Systematics of the genera Eumeces Wiegmann, 1834 and Eurylepis Blyth 1854 (Sauria: Scincidae): A review

Abstract

There are several papers related to the split of the genus Eumeces sensu lato into four distinct genera (Eumeces sensu stricto Wiegmann, 1834; Plestiodon Dumeril & Bibron, 1839; Mesoscincus Griffith, Ngo & Murphy, 2000 and Eurylepis Blyth, 1854). From these, three important ones stand out. The genus has undergone extensive taxonomic changes. There was an initial morphologcial split which identified the correct four groups but failed to get the correct nomenclatures. These errors were later corrected. In a chronological order, Novoeumeces suggested as a new name for the schneiderii group and subsequently re-changed to the genus Eumeces s.s. North American-clade is now considered as Plestiodon. The name Eumeces (sensu stricto) was retained for the group close to the type species (Eumeces pavimentatus) which is part of the African-Central Asian clade. There are now only five species of Eumeces left. The others (old Eumeces) are now found in Eurylepis (2 species), Mesoscincus (3 species) and Plestiodon (47 species). A detailed story of these changes plus a brief comparison of current four genera based on mentioned morphological characters in the literatures are discussed in this paper.