Janetaescincus
Janetaescincus is a genus of burrowing skinks (family Scincidae) endemic to the Seychelles.
| Janetaescincus | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Family: | Scincidae |
| Subfamily: | Scincinae |
| Genus: | Janetaescincus Greer, 1970 |
| Species | |
|
Two, see text. | |
Etymology
The generic name, Janetaescincus, is in honor of Janet Greer, who is the younger of the two sisters of Australian herpetologist Allen E. Greer.[1]
Taxonomy
The genus Janetaescincus is usually placed in the subfamily Scincinae, which seems to be paraphyletic however. Probably quite close to Pamelaescincus gardineri, the genus Janetaescincus belongs to a major clade which does not seem to include the type genus Scincus. Thus, Janetaescincus will probably be eventually assigned to a new, yet-to-be-named subfamily. (Austin & Arnold 2006)
Species
Two species are recognized as being valid.[2]
- Janetaescincus braueri (Boettger, 1896)
- Janetaescincus veseyfitzgeraldi (Parker, 1947)
Nota bene: A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Janetaescincus.
References
- Beolens, B.; Watkins, M.; and Grayson, M. (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Genus Janetaescincus, p. 133).
- "Janetaescincus ". The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
Further reading
- Austin, J.J. & Arnold, E.N. (2006). Using ancient and recent DNA to explore relationships of extinct and endangered Leiolopisma skinks (Reptilia: Scincidae) in the Mascarene islands. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 39 (2): 503–511. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2005.12.011 (HTML abstract)
- Greer, A.E. (1970). The Systematics and Evolution of the Subsaharan Africa, Seychelles, and Mauritius Scincine Scincid Lizards. Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., Harvard College 140 (1): 1-24. (Janetaescincus, new genus, p. 18).