Abstract
The morphology of hemipenes, the male external genitalia of reptiles, is considered to be a character of taxonomic importance. It has, however, until recently been used only rarely in agamid systematics. Phylogenies of Sri Lankan Agamidae, constructed using mitochondrial DNA and hemipeneal morphology, have shown remarkable convergence, highlighting the importance of hemipeneal morphology in the taxonomy of these lizards. Here we present descriptions and illustrations of the hemipenes of 17 of the 18 species of Sri Lankan Agamidae and provide a key to the identification of species groups based on this character. Ceylon Journal of Science (Bio. Sci.) 41 (2): 111-123, 2012 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/cjsbs.v41i2.5381
Highlights
The male external genitalia of reptiles, were first used as a systematic tool by Cope (1894, 1895), who noted the systematic value of the structure of this organ
Klaver and Böhme (1986) used hemipeneal characters to construct a phylogeny of Chamaeleonidae, establishing the phylogenetic importance of hemipeneal morphology in saurian systematics
Based on the collections of the Wildlife Heritage Trust of Sri Lanka, we describe and illustrate the hemipeneal morphology of 17 of the 18 species known from the island, the exception being Cophotis dumbara, for which no specimen with averted hemipenes was available
Summary
The male external genitalia of reptiles, were first used as a systematic tool by Cope (1894, 1895), who noted the systematic value of the structure of this organ. Hemipeneal descriptions Otocryptis nigristigma Material examined: WHT 6168, 60.3 mm SVL, Puwakpitiya, Knuckles, 07°34’N, 80°45’ E, alt. Thin-walled, large, smooth calyces present on proximal half of dorsal and ventral sides of each lobe, forming deep polygonal pits (Fig. 2b).
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