The family Gymnophthalmidae is one of the most speciose lineages of lizards in the Neotropical region. Despite recent phylogenetic studies, the species diversity of this family is unknown and thus, its phylogenetic relationships remain unclear and its taxonomy unstable. We analyzed four mitochondrial
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The family Gymnophthalmidae is one of the most speciose lineages of lizards in the Neotropical region. Despite recent phylogenetic studies, the species diversity of this family is unknown and thus, its phylogenetic relationships remain unclear and its taxonomy unstable. We analyzed four mitochondrial (12S, 16S, Cytb, ND4) and one nuclear (c-mos) DNA sequences of
Pholidobolus anomalus,
Cercosaura manicata boliviana and
Cercosaura sp., using the maximum likelihood method to give insights into the phylogenetic relationships of these taxa within Cercosaurinae. Our results suggest that
Pholidolus anomalus is nested within the clade of
Cercosaura spp., that material we collected near Oxapampa belongs to a new species of
Cercosaura, and that lizards identified as
Cercosaura manicata boliviana belong to a separate lineage, possibly a new genus. We assign
Pholidobolus anomalus to
Cercosaura, redescribe the species, and designate a neotype to replace the lost holotype. In addition, we describe the new species of
Cercosaura, and comment about the taxonomic status of “
Cercosaura manicata boliviana”incertae sedis.
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