Carlia wundalthini Hoskin 2014, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Hoskin, Conrad J.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2014
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Chordata
Reptilia
Squamata
Scincidae
Carlia
Carlia wundalthini

description: Carlia wundalthini sp. nov.
Cape Melville Rainbow Skink
(Figs 1C, 2, 3, 4A, 5, 6A, 6B)
Holotype. QM J93342 (field number N86248), adult male, Melville Range (14°16'33" S, 144°29'32" E, elevation 460 m a.s.l.), Cape Melville, north-east Queensland, C. J. Hoskin & H. B. Hines, 13 December 2013.
Paratypes. QM J93343 (field number N86249), adult male; QM J93344 (field number N86250), adult male; QM J93345 (field number N86252), adult male; QM J93346 (field number N86258), adult male; QM J93347 (field number N86261), adult female; collection details as for holotype. QM J92563, adult, probable female; QM J92564, subadult; QM J92565, subadult; QM J92566, subadult; QM J92575, adult, probable female; QM J92576, subadult; Melville Range (14°16'38" S, 144°29'28" E, elevation 500 m a.s.l.), Cape Melville, north-east Queensland, C. J. Hoskin, 20 March 2013.
Diagnosis. Distinguished from congeners by combination of interparietal fused with frontoparietal, smooth dorsal scales, small–medium size (max SVL to about 49 mm), male breeding colour consisting of orange flush down side of neck and flank and pale chin and throat (Figs 1C, 2, 3), round to horizontally elongate ear opening with sharp triangular lobule at front of ear and similar sharp lobules at least across the top of ear and often around entire margin (Figs 1C, 2, 4A).
Etymology. Wundalthini was the name of Charlie Monaghan, a Traditional Owner who was born in the Cape Melville area and who passed on much of the knowledge and responsibility for that country to the current generation of its Traditional Owners. The species was named by the bubu gudjin of Cape Melville, the Traditional Owners who have the responsibility to speak for the land where the species lives.
Measurements and scale counts of holotype (Figs 4A, 5). SVL = 45.7 mm, TL (original) = 79.1 mm, AG = 21.1 mm, BW = 9.0 mm, L1 = 15.9 mm, FL = 6.8 mm, L2 = 21.1 mm, HLL = 7.2 mm, 4 th toe length = 6.7 mm, NL = 8.2 mm, HL = 9.9 mm, HW = 7.6 mm, EE = 3.6 mm, EN = 2.3 mm, WT = 2.4 g, midbody scale rows = 32, paravertebrals = 45, subdigital lamellae 4 th toe = 31, subdigital lamellae 3 rd finger = 19, supraoculars = 4, supralabials = 7, infralabials = 6, supraciliaries = 7, loreals = 2, nuchals = 4.
Description of type series. Data presented as range followed by mean in brackets. Adult (N = 8) measurements (mm, except WT): SVL = 36.7–49.0 (43.6), TL (original) = 54.7–79.1 (66.1), AG = 16.9–23.5 (19.4), BW = 8.0–11.0 (9.2), L1 = 11.7–16.9 (15.0), FL = 4.5–6.8 (5.6), L2 = 17.5–22.0 (20.1), HLL = 5.4–7.4 (6.7), 4 th toe length = 5.1–6.8 (6.2), NL = 6.4–8.5 (7.4), HL = 8.2–10.5 (9.5), HW = 6.1–8.0 (7.2), EE = 3.0–4.3 (3.6), EN = 2.0–3.0 (2.3), WT = 1.4–2.8 g (2.2 g). Adult proportions (as % SVL): TL (original) = 140.8–182.4 (160.9), AG = 40.4–47.9 (44.5), BW = 19.6–22.4 (21.1), L1 = 31.2–38.1 (34.4), FL = 12.0–14.8 (12.9), L2 = 44.4–49.2 (46.2), HLL = 14.7–16.4 (15.4), 4 th toe length = 13.0–15.4 (14.2), NL = 14.4–17.8 (17.0), HL = 21.0–22.9 (21.9), HW = 15.8–17.1 (16.6), EE = 7.6–9.1 (8.2), EN = 4.6–6.3 (5.3), WT = 3.8–6.0 (5.0). Body moderately robust. Head barely distinct from neck. Snout rounded in profile. Limbs moderate; four fingers; five toes. Scalation (N = 12, range given where there is variation): Dorsal scales smooth but generally indication of 2 or 3 weak striations or keels; posterior edge of scales smoothly curved. Rostral in broad contact with frontonasal. Nasals widely spaced. Prefrontals large and moderately to widely separated. Supraoculars 4; 1 and 2 in contact with frontal; 2, 3 and 4 in contact with frontoparietal. Frontoparietals fused, forming a single shield. Interparietal fused with frontoparietal. Enlarged nuchal scales 4; generally (N = 9) a second similar row of enlarged scales immediately behind nuchals. Loreals 2. Preoculars 2. Presubocular single. Supraciliaries 7. Upper preocular a well developed ‘blocky wedge’ that broadly contacts posterior edge of 2 nd loreal scale (Fig. 4A). Lower eyelid movable, with clear window; palpebral disc moderate size (about same size as ear aperture), occupying more than half of lower eyelid (Fig. 4A). Ear opening round (N = 10) to horizontally elongate (N = 2), with a single sharp triangular lobule at front (or in one case two anterior lobules) and similar sharp triangular lobules around upper half of ear (in all cases), and similar sized, sharp triangular lobules along lower margin (i.e., around entire margin of ear) (N = 5) or smaller lobules on lower margin (N = 5) or no lobules on lower margin (N = 2). Supralabials 7, with the fifth broad and positioned below the eye. Infralabials 6. Three scales between the nasal scale and the presubocular. Midbody scale rows 30–33 (mean = 31.5). Paravertebral scale rows 44–46 (mean = 45.2). Subdigital lamellae under 3 rd finger 19–21 (mean = 19.9). Subdigital lamellae under 4 th toe 27–31 (mean = 29.2).
Colour pattern in preservative (Fig. 5). Dorsal surfaces brown with paired fine black flecks along dorsum in some individuals (e.g., QM J93342, QM J93345). Top of head copper brown, merging with brown on neck. All scales on dorsal and lateral surfaces finely edged with black. Original tail brown and more heavily flecked with black; white flecks noticeable in some individuals (e.g., QM J93342, QM J93346). Regenerated tail light brown. Copper green tinge to top of neck in some specimens (e.g., QM J93345, QM J93347). Lateral surfaces of males copper, with green tinge on sides of neck. Lateral surfaces of females dark brown with regular mid-lateral white spots from neck to hindlimb. Slight indication of pale dorsolateral line in some females (e.g., QM J93347). Ventral surfaces of both sexes pale, with a cream or grey tinge. Underside of chin generally white; underside of throat generally cream with a bluish tinge; underside of chest and belly generally pale with a grey tinge; underside of hands and feet dark grey; undersides of digits black.
Colour pattern in life (Figs 1C, 2, 3, 6A, 6B). Colour pattern in life was assessed from the type series and from observations of a large number of other individuals during fieldwork at Cape Melville in March and December 2013. Dorsal surfaces brown with scattered black and white flecks; rainbow sheen at certain angles; copper tinge to top of head (Fig. 3A). Labials through to ear region pale or yellowish, with dark edging to scales; flank colour and pattern differs between males, females and subadults (see below). Ventral surfaces pale (white or cream); underside of feet black. Breeding males have orange flush down sides of neck and flanks, most prominent on sides of neck and anterior flank and generally fading out and becoming more concentrated towards the upper flank posteriorly (Figs 2, 6A); orange on side of neck sometimes extends faintly onto edges of throat (Fig. 3B). Females have brown flanks, darker on the upper flank; some indication of a paler brown dorsolateral line from the snout to the base of the tail, and a series of pale mid lateral spots from the side of the neck to the groin (Fig. 6B). Sudadults have a more prominent dorsolateral line, more prominent pale mid lateral spots against darker brown flanks, and a more copper coloured head.
Comparison with similar species. Distinguished from all other Carlia, except C. rhomboidalis and C. rubrigularis, in having the interparietal fused with the frontoparietal scale. Distinguished from C. rhomboidalis and C. rubrigularis by male breeding colour. Breeding C. wundalthini sp. nov. males have an orange flush down the sides of the neck and flanks (Figs 1C, 2, 6A). The chin and throat are uncoloured (except for faint orange sometimes extending onto the sides of the throat from the lower neck, e.g., Fig. 3B). In C. rhomboidalis and C. rubrigularis breeding colour is restricted to the chin and throat—blue chin and red throat in C. rhomboidalis (Fig. 1A), red chin and throat in C. rubrigularis (Fig. 1B). The sides of the neck and flanks are brown in both these species, except for red sometimes extending onto the lower sides of the neck in particularly well-coloured males of both species (e.g., Figs 1A, 1B). Carlia wundalthini sp. nov. is further distinguished from C. rubrigularis and C. rhomboidalis by ear opening shape and lobules. Carlia wundalthini sp. nov. has a round to horizontally elongate ear opening, with a sharp triangular anterior lobule and other similar lobules around the top (and sometimes entire) margin of the ear (e.g., Figs 1C, 2, 4A). In contrast, C. rubrigularis and C. rhomboidalis have a round to (typically) vertically elongate ear opening with one to three large triangular lobules at the front of the ear and typically no or small lobules around the rest of the margin (e.g., Figs 1A, 1B, 4B, 6C, 6D). Carlia wundalthini sp. nov. is also smaller (SVL mean, range, 43.6 mm, 36.7–49.0) than C. rubrigularis (48.7 mm, 44.7–54.6) and C. rhomboidalis (48.9 mm, 42.2–54.4), and has a less robust, more gracile build (BW/SVL 0.21, 0.20–0.22; WT/SVL 0.05, 0.04–0.06) than C. rubrigularis (BW/SVL 0.24, 0.21–0.27; WT/SVL 0.08, 0.06–0.09) and C. rhomboidalis (BW/ SVL 0.23, 0.20–0.27; WT/SVL 0.07, 0.06–0.10). Additional more subtle differences include the following. A pale dorsolateral line is rarely evident on adult C. wundalthini sp. nov., whereas it is typically evident (and often prominent, particularly on females) on C. rubrigularis (e.g., Figs 1B, 6D) and C. rhomboidalis (e.g., Fig. 1A). White mid-lateral markings are typically reduced to a series of white dots on adult female C. wundalthini sp. nov. (e.g., Fig. 6B) and are absent on males (e.g., Fig. 2), whereas C. rubrigularis and C. rhomboidalis females typically have a prominent mid-lateral series of white markings (e.g., Fig. 6D) and males often have some indication of these.
Distribution. Known only from the uplands of the Melville Range, Cape Melville, north-eastern Australia (Fig. 7). Recorded in the vicinity of the type locality (14°16'33" S, 144°29'32" E), at elevations between 450 and 520 m a.s.l., and also in the vicinity of the highest peak (14°16'59" S, 144°29'59" E) at about 600 m a.s.l. Carlia wundalthini sp. nov. was not recorded during surveys of lowland rainforest at the west and south-east of Melville Range.
Habitat and habits. Found in upland rainforest (Fig. 8). Individuals were found during the day active on the surface of leaf-litter or basking in small sun-patches. When disturbed the skinks hid under the leaf-litter or retreated to tangles of fallen branches or rock crevices. Male C. wundalthini sp. nov. were in breeding colour in December but not in March. The other skinks found in micro-sympatry were an undescribed species of Glaphyromorphus (Hoskin & Couper, in press) and a species of Lygisaurus (Hoskin & Hines, under investigation) in the leaf-litter, while Saproscincus saltus Hoskin, 2013 was found on rock surfaces in the same habitat. Carlia longipes (Macleay, 1877), Eulamprus brachysoma (Lönnberg & Andersson, 1915), Cryptoblepharus fuhni Covacevich & Ingram, 1978, Cryptoblepharus virgatus (Garman, 1901) and Bellatorias frerei (Günther, 1897) were found in more open, rockier habitats nearby.
description: Published as part of Hoskin, Conrad J., 2014, A new skink (Scincidae: Carlia) from the rainforest uplands of Cape Melville, north-east Australia, pp. 224-236 in Zootaxa 3869 (3) on pages 226-233, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3869.3.2, http://zenodo.org/record/4947256