Genus:

Ichnotropis PETERS, 1854

Species (5):

Ichnotropis bivittata  BOCAGE, 1866

Ichnotropis capensis  (A. SMITH, 1838)

Ichnotropis chapini  SCHMIDT, 1919

Ichnotropis grandiceps  BROADLEY, 1967

Ichnotropis microlepidota  MARX, 1956

Species Typica:

Ichnotropis capensis  (A. SMITH, 1838)

Taxonomic notes:

Die Gattung enthält einige dubiose Arten. Die Hälfte der `Arten` wurde seit ihrer Erstbeschreibung nicht mehr aufgefunden. I. tanganicana vom `Ostufer des Tanganyika-Sees`, nach einem Jungtier beschrieben und seither (seit etwa 100 Jahren) nicht mehr bestätigt, wird in dieser Liste ganz weggelassen.

WERNER MAYER, 2015

Relevant taxonomic literature:

• Peters, W.C.H. (1854) -  Diagnosen neuer Batrachier, welche zusammen mit der früher (24. Juli und 17. August) gegebenen Übersicht der Schlangen und Eidechsen mitgetheilt werden. -  Bericht über die zur Bekanntmachung geeigneten Verhandlungen der Königlichen Preussische Akademie des Wissenschaften zu Berlin, 1854: 614-628.  

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• Laurent, R.F. (1964) -  Ichnotropis -  In: Reptiles et batraciens de l`Angola (troisième note). Companhia de Diamantes de Angola (Diamang), Serviços Culturais, Museu do Dundo (Angola), 67: 61-65.  

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• Edwards, S. & Branch, W.R. & Vanhooydonck, B. & Herrel, A. & Measey, G.J. & Tolley, K.A. (2013) -  Taxonomic adjustments in the systematics of the southern African lacertid lizards (Sauria: Lacertidae) -  Zootaxa, 3669 (2): 101–114.    

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  Molecular phylogenetic analyses of southern African lacertid lizards (Eremiadini) using mitochondrial and nuclear markers revealed two examples of generic assignments incompatible with monophyletic clades. Australolacerta Arnold 1989, a genus endemic to South Africa and to which two isolated species have been referred, is paraphyletic at the generic level. In addition, the species Ichnotropis squamulosa Peters 1854 was found to be embedded within the genus Meroles. To resolve the paraphyly in Australolacerta we erect a new genus, Vhembelacerta Edwards, Branch, Herrel, Vanhooydonck, Measey, & Tolley, gen. nov., to accommodate Lacerta rupicola FitzSimons 1933. To maintain a monophyletic Ichnotropis Peters 1854, Ichnotropis squamulosa Peters 1854 is transferred to Meroles Gray 1838, now named Meroles squamulosus comb. nov. Where necessary the genera affected by these actions are re-characterized.

• Engleder, A. & Haring, E. & Kirchhof, S. & Mayer, W. (2013) -  Multiple nuclear and mitochondrial DNA sequences provide new insights into the phylogeny of South African Lacertids (Lacertidae, Eremiadinae). -  Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research, Berlin, 51 (2): 132-143.    

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  Eremiadinae, one of three subfamilies of Lacertidae, are distributed throughout Asia and Africa. Previous phylogenetic studies suggested that one of the main groups of Eremiadinae (the Ethiopian clade) consist of two clades with predominately East-African and South-African distribution. Yet, especially the latter one, which includes the genera Pedioplanis, Meroles, Ichnotropis, Tropidosaura and Australolacerta, was not well supported in the molecular phylogenetic analysis. In this study, we analysed the phylogenetic relationships among the genera of the ‘South African clade’ to assess whether this group actually forms a highly supported clade and to address questions concerning the monophyly of the genera. We sequenced sections of the widely used mitochondrial genes coding for 16S rRNA, 12S rRNA and cytochrome b (altogether 2045 bp) as well as the nuclear genes c-mos, RAG-1, PRLR, KIF24, EXPH5 and RAG-2 (altogether 4473 bp). The combined data set increased the support values for several nodes considerably. Yet, the relationships among five major lineages within the ‘South African clade’ are not clearly resolved even with this large data set. We interpret this as a ‘hard polytomy’ due to fast radiation within the South African lacertids. The combined tree based on nine marker genes provides strong support for the ‘South African Clade’ and its sister group relationship with the ‘East African Clade’. Our results confirm the genus Tropidosaura as a monophylum, while Ichnotropis is paraphyletic in our trees: Ichnotropis squamulosa appears more closely related to Meroles than to Ichnotropis capensis. Furthermore, the monophyly of Meroles is questionable as well. Based on our results, I. squamulosa should be transferred from Ichnotropis into the genus Meroles. Also, the two species of Australolacerta (A. australis and A. rupicola) are very distantly related and the genus is perhaps paraphyletic, too. Finally we propose a phylogeographical scenario in the context of palaeoclimatic data and compare it with a previously postulated hypothesis.

• Berg, M.P. van den (2017) -  An annotated bibliographic history of Ichnotropis PETERS, 1854 (Reptilia, Lacertidae) with remarks on the validity of some of the including species. -  L@CERTIDAE, 2017 [4]: 60-138.    

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  Today Ichnotropis is still a poorly understood genus. This is an attempt to initialize some change herein, by providing an extensive bibliographic history of the genus, together with some remarks on the described taxa. Necessary future research is suggested.