A New Subspecies of the Agamid Lizard, Japalura polygonata (Hallowell, 1861) (Reptilia: Squamata), from Yonagunijima Island of the Yaeyama Group, Ryukyu Archipelago

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Japalura polygonata, occurring in the East Asian islands, is currently divided into three subspecies-J. p. polygonata from the Amami and Okinawa Groups of the central Ryukyus, J. p. ishigakiensis from the Miyako and Yaeyama Groups of the southern Ryukyus, and J. p. xanthostoma from northern Taiwan. A new subspecies is described for this species from Yonagunijima Island of the Yaeyama Group. This subspecies differs from other conspecific subspecies in having distinctly enlarged and irregularly arranged scales on the dorsolateral surface of the body. In other subspecies, the degree of enlargement of such scales is smaller, and they usually form somewhat regular rows in a transverse direction on the flanks, and in a longitudinal direction in the paravertebral region. Males of the present subspecies differ from those of other subspecies in having a series of large white spots against a dark grayish tan on the dorsolateral surface of the body, whereas the females are characterized by brilliant green dorsal coloration.
日本爬虫両棲類学会の論文