title: Additions to Philippine Slender Skinks of the Brachymeles bonitae Complex (Reptilia: Squamata: Scincidae) I: a new species from Lubang Island.
abstract: A new species of slender skink is described from the Philippines. The species is endemic to Lubang Island, and is assigned to the Brachymeles bonitae Complex based on phenotypic and genetic data. Specimens were collected from Lubang Island between 1991 and 2012, and were examined based on morphological data (qualitative traits, meristic counts, and mensural measurements). Published genetic sequence data from phylogenetic studies of the genus reveal the new species to be highly divergent from congeners. Brachymeles ligtas sp. nov. is differentiated from other members of the genus based on a number of distinct morphological features, including small body size (SVL 60.7-79.6 mm), bidactyl fore-limbs, digitless hind limbs, high number of presacral vertebrae (50), and the absence of auricular openings. Additionally, the new species has diagnostic, distinct dorsal head scale patterns. This new species becomes the only member of the genus known to occur on the deep-ocean island of Lubang.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, 730 Van Vleet Oval, Norman, OK 73019, USA.; Email: unknown.
authors.forename: Aaron D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Geheber
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of South Dakota, 414 East Clark Street, Vermillion, SD 57069, USA; Email: drew.davis@usd.edu.
authors.forename: Drew R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.affiliation: Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, University of Oklahoma, 2401 Chautauqua Avenue, Norman, OK 73072, USA.; Email: jwatters@ou.edu.
authors.forename: Jessa L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Watters
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, 730 Van Vleet Oval, Norman, OK 73019, USA.; Email: unknown.
authors.forename: Michelle L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Penrod
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, UK.; Email: kate.feller@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Kathryn D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Feller
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, 730 Van Vleet Oval, Norman, OK 73019, USA.; Email: conner.s.davey-1@ou.edu.
authors.forename: Conner S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Davey
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, 730 Van Vleet Oval, Norman, OK 73019, USA.; Email: elyse.d.ellsworth-1@ou.edu.
authors.forename: Elyse D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Ellsworth
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, 730 Van Vleet Oval, Norman, OK 73019, USA.; Email: rachelflanagan73@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Rachel L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Flanagan
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, 730 Van Vleet Oval, Norman, OK 73019, USA.; Email: bheitz@ou.edu.
authors.forename: Brendan B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Heitz
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, 730 Van Vleet Oval, Norman, OK 73019, USA.; Email: tana.m.moore-1@ou.edu.
authors.forename: Tana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, 730 Van Vleet Oval, Norman, OK 73019, USA.; Email: marie.d.nguyen-1@ou.edu.
authors.forename: Marie D C
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, 730 Van Vleet Oval, Norman, OK 73019, USA.; Email: austyn.m.roberts-1@ou.edu.
authors.forename: Austyn
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, 730 Van Vleet Oval, Norman, OK 73019, USA.; Email: john.d.sutton-1@ou.edu.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sutton
authors.affiliation: Father Saturnino Urios University, San Francisco St., 8600 Butuan City, Philippines.; Email: tess.b.sanguila@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Marites B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Sanguila
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.; Email: cwlinkem@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Charles W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Linkem
authors.affiliation: Biodiversity Institute and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, 1345 Jayhawk Boulevard, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA.; Email: rafe@ku.edu.
authors.forename: Rafe M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, 730 Van Vleet Oval, Norman, OK 73019, USA. Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, University of Oklahoma, 2401 Chautauqua Avenue, Norman, OK 73072, USA.; Email: drew.davis@usd.edu.
authors.forename: Cameron D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Siler
mesh_terms: D063147:Animal Distribution; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D008116:Lizards / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000145:classification* / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D010679:Philippines; D013045:Species Specificity