Species:

Teira perspicillata  (DUMÉRIL & BIBRON, 1839)

Subspecies (3):

Teira perspicillata perspicillata  (DUMÉRIL & BIBRON, 1839)

Teira perspicillata chabanaudi  (WERNER, 1931)

Teira perspicillata pellegrini  (WERNER, 1929)

Synonyms:

Teira perspicillata  DUMÉRIL & BIBRON, 1839

Lacerta perspicillata  DUMÉRIL & BIBRON, 1839

Podarcis perspicillata  ARNOLD, 1973

Scelarcis perspicillata  ARNOLD et al., 2007

Teira perspicillata  PAVLICEV & MAYER, 2009

Common names:

Moroccan Rock Lizard (English)
Brilleneidechse (German)
Lagartija de Marruecos (Spanish)

Types:

perspicillata: Holotype: MNHN-RA 2749

chabanaudi: Syntypes: NMW 16225, female; NMW 11153, female, MCZ 29981

pellegrini: Holotype: MCZ R 27390 (29983 in catalogue); Syntype: NMW 11154; paratype: MNHN

Terra Typica:

perspicillata: `Algier`.

chabanaudi: Taza, Morocco.

pellegrini: Sefrou near Fez, Morocco.

Taxonomic notes:

Die 3 heute anerkannten Unterarten, ursprünglich als Färbungsvarietäten betrachtet, sind klar durch Größe, Färbung und Zeichnung zu unterscheiden. Zwei von ihnen wurden sogar syntop gefunden, sodass die Vermutung nahe lag, dass es sich um tatsächlich verschiedene Arten handelt (HARRIS et al., 2003). Doch zeigten Untersuchungen der mitochondrialen DNA, dass die Verbreitungsmuster der drei Formen nicht mit dem geografischen Muster der DNA-Gruppen übereinstimmen (PERERA et al., 2007). Daher führen wir vorläufig die drei Formen weiter als Unterarten.

WERNER MAYER, 2015

Relevant taxonomic literature:

• Duméril, A.M.C. & Bibron, G. (1839) -  Description Teira (Scalarcis) p. perspicillata. -  In: Erpétologie Générale on Histoire Naturelle Complète des Reptiles. Vol.5. Roret/Fain et Thunot, Paris, p. 249.   

  ×

• Harris, D.J. & Carretero, M.A. & Perera, A. & Pérez-Mellado, V. & Ferrand, N. (2003) -  Complex patterns of genetic diversity within Lacerta (Teira) perspicillata: Preliminary evidence from 12S rRNA sequence data. -  Amphibia-Reptilia, 24 (3): 386-390.    

  ×

  Lacerta (Teira) perspicillata (Duméril and Bibron, 1839) is a small montane rockdwelling lizard, occurring in the western Maghreb (Morocco and Northwest Algeria) and in Menorca, where it has probably been introduced anthropogenically (Mayol, 1997). Intraspeci. c morphological variation is considerable. Some authors accept the existence of three subspecies, L. p. perspicillata, L. p. pellegrini and L. p. chabanaudi (Bons, 1968) but others consider them only morphotypes (Mayol, 1997). Although its phylogenetic relationships have been highly debated, mitochondrial sequence data suggest it is sister taxon to the Madeiran lizard Lacerta (Teira) dugesii (Harris et al., 1998; Oliverio et al., 2000). To investigate genetic diversity within L. perspicillata we sequenced part of the 12S rRNA gene from individuals from several populations including all three forms, and compared this to subspeci. c status.

• Perera, A. & Vasconcelos, R. & Harris, D.J. & Brown, R.P. & Carretero, M.A. & Pérez-Mellado, V. (2007) -  Complex patterns of morphological and mtDNA variation in Lacerta perspicillata (Reptilia; Lacertidae). -  Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 90 (3): 479–490.    

  ×

  Lacerta perspicillata is a north-west African lacertid lizard that shows considerable intraspecific variation, with three subspecies described on the basis of colour pattern and body size. Recent observations of a population containing two morphological forms and more than one deep genetic lineage, as well as an apparent lack of concordance between forms and genetic lineages, suggest that the complexity is greater than previously thought. To analyse and quantify this variation, we studied the variability within this species at two levels: (1) external morphology (multivariate analysis of scalation, body dimensions, and colour pattern) and (2) mtDNA (sequencing and singlestrand confirmation polymorphism analysis). Fifty-two individuals were studied at Taza, northern Morocco. Two morphological groupings (ostensibly representing two previously described subspecies) and two deep mtDNA lineages were detected at this site, with complete correspondence between the two. This, together with an apparent lack of hybrids, would normally support respective full species recognition. However, analysis of 98 individuals from other populations demonstrated that the situation is highly complex with the same genetic lineages having reversed morphotypes in other areas, making such a designation difficult. Across the other studied populations, we found no support for any of the currently recognized subspecies. The lack of congruence between mtDNA lineages and morphometric patterns (in some cases) and the morphological similarity among lizards from different lineages suggest ecophenotypic convergence or multiple introgressive hybridization. The study highlights the tremendous complexity that may exist within a taxon and the inadequacy of older alpha-taxonomy based designations in describing it.