Abstract
A recently discovered new species of diploglossine lizard is described from west-central Panama. The distinctiveness of the nominal genera Celestus and Diploglossus is confirmed; the new form represents the southernmost record for the genus Celestus. A summary of selected characteristics and general distribution is presented for all recent species of diploglossines, including members of the Antillean genera Saurisia and Wetmorea and the South American genus Ophiodes. A systematic key to mainland members of the genus Celestus is provided.
Highlights
C. 2nd canthal (ii) fused with 2nd of 3 loreals Celestus atitlanensis, C. bivittatus, C. legnotus, C. montanus, C. occiduus, C. rozellae, C. scansorius, C. ingridae, D. montisserrati scale is uniformly present in all Celestus and Diploglossus
Two of the authors of the present paper (Savage and Lips, 1993) reviewed the status of the living genera of anguid lizards placed in the subfamily Diploglossinae and described two new species, Celestus hylaius and C. orobius from Costa Rica
We do not consider the nasal-rostral contact feature an indicator of generic status: there is contact in all mainland Celestus and most Diploglossus; there is no contact in most West Indian Celestus, or in Sauresia or Wetmorea; and contact or lack thereof is intraspecifically variable in some taxa (e.g. C. bivittatus and D. fasciatus)
Summary
Lateral Head Surface: Postnasal: PN – one or two scales bordering the nasal along its posterior margin; upper called a small supranasal in Diploglossus by Boulenger (1885) and Taylor (1956); called the first loreal by Stejneger (1904) and most West Indian researchers. In one species (Celestus enneagrammus) this canthal is fused with the 2nd loreal and the composite scale is often displaced upward away from the supralabials; we follow Campbell and Camarillo (1994) in calling it a displaced second loreal.
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