Abstract
Leposoma annectans Ruibal, 1952 is resurrected from synonymy with Leposoma scincoides (Spix, 1825). Both were obtained syntopically, along with new specimens of Leposoma nanodactylus, from remaining Atlantic forests of the State of Bahia. Leposoma annectans differs from Leposoma scincoides by having a posteriorly enlarged interparietal with slightly concave and divergent lateral margins; parietals as long as large and shorter than interparietal; by the presence of a small scale separating third pair of chinshiels from infralabials; by presenting a large and almost squarish third supraocular; by the presence of sharp striations in the ventral part of head; and, by its shorter body size and relative tail length. Additionally it differs from L. scincoides by having a lower number of dorsal and ventral scales, fewer scales around body, fewer fourth finger and toe infradigital lamellae and, a lower total number of pores. The highly skewed sex-ratio towards males in large samples of Leposoma annectans and L. scincoides suggests that a temperature sex determination mechanism (TSD) could be the mode of sex determination in these species. Populations of reptiles with TSD mechanisms may be more prone to extinction due to skewed sex ratios caused by increased temperatures in disturbed tropical forests.
Highlights
Leposoma annectans Ruibal, 1952, was described from a female specimen in the context of a revisionary paper on some genera of South American gymnophthalmids (Ruibal, 1952)
Ruibal admitted its resemblance with Leposoma scincoides, at the time the only other Atlantic Forest species of Leposoma, but distinguished it from that species by its enlarged interparietal and by the presence of a small scale separating the third pair of postmentals from infralabials
In a paper describing a new species of Leposoma from a relictual forest in northeastern Brazil (Leposoma baturitensis), the status of Leposoma annectans was reevaluated (Rodrigues and Borges, 1997)
Summary
Leposoma annectans Ruibal, 1952, was described from a female specimen in the context of a revisionary paper on some genera of South American gymnophthalmids (Ruibal, 1952). Specimens from Resta Una project examined Leposoma annectans: Brazil: Bahia: Una: MZUSP 87.792 - 87.804; 87.851 87.874; 87.958, M. Strongly keeled, mucronate, imbricate, becoming laterally juxtaposed at midbody, in 26-30 regular transverse rows between interparietal and posterior level of hind limbs. 5) Leposoma annectans presents conspicuous sharp striations on the scales of the ventral part of head; in scincoides these scales are almost smooth. 9) Leposoma annectans differs from L. scincoides in having a lower number of dorsal and ventral scales, lower counts of scales around midbody, a lower number of fourth finger and fourth toe infradigital lamellae and a lower number of total femoral pores. The same is true for Leposoma scincoides except that females of this species have slightly higher counts of ventrals and scales around body than males (t-test and Kruskal-Wallis test; P>0.05)
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