Jump to content

Janetaescincus

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Janetaescincus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Scincidae
Subfamily: Scincinae
Genus: Janetaescincus
Greer, 1970
Species

Two, see text.

Janetaescincus is a genus of burrowing skinks in the family Scincidae. The genus is endemic to the Seychelles. There are two recognized species.

Etymology

[edit]

The generic name, Janetaescincus, is in honor of Janet Greer, who is the younger of the two sisters of Australian herpetologist Allen E. Greer.[1]

Taxonomy

[edit]

The genus Janetaescincus is usually placed in the subfamily Scincinae, which seems to be paraphyletic however. Probably quite close to Pamelaescincus gardineri, the genus Janetaescincus belongs to a major clade which does not seem to include the type genus Scincus. Thus, Janetaescincus will probably be eventually assigned to a new, yet-to-be-named subfamily. (Austin & Arnold 2006)

Species

[edit]

Two species are recognized as being valid.[2]

Nota bene: A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Janetaescincus.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Beolens, B.; Watkins, M.; Grayson, M. (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Genus Janetaescincus, p. 133).
  2. ^ Genus Janetaescincus at The Reptile Database www.reptile-database.org.

Further reading

[edit]
  • Austin, J.J.; Arnold, E.N. (2006). Using ancient and recent DNA to explore relationships of extinct and endangered Leiolopisma skinks (Reptilia: Scincidae) in the Mascarene islands. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 39 (2): 503–511. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2005.12.011 (HTML abstract)
  • Greer, A.E. (1970). The Systematics and Evolution of the Subsaharan Africa, Seychelles, and Mauritius Scincine Scincid Lizards. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University 140 (1): 1-24. (Janetaescincus, new genus, p. 18).
[edit]