko Cyrtodactylus
papuensis, and the skinks Eugongylus rufescens,
Sphenomorphus muelleri, Sphenomorphus undulatus, and
Tiliqua gigas (Brongersma, 1953; de Rooij, 1915; Dunn,
1927; Shea, 2000).
The absence of records of Sphenomorphus oligolepis
between the type locality and Solea, Seram (including
the ‘neck’ of the Vogelkop Peninsula and eastern Seram)
may be explained by an undersampling bias resulting
from (1) under-collection in areas potentially difficult
to access; and (2) the semifossorial habit of this taxon,
which makes it difficult to find individuals (especially
by expeditions not primarily focusing on herpetofauna
species and if no pitfall traps were used). Voucher
specimens were thus almost exclusively collected by
experienced herpetologists (Fred Parker, Allen Allison)
and predominantly during more recent expeditions to
Papua New Guinea.
The presence of Sphenomorphus oligolepis in Seram
increases to three the number of Sphenomorphus skinks
known from this island and, together with recent species
descriptions from the region (e.g., Harvey et al., 2000;
Oliver et al., 2009; Vogel and van Rooijen, 2008; Weijola
and Sweet, 2010; Ziegler et al., 2007), demonstrates how
little is known about the herpetofauna of the Moluccas
(Maluku and North Maluku Provinces).
Acknowledgements We are indebted to Patrick
Campbell (BMNH) for his hospitality and the loan of
specimens. We thank José Rosado and Joseph Martinez
(MCZ), and Pumehana Imada and Allen Allison (BPBM)
for access to specimens photographed by one of us
(MOS). We also thank Ronald Lilley (The Indonesian
Nature Foundation) for providing some of the cited
literature, Glenn Shea (The University of Sydney) for
providing unpublished data of Sphenomorphus oligolepis,
and Thomas Beitz for the photographs of the S. oligolepis
specimens from Seram (Figure 2). We are very grateful
to George R. Zug (USNM) and an anonymous reviewer
for their helpful comments on earlier versions of the
manuscript. Travel funds to visit the MCZ were provided
by an Ernst Mayr Grant from Harvard University to
MOS.
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