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The lacertid Latastia ornata was known to date only by its holotype collected in 1938 in Bafatá, central Guinea-Bissau. We report new specimens and localities from Guinea-Conakry, a new country record and major range extension of 700 km SE of the type-locality. We provide an updated diagnosis of the species, including the first genetic and osteological data, and confirm that Latastia ornata is closely related to, but distinct from, L. longicaudata based on external morphology, cranial osteology, DNA data and zoogeography.

Urban habitats receive an increasing number of species due to anthropogenic activities, mainly transportations. Here, we report a new addition to the herpetofauna of Athens (Greece): a small population of the Pelasgian wall lizard (Anatololacerta pelasgiana) was found in a suburb of the Athenian metropolitan area. The species normally occurs in southwestern Anatolia and southeastern Aegean islands and this is the first record in the Greek mainland. Allochthonous species that successfully colonize cities raise new challenges to urban ecology.

We present a comprehensive catalogue of the reptiles of Equatorial Guinea, consisting of 118 species belonging to 67 genera and 22 families. There are two species of Crocodylia, ten of Testudines and 106 of Squamata; this last taxon is represented by 62 species of snakes, two amphisbaenians and 42 lizards. Of these 118 species, seven are present only in Annobon, seven only in Bioko, 47 only in Río Muni, 53 occur both in Bioko and Río Muni (or Bioko, Río Muni and other islands), and four are sea turtles. Despite its high diversity, the level of endemism of Bioko is relatively low, with only four endemic species out of the 60 species reported for the island. In contrast, despite its low diversity, Annobon has the highest endemicity level, with five endemic species (and two introduced). No endemic species are known for the rest of the regions of Equatorial Guinea, which contain 100 species. We reveal several new country and species records, and point to some pending taxonomic questions to be addressed. Among the new species records, we highlight the presence of Cyclanorbis elegans, which represents the most meridional known population of the genus. Additional species are expected to be found in Equatorial Guinea as further field and taxonomic work is developed.

Automated image classification is a thriving field of machine learning, and various successful applications dealing with biological images have recently emerged. In this work, we address the ability of these methods to identify species that are difficult to tell apart by humans due to their morphological similarity. We focus on distinguishing species of wall lizards, namely those belonging to the Podarcis hispanicus species complex, which constitutes a well-known example of cryptic morphological variation. We address two classification experiments: (1) assignment of images of the morphologically relatively distinct P. bocagei and P. lusitanicus; and (2) distinction between the overall more cryptic nine taxa that compose this complex. We used four datasets (two image perspectives and individuals of the two sexes) and three deep-learning models to address each problem. Our results suggest a high ability of the models to identify the correct species, especially when combining predictions from different perspectives and models (accuracy of 95.9% and 97.1% for females and males, respectively, in the two-class case; and of 91.2% to 93.5% for females and males, respectively, in the nine-class case). Overall, these results establish deep-learning models as an important tool for field identification and monitoring of cryptic species complexes, alleviating the burden of expert or genetic identification.

Podarcis wall lizards mainly feed on coleopterans, orthopterans, arachnids, and other small invertebrates. However, Aegean wall lizards, Podarcis erhardii, are widely distributed across Aegean islands and are increasingly observed eating non-traditional food items ranging from plant material to conspecific eggs and body parts. Here, we report the first documented case of P. erhardii consuming a large centipede, Scolopendra cingulata. The predator-prey relationship between these species has appeared to go both ways and may intensify on islands.

The genus Heliobolus comprises four recognized species, all endemic to sub-Saharan Africa. Of these, only Heliobolus lugubris occurs in southern Africa, its distribution extending from Angola in the west to Mozambique in the east and reaching as far south as parts of northern South Africa. Like many of the reptile species that occur in southern Africa, Heliobolus lugubris is poorly studied, and preliminary investigation suggested that it may contain cryptic diversity. The present work focusses on the Angolan population of H. lugubris and uses an integrative taxonomic approach based on morphological, coloration and DNA sequence data. The results indicate that some of the current and historical specimens of H. lugubris from Angola do not correspond to the nominotypical form, and that differences between specimens suggest the presence of two additional species, described here as Heliobolus bivarisp. nov. from the southernmost xeric/desertic regions and plateau of Namibe Province, southwestern Angola and H. crawfordisp. nov. from the Serra da Neve inselberg north through the sub-desert coastal regions of northern Namibe, Benguela, and Kwanza Sul provinces. Nominotypical Heliobolus lugubris is confirmed to occur in Cuando Cubango Province, southeastern Angola.

In the summer of 2021 we identified three new distribution localities of Darevskia praticola north of the Mureș River, and one locality south of the river. The habitats populated by D. praticola (broad-leaved forest with wet areas) and the altitude (175–245 m) of the new records are typical for this species. Nevertheless, D. praticola had not been recorded in 12 other localities with similar conditions from an area previously considered suitable for this species. Thus, D. praticola may be slowly expanding from a bridgehead north of the Mureș River, occupying new favorable habitats. Probably, D. praticola recently crossed the Mureș River, possibly on a bridge, or with the timber trucks which exploit the woods from both sides of the river.

Understanding the genomic basis of adaptation to different abiotic environments is important in the context of climate change and resulting short-term environmental fluctuations. Using functional and comparative genomics approaches, we here investigated whether signatures of genomic adaptation to a set of environmental parameters are concentrated in specific subsets of genes and functions in lacertid lizards and other vertebrates. We first identify 200 genes with signatures of positive diversifying selection from transcriptomes of 24 species of lacertid lizards and demonstrate their involvement in physiological and morphological adaptations to climate. To understand how functionally similar these genes are to previously predicted candidate functions for climate adaptation and to compare them with other vertebrate species, we then performed a meta-analysis of 1, 100 genes under selection obtained from -omics studies in vertebrate species adapted to different abiotic factors. We found that the vertebrate gene set formed a tightly connected interactome, which was to 23% enriched in previously predicted functions of adaptation to climate, and to a large part (18%) involved in organismal stress response. We found a much higher degree of identical genes being repeatedly selected among different animal groups (43.6%), and of functional similarity and post-translational modifications than expected by chance, and no clear functional division between genes used for ectotherm and endotherm physiological strategies. In total, 171 out of 200 genes of Lacertidae were part of this network. These results highlight an important role of a comparatively small set of genes and their functions in environmental adaptation and narrow the set of candidate pathways and markers to be used in future research on adaptation and stress response related to climate change.

Revealing biodiversity allows the accurate determination of the underlying causes of many biological processes such as speciation and hybridization. These processes contain many complex patterns, especially in areas with high species diversity. As two of the prominent zoogeographic areas, Anatolia and Caucasus are also home to the genus Darevskia, which has a complex morphological structure and parthenogenetic speciation. Darevskia valentini and D. rudis are two largely distributed taxa of this genus, both of which have a controversial taxonomic delimitation. Here we performed both a highly detailed morphological comparison and a molecular evaluation for the populations in both species groups. The most comprehensive taxonomic revision of this complex was carried out to determine the cases where the data obtained were compatible or not with each approach. As a result of the obtained outputs, it seems that D. spitzenbergerae stat. nov., D. mirabilis stat. nov. and D. obscura stat. nov. should be accepted as the species level, this later with subspecies D. o. bischoffi comb. nov. and D. o. macromaculata comb. nov.. Also, we propose two new taxa: D. josefschmidtleri sp. nov. and D. spitzenbergerae wernermayeri ssp. nov.. It has also been shown that “lantzicyreni” subspecies belong to D. rudis instead of D. valentini. The extensive revision has contributed to subsequent studies to more accurately understand the past histories of species in the genus Darevskia.

Ecological pressure is the major driver of morphological adaptation. Different habitat preferences even among closely related species, often result in the evolution of different body shapes. In the present study, we employed geometric morphometric and principal component analyses (PCA) to compare body shape and head plate morphology among seven species in the genus Darevskia Arribas, 1999 from the Elburz Mountains, Iran that occur in either rocky or forested habitats. The geometric morphometric analysis and the PCA of meristic characters recovered a wide degree of overlap between the rock and forest dwelling species. The PCA of the morphometric characters showed wide separation among the rock and forest dwelling species as well as among some of the rock dwelling species. These results strongly suggest that body shape is correlated with the habitat type whereas head plate morphology and scale meristics are not. Furthermore, the results suggest that the rock dwelling species may be occupying and navigating their microhabitat in different ways. Ecological observations are needed to test this hypothesis.

Abstract The Lindholm rock lizard, Darevskia lindholmi, is the only member of the genus Darevskia whose range is restricted solely to Europe, representing a local endemism found only in the Crimean Mountains. In our study, we investigated the cytochrome b gene (mtDNA) of 101 D. lindholmi sequences from 65 Crimean localities, representing its entire range. We found that D. lindholmi is highly genetically structured, and its range is divided into populations belonging to three mitochondrial lineages. The Lindholm rock lizard populations inhabiting the middle part of the Crimean Mountains (further referred to as the Central lineage) are sharply differentiated from the other two lineages (the Common and the Southwestern lineages), which are present in most of the species range. The genetic distance between the Central lineage and the other two taken together is 4.6%, according to our results, suggesting that the divergence occurred during the Early Pleistocene. The narrowly distributed Southwestern lineage and the widespread Common lineage, on the other hand, are differentiated by 1%. Field observations on the representatives of the main evolutionary groups show that their ecology is also different: the Central lineage is a mesophilic and cold-resistant form, while the other two closely related lineages are more xerophilic and thermophilic. Results of the potential ranges modeling and ecological niche analysis confirm that the genetic lineages occupy different niches of the Crimea. Furthermore, the area of inhabitation of the Central lineage splits the western and eastern parts of the Common lineage range, while the Southwestern lineage is restricted along the coast of the southwestern coast of the peninsula. The long-term co-existence of deeply divergent sister mitochondrial lineages in a relatively small (circa 7,000 km2) isolated mountain system serves as a mesocosm for understanding the speciation process. Our data suggest that the Central lineage warrants further taxonomic investigation.

Acanthodactylus boskianus is a widespread species in Northern Africa and Western Asia. In this study, we used morphological and genetic approaches to study populations of A. boskianus from the Zagros Mountains in western Iran, the easternmost limit of the species’ distribution. Our morphological and genetic data indicate that populations of A. boskianus in Iran are distinct from other populations of A. boskianus. Therefore, we describe the Iranian populations as Acanthodactylus zagrosicus sp. nov. The new species is the third endemic species of Acanthodactylus in Iran and the ninth Acanthodactylus species distributed in Iran overall. According to our surveys, this species is distributed widely in the Zagros Mountains including Kermanshah, Lorestan, Ilam, and Khuzestan Provinces.

Small islets in the Mediterranean Sea are often home to reptiles, typically representing an impoverished sample of the continental fauna, yet with high population densities and signs of rapid morphological and behavioral evolution. In this paper, we present the first herpetofaunal survey of several small islet clusters in close proximity to the Mediterranean coast of Israel, only recently geologically separated from the mainland. We performed surveys of five islets during March of 2017 – 2018 and recorded the presence of five different species of reptiles on four of the surveyed islets. Species richness varied between 1 and 4 species, and appeared to be correlated with island area, with a distinct nested structure. Reptile species may have colonized the islets by natural dispersal from nearby coastal populations, or by hitch-hiking on fishing boats and similar methods of human-assisted dispersal. Alternatively, the recorded reptiles may represent relictual populations from earlier geologic periods, when lower sea-levels supported continuous land-bridges between the islets and the mainland. These insular reptile populations require further study to establish the exact means of colonization and describe if and how they differ from mainland populations. We stress the importance of such small Mediterranean islets such as these as centers of unique biodiversity and encourage future study and conservation action aimed at them and similar islets.

Body size evolution on islands is widely studied and hotly debated. Gigantism and dwarfism are thought to evolve under strong natural selection, especially on small remote islands. We report a curious co-occurrence of both dwarf and giant lizards on the same small, remote island (Plakida): the largest Podarcis erhardii (Lacertidae) and smallest Mediodactylus kotschyi sensu lato; Gekkonidae — the two commonest insular reptiles in the Aegean Sea. The geckos of Plakida have a peculiar tail-waving behavior, documented here for the first time in this genus. We suspect that P. erhardii evolved large size to consume geckos and the geckos evolved a unique tail-waving behavior as a defensive mechanism.

Based on newly provided morphological and previously published genetic data, we describe two new distinctive sympatric lacertid lizards of the genus Eremias (subgenus Aspidorhinus) from the arid mountains of northwestern Balochistan Province, Pakistan. The new species, Eremias killasaifullahi sp. nov. and Eremias rafiqi sp. nov. are distinguished from all other species of the subgenus Aspidorhinus (E. afghanistanica, E. fahimii, E. isfahanica, E. kopetdaghica, E. lalezharica, E. montana, E. nikolskii, E. papenfussi, E. persica, E. regeli, E. roborowskii, E. strauchi, E. suphani, and E. velox) by unique morphological characters and genetic differentiation. In the molecular phylogeny of Aspidorhinus, both new taxa are well-supported lineages differentiated from other species of this subgenus by uncorrected p distances from 8.5% to 21.6%, respectively. Both new species belong to E. persica complex where E. rafiqi sp. nov. is partly similar in dorsal color pattern to E. persica but can be distinguished from this species by unique meristic and morphometric characters. Eremias rafiqi sp. nov. is found in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and eastern Iran. Eremias killasaifullahi sp. nov. can be differentiated from E. persica by its distant distribution, dorsal color and pattern, smaller size, and less number of gulars and ventral scales. Eremias killasaifullahi sp. nov. is only known from the type locality and represents the local microendemism, along with other endemic species of reptiles reported from this part of Pakistan. We, however, expect that E. killasaifullahi sp. nov. could have a broader range in northwestern Pakistan and southeastern Afghanistan, which should be an object of following investigations. Our data show that remote areas between Hindu Kush Mountains and Indus River need attention as they most probably represent possible sources of genetic and species diversity in the region.

We report the first record of Sikkim grass lizard, Takydromus sikkimensis Günther, 1888 in Nepal based on morphological characters such as the presence of four pairs of femoral pores, 12 rows of ventral scales, tail more than 3.6 times longer than snout-vent length. Our record of T. sikkimensis at Miklajung, Morang district represents the western-most observation of the species, ca. 94 km west of its type locality, Sikkim, India and is the first in Nepal for this species, genus, and family. This record is from Chure/Siwalik hill range which lies outside of Nepal’s protected area network. This species is listed as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources and warrants detailed inventory and immediate conservation interventions.

The Iberian Algyroides (Algyroides marchi) is a lacertid lizard with one of the narrowest distribution ranges in continental Europe, restricted to a minute area in the Subbaetic mountains in SE Spain. Due to specific habitat requirements, this species is considered threatened by climate change and habitat degradation. Here, an improved and time-calibrated multilocus phylogenetic analysis, combining two mitochondrial, three nuclear markers as well as a battery of 12 microsatellite loci, was performed. Moreover, ancestral changes in effective population size were determined under Approximate Bayesian Computation (ABC) analysis. In parallel, past, present and future habitat suitability was inferred using Ecological Niche Models (ENMs). The diversification of A. marchi in the Iberian Peninsula began during the Upper-Pleistocene around 0.10 Mya. However, during the Last Interglacial the species had much larger suitable habitats along NE Iberia and/or the Cantabrian region. Indeed, ABC analysis indicates that not the Last Interglacial, but instead the Last Glacial Maximum led to a population bottleneck followed by a recovery/expansion. The footprint of this complex evolutionary history is reflected today in six monophyletic lineages, with little genetic differentiation and geographic coherency. This pattern most likely arises from the climatic oscillations during the Pleistocene, leading to a complete range shift and secondary contact, with very divergent haplogroups in sympatry and exchanging genes. Finally, the ENMs predict a considerable future retraction and shift in the area suitable for the species, which should be taken into account for conservation policies.

In order to elucidate mitochondrial evolution and resolve the phylogeny of the widely distributed European green lizards (Lacerta viridis complex), we determined 16 mitochondrial genomes from a representative sampling of the four previously identified major clades corresponding to L. bilineata (western distribution range), L. viridis (most of the eastern distribution range), the unnamed Adriatic (or West Balkan) and the Turkish + south-eastern European clades. The mitogenomes were on average 17,162 bp long with a canonical vertebrate gene inventory of 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, 2 ribosomal RNA genes and a long non-coding Control Region. We detected several almost completely clade-specific insert and tandem-repeat signatures. Phylogenetic analyses using all 13 protein-coding genes as well as rRNA- and tRNA-coding sequences from a total of 20 mitogenomes inferred a resolved branching pattern of the four divergent clades. The Turkish clade is strongly supported as sister to all other members of the complex. Within the monophylum comprising the remaining clades, L viridis is sister to a clade containing L. bilineata and the Adriatic clade. Unexpectedly, one specimen of western Italy (Calambrone, Pisa) ��� which is within the distribution range of L. bilineata ��� clustered together with the Adriatic clade with high bootstrap support, calling for further research on the biogeography of the L. viridis complex. Integrating our results with those of previous studies suggest that the lineages have reached the level of distinct taxa, but to determine whether they have become fully independent lineages on the species level requires further research that tackles nuclear genomic variation of all four clades and the viability of hybrids and gene flow within putative hybrid zones.

The lowland populations of the viviparous lizard Zootoca vivipara in the Carpathian Basin occur in cold, marshy relict habitats. In one of the largest wetlands in Hungary, Kis-Balaton, in 2016 its presence was confirmed by catching an individual with a small mammal live-trap. This new record is significant, since the nearest known sites of occurrence are at great distance and it is situated between the lowland viviparous populations of the north-northeast and the oviparous populations of the south (in Croatia).

Two species of rock lizards, the parthenogenetic D. dahli and the sexually reproducing D. portschinskii, coexist in a rocky outcrop in an area of ca. 1 ha, in the vicinity of Tbilisi, Georgia; the location has been well-known since the middle 1960s. The population density of the parthenogenetic lizard is five times higher than that of the sexual breeder. We studied the distribution of active lizards in space and time over three consecutive years, during the spring and autumn activity periods, to explore spatial and temporal differences between the species on a fine spatial scale. We studied the influence of temperature, humidity, and quantitative characteristics of the surface and the distance from permanent water source on the spatial distribution of D. dahli and D. portschinskii. Darevskia portschinskii was less dependent on the distance from the water source and more evenly distributed in space and time than D. dahli. Despite potential competitive interactions, the species did not avoid each other on the microhabitat scale, suggesting that the observed ecological differences are not caused by a niche shift. More individuals of the sexual breeder than individuals of the parthenogen were found in suboptimal habitats. This feature may increase the evolutionary success of D. portschinskii in a long-term perspective.

Based on genetic and morphological evidence, Senczuk et al. (2019) formally raised the Podarcis populations from the Western Pontine Islands, previously classified as several subspecies of P. siculus, to species rank, i.e. Podarcis latastei (Bedriaga, 1879). This taxonomic change was not accepted in the checklist of the European herpetofauna by Speybroeck et al. (2020), recently published on Amphibia-Reptilia. In this note we respond to the reasons given by Speybroeck and colleagues and support the validity of Podarcis latastei as an endemic Italian species.

Tokay gecko (Gekko gecko) is a large-sized gecko from the genus of Gekko, which is most commonly found from South Asia, southern China, and Southeast Asia. In Indonesia, these species are common to inhabit human-modified habitat in Sumatera, Borneo, Java, Bali, Lesser Sundas, Sulawesi, and Moluccas. In recent years, the demand for Tokay gekko with high use-value in both national and international markets has increased, one of which is used for traditional medicine. This situation raised the concern on the decreasing of the wild population and the validity of captive breeding programs that produced a large number of individuals. Several reports had estimated millions of individuals have been exported from Indonesia either legally or illegally, however, the exact number never been reported. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the trend on the harvested Tokay gecko and its origin based on the source code information. The data were collected from government records, including specimens harvested from the wild and specimens produced from captivity during 2013 - 2018 (six years). The results showed that the legally exported specimens were sourced from wild (W) and captive breeding (C or F). The total numbers of individuals exported from the wild harvest are 97.146, and all export realization is below the wild harvest quota. However, there are the large numbers of individuals exported and declared as specimens produced from the captive breeding facilities (6.965.000 with source code F, and 1.236.000 with source code C). More importantly, the high level of specimens produced from captive breeding facilities is unlikely to match with the biological capacity of this species. Therefore, we predict that specimens labeled captive breeding were likely sourced from the wild.

This paper describes an Early Pleistocene amphibian and squamate assemblage from the Dacian Basin, southern Romania. The fossil sample allows for the identification of a moderately diverse assemblage, which includes representatives of 13 genera of the families Salamandridae (Lissotriton vulgaris, Triturus sp.), Bombinatoridae (Bombina sp.), Hylidae (Hyla aff. Hyla arborea), Bufonidae (Bufo bufo), Pelobatidae (Pelobates syriacus), Ranidae (Ranidae indet., Pelophylax sp., Rana ?temporaria, Rana sp.), Lacertidae (Lacertidae indet.), Anguidae (Pseudopus sp.), Natricidae (Natrix natrix), and Colubridae (Coronella austriaca, Zamenis longissimus). The taxonomic composition of the Early Pleistocene amphibian and squamate assemblage from Copaceni is similar to the one reported from other Romanian sites of the same age, and also to that of Recent Romanian herpetofaunas. The amphibian and squamate assemblage from Copaceni supports the existence of a permanent freshwater body, of neighbouring forests or shrubberies, and thick soil, in an Early Pleistocene climate that was warmer than the present one.

The paper provides data on the current location of the type specimens of lacertid lizard's taxa described by herpetologist Georgy F. Sukhov (1899–1942), as at July 1, 2020: Lacerta agilis tauridica Suchow, 1927 (lectotype [here designated] — ZISP No 12620, paralectotypes — ZISP No 3226, 3235, 3238, 3856, 10366в, 12230, 12231, 12520, 12619, 14110, NMNH No 2152 (14599–14600), 2163 (14621–14622), 2172 (14705–14712), 2184 (14772–14773), 2184 (14774–14777), 2188 (14872–14893), 2279 (15983–16037), 2279 (16038–16074), 2518 (16621)), Lacerta boemica Suchow, 1929 (lectotype [here designated] — ZISP No 30363, paralectotypes — ZISP No 16210, 30358-30362, 30364-30398.1, NHM No 1960.1.4.26–30, 1965.337–342, NMNO no No), Apathya cappadocica urmiana Lantz et Suchow, 1934 (holotype — ZISP No 12657b, paratypes — ZISP No 11444, 12657а, с, 12658), Lacerta princeps kurdistanica Suchow, 1936 (holotype — ZISP No 11441.1, paratypes — ZISP No 11440, 11441.2–4, 11442, 11443). According to the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (4th edition), the name Lacerta agilis caucasica Suchow, 1927 should be considered as a junior primary homonym of Lacerta caucasica Méhely, 1909, and the designation of the neotype of L. a. tauridica by Kalyabina-Hauf et al. must be rejected. The history of description of taxa as well as a list of Sukhov’s publications (12 articles published in 1927–1948) are given. Localities, collector’s names and dates of capture of the type specimens are clarified. Anderson and Šmíd et al. indicated that Eiselt restricted the type locality of L. princeps kurdistanica; this is not true.

The northernmost population of the Balkan wall lizards, Podarcis tauricus (Pallas, 1814) was recently discovered in the Czech Republic. We studied genetic variability in a mitochondrial marker cytochrome b to shed light on the origin of this remote population. We detected three unique haplotypes, close to those occurring in the populations of Podarcis tauricus from central/north Balkans and Hungary. Our data exclude the hypothesis of a single founder (a randomly or intentionally introduced pregnant female or her progeny) of the Czech population and indicate a native, autochthonous origin of the population or recent introduction/range expansion.

We investigated age structure, age at sexual maturity, lifespan, growth and survival rate and adult life expectancy (as demographic life-history traits) as well as body size of two Darevskia derjugini (Artvin lizard) populations from different altitudes, using skeletochronology. Our findings indicated that age upon attaining sexual maturity was two or three years in the low-altitude population (Fındıklı) while it was three years in the high-altitude population (Murgul) for both sexes. The maximum longevity was seven years in the high-elevation site while it was six years in the low-elevation site. As reported for many lizards, we found a significant positive relationship between age and body size within each sex of Artvin lizard at both altitudes. High- and low-altitude populations did not differ in age structure, survival rates, adult life expectancy and body size. Rather than the effect of altitude, which is hard to compare without replication of other low and high altitude populations, the fact that these two populations have similar growth rates and the similarity of local conditions (food availability and predator density) may indicate similarity between the two regions.

The Volga basin is one of the most industrially-developed regions of Russia with a high degree of anthropogenic impact on natural ecosystems. Human influence negatively affects the species diversity and number of animals, including reptiles. There are no endemic species in the reptile fauna of the Volga basin. The herpetofauna of the region makes up 25% of the reptile fauna of Russia (Dunaev and Orlova 2017). We began to study the fauna of reptiles and their distribution in the Volga basin in 1988. Although we registered 20 reptile species in the Volga basin to date, apparently this is not a complete list of species in the region (Bakiev et al. 2004, Bakiev et al. 2009a, Bakiev et al. 2015, Kirillov et al. 2020). The distribution of reptiles in this region is not fully understood. Our dataset contains information on reptile occurrences in the Volga River basin. The dataset is based on original research by the staff of the Laboratory of Herpetology and Toxinology and Laboratory of Population Ecology of the Institute of Ecology of the Volga River basin of the Russian Academy of Sciences and Joint Directorate of the Mordovia State Nature Reserve and National Park “Smolny”. A total of 5,086 occurrences of 20 species are published for the first time with georeferencing. Many of these reptiles are listed in regional Red Data Lists. The European Pond Turtle Emys orbicularis (Linnaeus, 1758) is included in the IUCN Red List with the category “Near Threatened”.

Podarcis siculus (Rafinesque-Schmaltz, 1810) or Italian wall lizard is one of the most invasive reptile-species. Recently, this lacertid lizard has been introduced to Mediterranean areas of southern Europe, South-West Asia (Turkey) and North America (USA). An abundant population of P. siculus was discovered on one of the sites of the Natural Ornithological Park in the Imeretinskaya Lowland, on an area of over 0.22 km2 (Sochi, Russia). The data were collected in the May of 2020 in a strip survey method in the Imeretinskaya Lowland. To identify the colonization area of the invader, we examined all 8 sections of the Natural Ornithological Park in the Imeretinskaya Lowland and adjacent urbanized areas. More than 150 animals were observed. These Italian wall lizards, undoubtedly, belong to the northern-central Italian morphotype (presumably P. s. campestris). This is the first record of this species in the former USSR area and, also, this is the species’ north-easternmost locality. The population inhabits secondary natural biotopes and urban area. Among them are the banks of artificial water bodies, areas with cultivated trees and shrubs, as well as parks, and house lawns in the urban area. Population density was estimated from eight to 40 specimens per 100 m of the transect. A moderate proportion of young specimens (more than a 40%) would indicate a healthy and continued growth of the emerging population. To determine the possible period of the species introduction, space images of the Imeretinskaya Lowland were analyzed beginning from the transformation of its landscape for the Winter Olympic Games of Sochi 2014 until the May of 2020. The introduction of the species presumably occurred with the delivery of large-sized ornamental trees and shrubs from Italy in 2012–2013. Podarcis siculus should be included in the list of herpetofauna of Russia and particularly of the Caucasus. This is an alien species with a proven ability to become an invasive species, what will lead to a greater undesirable and unavoidable contact with native small lizards of the genus Darevskia Arribas, 1997. On the other hand, as it is often observed with new invaders, a sudden rise in population abundance could be followed by a sharp decline. A continuous monitoring of the area in question and of the number of local Italian wall lizards is necessary to confirm or refute the assumed scenarios of further invasion of P. siculus on the Black Sea Coast of the Caucasus. Further action plans for this population should be developed depending on supposed future trends.

The adult skeletons of lacertid lizards Phoenicolacerta laevis and P. cyanisparsa are described based on cleared-and-stained specimens. In comparison with each lacertid species, there are remarkable differences in both cranial and postcranial bones. These are the shape of some cranial bones such as the premaxilla, nasal, quadrate, squamosal, jugal and dentary and the shape of the ischium and ischio-pubis opening and the number of the last presacral vertebrae with small ribs for the postcranial skeletal elements. These detailed descriptions provide as a model to compare lacertid lizards and contribute to understand squamate osteology for further studies.

Digit ratio is a morphological feature regarded as a biomarker of the balance of sex hormones during early development. The exposure of embryos to a set of sex hormones and the mutual relations between those hormones cause the emergence of individual morphological and/or behavioural characteristics as well as differences between sexes. We have thus hypothesised that differences in one of these morphological traits-digit ratio-may be a proxy representing a tendency towards tail autotomy. The aim of this study is to investigate the digit ratio (2D:3D, 2D:4D, 3D:4D) of the sand lizard, Lacerta agilis, Lacertidae, a species characterised by well-developed sexual dimorphism, whereby females are larger than males. We also tested associations between patterns in digit ratio and caudal autotomy, a common defensive mechanism among lizards. To our knowledge, the relationship between a tendency towards autotomy and digit ratio pattern has never been researched. To date, studies on autotomy have mainly focused on the consequences, costs or evolutionary background of tail loss. Hence, researchers examined mostly the frequency of autotomy in the context of predatory pressure or habitat conditions, omitting an individual's behavioural tendency to shed its tail. However, behavioural traits can affect an individual's exposure to predator attack and consequently the need to use an anti-predator strategy. Thus, following this logic, dropping the tail may be the result of the lizard's intraspecific personality characteristics, resulting from the effect of hormones on behaviour or innate traits. Therefore, we suggest that the inclusion of autotomy as a factor explaining observed digit ratio patterns and their variability between taxa has great potential. We used computerised measurements of photographed limbs to determine the length of digits. We found that the digit ratios for all four limbs were significantly lower in females than in males, excluding the 3D:4D ratio for the right hindlimbs. Therefore, the results confirmed the pattern already observed for most lizards. The novel element in our study is the detection of the relationship between a tendency towards caudal autotomy and digit ratio. Individuals with a tendency towards autotomy have a higher 2D:4D ratio in the right forelimbs and a lower 2D:3D ratio in the right hindlimbs. Obtained results suggest that these morphological characteristics are most likely related to intraspecific differences (between bold and shy individuals) which consequently may determine an individual's reaction or susceptibility to be a prey and escape behaviour. Thus, our results are probably the first attempt to link digit ratio to the susceptibility of lizards to tail autotomy.

The Scaled Sandveld Lizard Nucras scalaris Laurent, 1964 is a poorly known lacertid endemic to north-eastern Angola and is only known from the type series collected more than half a century ago. The original description provided a comprehensive morphological description, but there was a lack of information regarding its evolutionary relationships and habitat associations. A recent discovery of N. scalaris from Cusseque, Bié Province, on the central Angolan plateau provided the opportunity to address some knowledge gaps of this species. A phylogenetic analysis confirmed its distinctiveness at the species level. Despite a limited dataset, the analysis suggests that N. scalaris is sister to N. broadleyi rather than N. lalandii, the latter having been assumed to be the sister species, because of morphological similarity between them. The new record of N. scalaris represents a range extension of more than 350 km to the southwest and extends the elevation range to 1 570 m above sea level, compared to previous known localities at about 1 300 m above sea level (Alto Cuílo and Alto Chicapa, in Lunda Sul Province). The specimen also provides new information on live coloration, as well as the habitat association of grassy shrubland that is dominated by geoxylic suffrutices (the so-called ‘underground forests’) characteristic of the Angolan Miombo Woodlands. This new information raises the question whether poor survey data have led to an under-estimation of faunal diversity in this peculiar and overlooked vegetation type, and reinforces the need for further surveys which could highlight the importance of this habitat.

Aims: To characterize the genetic and morphological diversification of the endangered Balearic lizard Podarcis lilfordi and to assess the relevance of this diversity, and how it is described, to conservation measures.\ud Location: This study covers all the populations of the Balearic lizard, Podarcis lilfordi, present in its range of distribution at coastal islets of Menorca, Mallorca and Cabrera Archipelago.\ud Methods: We analysed genetic and morphological variation across the 43 known extant populations of the Balearic lizard, using mitochondrial and nuclear markers. We examined morphometric and scalation characters using, in some cases, phylogenetically independent contrasts. We also incorporated the study of dorsal coloration and dorsal colour pattern including the analysis of melanism in several populations.\ud Results: We detected clear genetic divergence between Menorcan populations and populations from Mallorca and Cabrera, in both nuclear and mtDNA markers, but genetic divergence is relatively low among different insular populations within these groups. In contrast, morphological divergence was substantial both between Menorcan and remaining populations and within these groups. Morphological traits, such as dorsal coloration, body size and the number and size of scales, seemed to be linked with differences in climatic conditions between populations. In addition, some traits, as melanism, showed a strong phylogenetic signal.\ud Main conclusions: The morphological and genetic diversity of the Balearic lizard is incongruent with the subspecies described in the classical taxonomic literature. Moreover, current populations differ not only in some genetic and morphological features, but also in several ecological and ethological characteristics, in many cases unique to one population. Based on our results, we propose abandoning the use of subspecies to describe the extraordinary morphological diversity of the Balearic lizard and its replacement with the concept of evolutionary significant units (ESUs). ESUs are particularly suitable to describe and recognize such diversity and, especially, to ensure the continuity of the evolutionary process.

Identification of extremely high levels of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence divergence within reptiles from North Africa is commonplace. This high divergence often compares with interspecific levels among widely accepted species, leading to the hypothesis of the occurrence of species complexes. Indeed, in many examples, data from nuclear markers support such taxonomic recognition. Such is the case of two recently recognized ocellated lizard species of the genus Timon, T. nevadensis, from Spain, and T. kurdistanicus, from the Middle East, which both showed notable genetic differentiation from their sister taxa. In North Africa, highly divergent mtDNA lineages of Timon tangitanus were previously identified but not corroborated with nuclear markers. Here we expand geographic sampling across the range of Timon tangitanus and complement mtDNA sequences with data from nuclear markers (MC1R and ACM4). We identify four divergent mtDNA lineages, at a level similar to some reptile species. However, the nuclear markers show limited differentiation and lack of lineage sorting. This and some other recent assessments within reptiles discourage the use of mtDNA data alone as a proxy for taxonomic units, demonstrating once more the need for integrative taxonomic approaches.

The phylogenetic relationships and possible origin of a putative non-native population of Podarcis muralis in Ukraine were assessed based on sequences of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome b. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the Ukrainian lizards belong to two distinct mitochondrial lineages (haplogroups), both occurring within the Central Balkan clade, which includes most of central and south-eastern European populations. From overall three detected Ukrainian haplotypes, one haplotype share same genetic signal with the hyplotype from the locality Bjala (Bulgaria), the other two are unique for Ukrainian population. Two of haplotypes correspond with haplogroup covering large geographic region of Bulgaria, Serbia, and Romania. These results reinforce previous findings that the species has the ability to establish new populations out of its native range. While most introductions to Germany and Britain have been deliberate, it appears likely that human transport of goods via the Danube river of goods is responsible for the range expansion into Ukraine.

Lacertid lizards use chemical cues emitted by saurophagous snakes to evade predation. Whether these lizards can detect and respond to the chemical cues of predatory mammals has not been studied. As many mammals carry distinct body odours and/or use chemical cues for intraspecific communication, lizards can be expected to use these chemicals as early warning cues. To test this idea, we observed the behaviour of Asian grass lizards (Takydromus sexlineatus) that had been transferred to an unfamiliar test arena containing one of four scent treatments. No particular scent was applied to the arena in the control situation. Diluted aftershave served as a pungency control. In the snake treatment, scent of the Oriental whip snake (Ahaetulla prasina) was applied. We included this treatment to learn how Asian grass lizards react to predator chemical cues. Finally, in the mongoose treatment, the lizards were confronted with scent cues of several small Indian mongooses (Herpestes auropunctatus). Snake scent elicited foot shakes, startles and tail vibrations. These are behaviours that in lacertid lizards are associated with stressful situations such as predatory encounters. Surprisingly, lizards confronted with mongoose scent exhibited none of these stress-indicating behaviours. In fact, their behaviour did not differ from that of lizards subjected to an odourless control treatment. These results raise concern. Mongooses are rapidly invading ecosystems worldwide. If lizards that have co-evolved with mongooses are unable to detect these predators' presence through chemical cues, it seems highly unlikely that evolutionary naive lizards will develop this ability rapidly.

Two satellite DNAs (satDNAs) have been isolated and characterized from three populations of Atlantolacerta andreanskyi. One satDNA (AAN-TaqI) has been isolated here from the first time. It is characterized by a tendency to AT enrichment (AT = 54.2%) and monomer length ranging from 187 to 199 bp. FISH experiments showed that this element occurs in subterminal position on the short arms of all chromosomes of the complement. The analyses of genetic variability of AAN-TaqI showed that the concerted evolution is acting effectively on these repeats that form separate clusters consistent with the geographic origin in the phylogenetic tree, thus supporting the hypothesis that A. andreanskyi would be a species complex. In addition, in the population from Jbel Aoulime this satDNA is already differentiated into two subfamilies. The other satDNA belongs to the family of IMO-TaqI already isolated in other lacertids. Differently from AAN-TaqI, concerted evolution does not seem to act effectively on this element that is not differentiated between populations. These results confirm that IMO-TaqI (AT = 53.4%) is conserved in both chromosomal position and most of its sequence in the lacertids from which it has been characterized so far. Its remarkable evolutionary conservation for about 45 million years could indicate that this satDNA may have a functional role that future investigations could unveil. Once again, this study shows how satDNAs coexisting in the same genome may differ in their evolutionary pattern, even though the reasons underlying this phenomenon in the species here studied have still to be fully understood.

Results of chromosomal and molecular studies of the lizard Zootoca vivipara (Lichtenstein, 1823) (Lacertidae) from many geographically separate populations of Europe and Asia have been generalized. The questions of ka­ryotype differences within the species, of diversity of its Zw and multiple Z1Z2W sex chromosome, their reorganizations and evolutionary consequences have been briefly considered. Stability of forming karyotypes is as an integrating factor which allow to identify the specimens and unite them into the groups possessing the distinct distribution areas. There are a correlation between chromosomal, mt DNA and nuclear DNA data. Finally all data obtained allow to draw a conclusion that Z. vivipara represents a cryptic group of cryptic taxa. Besides new data about the behavior of multiple sex chromosomes (SC, synaptonemal complexes) in early meiosis and molecular-cytogenetic data on transposable elements (TE) in the genome of Z. vivipara, their localization in the definite regions of chromosomes may suggest that they play a role in active speciation process by formation of cryptic taxa.

The origin of the common wall lizards (Podarcis muralis) populations in south-eastern Europe (namely in Bulgaria and Romania), representing the north-eastern range border of this species, was addressed using mitochondrial DNA. We compared cytochrome b sequences from Bulgaria and Romania with those from the contiguous range in Central Europe that are available from previous studies. We recorded five main haplogroups in Bulgaria and Romania, belonging to the Central Balkan clade. However, haplogroup III was recorded in more localities than previously found. Additionally, signs of haplotype admixture were identified in several populations along the Danube River. The presence of the Southern Alps haplotype in one population from Otopeni, Bucharest (Romania) and its close phylogenetic relationships to north Italy populations suggests human-mediated introductions of this wall lizard clade in Romania. Our results confirm that P. muralis can have non-native lineages and admixture through active human-mediated transport.

The knowledge of a species’ spatial ecology is essential for its conservation as it helps to implement targeted protection measures to suitable habitats. In 2011 and 2013, two French populations of ocellated lizards Timon lepidus were monitored through very high frequency (VHF) radio telemetry in two distinct Mediterranean habitats: a 77 ha scrubland (n = 8) and a 1590 ha semi-arid steppe (n = 11) corresponding to a heterogeneous and homogeneous habitat respectively. The variability in spatial estimates for the seasonal habitat use of the ocellated lizard was compared within the two sites using the Autocorrelated Kernel Density Estimation (AKDE). Recursive movement patterns and spatial repartition of shelters were further assessed to study the habitat influence on the species’ space use. No significant differences between sexes or sites were identified in the computed AKDE ranges. This inter-site approach demonstrated higher shelter revisits in core-areas than in the rest of estimated home ranges for both sites. A higher shelter density was observed in the core areas of the lizards than in the rest of their home-ranges for the Mediterranean scrubland but not for the semi-arid steppe. Such findings might attest to the species’ adaptive capabilities within two distinct Mediterranean ecosystems.

Generally, the species is considered to be the only naturally occurring taxon. However, species recognized and defined using different species delimitation criteria cannot readily be compared, impacting studies of biodiversity through Deep Time. This comparability issue is particularly marked when comparing extant with extinct species because the only available data for species delimitation in fossils are derived from their preserved morphology, which is generally restricted to osteology in vertebrates. Here, we quantify intraspecific, intrageneric, and intergeneric osteological variability in extant species of lacertid lizards using pairwise dissimilarity scores based on a data set of 253 discrete osteological characters for 99 specimens referred to 24 species. Variability is always significantly lower intraspecifically than between individuals belonging to distinct species of a single genus, which is in turn significantly lower than intergeneric variability. Average values of intraspecific variability and associated standard deviations are consistent (with few exceptions), with an overall average within a species of 0.208 changes per character scored. Application of the same methods to six extinct lacertid species (represented by 40 fossil specimens) revealed that intraspecific osteological variability is inconsistent, which can at least in part be attributed to different researchers having unequal expectations of the skeletal dissimilarity within species units. Such a divergent interpretation of intraspecific and interspecific variability among extant and extinct species reinforces the incomparability of the species unit. Lacertidae is an example where extant species recognized and defined based on a number of delimitation criteria show comparable and consistent intraspecific osteological variability. Here, as well as in equivalent cases, application of those skeletal dissimilarity values to paleontological species delimitation potentially provides a way to ameliorate inconsistencies created by the use of morphology to define species. [Intraspecific variation; Lacertidae; morphological disparity; osteology; species delimitation; taxonomic bias.]

Darevskia rudis (Bedriaga, 1886) and D. bithynica (Mehely, 1909) are morphologically different species, but they are phylogenetically same species in the D. rudis complex. These species are distributed in northern of Turkey. In the present study, we have evaluated taxonomic status of D. rudis and D. bithynica using ecological niche differentiation. All occurrence data of these species were used to predict and evaluate the suitable areas where they may be expected to be found in Turkey. In order to compare their ecological niches and explain ecological differentiation, niche similarity tests (niche identity and background tests) and point-based analyses were performed. According to results of ecological niche modeling, we found niche differentiation between D. rudis and D bithynica. Ecological niches for the two species differentiated along environmental variables, as precipitation of driest quarter for the two species were most important in determining habitat suitability. This factor is important in niche differentiation between the two species. Finally, our results confirmed the niche differentiation between D. rudis and D. bithynica and added new insights into the taxonomic distinction between D. rudis and D. bithynica that they are two species.

Francisco Newton’s zoological expedition to Angola undertaken between 1903 and 1906 is one of the least studied of the naturalist’s life. Only three major papers regarding the herpetofauna collected in this expedition have been published, and a significant part of the specimens remains unstudied since the 1900’s. Here we review the extant herpetological specimens of this expedition, present an updated taxonomic revision, and provide new insights on their taxonomic status. The extant collection is constituted by 329 specimens (155 amphibians and 174 reptiles), corresponding to 73 species, 39 genera and 22 families, and it is presently housed in the Museu de História Natural e da Ciência da Universidade do Porto (MHNC-UP).

Squamate reptiles rely on the vomeronasal organ for chemoperception of their environment. This organ functionally associates with several structures, such as the nasolacrimal duct and choanal groove, which are morphologically diverse among species. In this study, we investigated the morphological characteristics and embryogenesis of the vomeronasal organ and its associated structures in the Japanese Grass Lizard (Takydromus tachydromoides). Separation of the complex of the nasolacrimal duct from the vomeronasal organ was observed in this species, a characteristic morphological feature among squamates. Additionally, we integrated the morphological characteristics of the vomeronasal organ and associated structures among squamates, focusing on topological relationships among the structures. The parsimony and likelihood methods for ancestral state reconstruction suggested the parallelism of several morphological characteristics during the evolutionary history of squamates: loss or reduction of the choanal groove, fusion between the nasolacrimal duct and choanal groove, and separation of the nasolacrimal duct from the vomeronasal organ.

The locality of El Salt (Alcoi, Spain) is a key site for understanding the extirpation of Neanderthals in the eastern part of Iberia. In this paper, we analyse an assemblage of amphibians and reptiles from Stratigraphic Unit V (45.2 ± 3.4 ka to 44.7 ± 3.4 ka), which corresponds to one of the last regional records of Neanderthals, to improve knowledge of the palaeoecology and palaeoclimate of this event. The assemblage comprises three anurans (Pelodytes sp., Alytes obstetricans, and Epidalea calamita), two lizards (Lacertidae indet. and Chalcides bedriagai), and five snakes (Colubridae indet., Coronella sp., Coronella sp./Zamenis sp., Natrix maura, and Vipera latastei). Palaeoclimatic reconstruction, based on the Mutual Ecogeographic Range method, indicates that climate was cooler and slightly wetter climate than the present day climate of the Alcoi area. Applying the Habitat Weighting Method, we infer that the area surrounding El Salt was dominated by open dry regions, alternating with rocky areas with scarce scrubs and forest patches that would have developed under mesomediterranean conditions. These results are not entirely consistent with those obtained with other proxies (charcoal and small mammal assemblages) from the same site, which suggest slightly warmer and drier conditions. We hypothesise that these divergences may be partly related to the current wide distribution of reptiles and amphibians across Iberia. A key finding is that the extirpation of the Neanderthals in Iberia coincided with aridification. Fil: Marquina Blasco, Rafael. Universidad de Valencia; España. Museu Valencià D’història Natural; España Fil: Fagoaga, Ana. Universidad de Valencia; España. Museu Valencià D’història Natural; España Fil: Crespo Roures, Vicente Daniel. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Paleontología Vertebrados; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; Argentina. Museo Paleontológico de Alpuente; España Fil: Bailon, Salvador. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; Francia. Histoire naturelle de l’Homme prehistorique; Francia Fil: Mallol, Carolina. Universidad de La Laguna; España Fil: Hernández, Cristo M.. Universidad de La Laguna; España Fil: Galván, Bertila. Universidad de La Laguna; España Fil: Ruiz Sánchez, Francisco Javier. Universidad de Valencia; España. Museu Valencià D’història Natural; España. Universidad Estatal Península de Santa Elena; Ecuador

A small but growing population of the Dalmatian Algyroides (Algyroides nigropunctatus) was found in a suburb of Athens (Greece), a long way from the species’ known range. This apparently introduced population increases the number of new lizard species documented in the Athens metropolitan area during the past few years.

Although most plants depend on different animals for pollination and seed dispersal, sometimes the same animal species provides both functions, being thus involved in what has been termed a ‘double mutualism’. Very little is known on the effectiveness of such species as both pollinators and seed dispersers, and even less on the intraspecific level differences at the contribution of an animal mutualist to plant fitness. In this study, we focused on the interaction between a Mediterranean shrub Cneorum tricoccon (Rutaceae) and the Balearic lizard Podarcis lilfordi (Lacertidae) in order to assess: 1) the role of this lizard as a legitimate pollinator of the plant (previously thought to be exclusively insect‐pollinated), and 2) the intraspecific variation in the use of flowers and fruits by lizard individuals, comparing males, females and juveniles. We further evaluated whether lizards show different fruit size selection depending on sex and age, with potential consequences for seed germination. Lizards visited more flowers and selected more hermaphrodite flowers than insects did, leading to relative increases in both fruit and seed set. Interestingly, female and juvenile lizards were the main flower visitors, whereas males were the main fruit consumers. Males selected the largest fruits (bearing the largest seeds) though this did not increase seed germination, which was only ca 15%. We concluded that P. lilfordi acts as a legitimate pollinator of C. tricoccon and, thus, confirm that this system constitutes a new case of double mutualism, especially common in island compared to mainland systems. Moreover, our findings show a large variation among conspecific individuals in their role as either pollinators or seed dispersers, with potential implications for plant reproductive success. Our study, therefore, highlights the importance of evaluating plant–animal interactions at the intraspecific level, and calls for more in‐depth studies on the consequences of such intraspecific variation., This work is framed within projects CGL2013‐44386‐P and CGL2017‐88122‐P, and FF is funded by a PhD fellowship (BES‐2014‐068207), all financed by the Spanish Government.

The early middle Miocene (MN 5) lizards from the East Siberian Tagay locality (Baikal Lake, Russia) in Asia are described here. The lizard fauna consists of two clades, Lacertidae and Scincidae. The skink material is allocated to Chalcides. While this taxon was previously reported from Europe, it has rarely been observed in the Neogene record with only jaw fragments and frontal bones described. Its taxonomy was therefore enigmatic. The Tagay material is almost identical to the European fossils of Chalcides from Austria and Hungary, but it also contains the parietal bone. While the material is also similar to the extant Ch. ocellatus, it exhibits several morphological differences. A new species is therefore erected-Chalcides augei sp. nov. These findings further support the connection of the Baikal Lake area with central Europe during the first half of the Miocene. The comparative anatomy of the frontals, parietals and lower jaws was evaluated by micro-CT in selected skink taxa. This comparison highlights several important differences, for example, paired frontals are present in Broadleysaurus (an outgroup taxon), in Acontias and all studied members of Scincidae herein. The character optimization in Mesquite supports fused frontals as being the condition at the basal node of the Ateuchosauridae + Sphenomorphidae + Eugongylidae + Lygosomidae + Egerniidae + Mabuyidae clade. While the parapineal foramen is restricted to the parietal in most taxa studied herein, it is absent (or vestigial) in Acontias and Feylinia. In contrast to all other skinks, this foramen is located on the frontal in Ateuchosaurus chinensis. Anat Rec, 2019. © 2019 American Association for Anatomy Anat Rec, 303:1901-1934, 2020. © 2019 American Association for Anatomy.