Species:

Algyroides marchi  VALVERDE, 1958

Synonyms:

Algiroides marchi   VALVERDE, 1958

Algyroides marchi niethammeri   BUCHHOLZ, 1965

Common names:

Spanish Algyroides (English)
Spanische Kieleidechse (German)
Lagartija de Valverde (Spanish)

Types:

Holotype (Algiroides marchi VALVERDE, 1958): Estación Biológica de Doñana
Paratype (Algiroides marchi VALVERDE, 1958): MNCN 7947
Holotype (Algyroides marchi niethammeri BUCHHOLZ, 1964): ZFMK 4541
Holotype (Algiroides hidalgoi BOSCÁ, 1916): Lost
Neotype (Algyroides hidalgoi BOSCÁ, 1916 by SÁNCHEZ-VIALAS, CALVO-REVUELTA & CARCÍA-PARÍS, 2018*): MNCN 32128

(* Early view date)

Terra Typica:

Sierra de Cazorla (Southeastern Spain): “Pledra de Aguamula, en la Sierra de Cazorla (Jaén). Fueron capturados todos los ejemplares en las márgenes del pequeño arroyo que corre al ple de la peña.”

Taxonomic notes:

We appreciate the research on the mysterious Algyroides hidalgoi BOSCÁ 1916 by SÁNCHEZ-VIALAS, CALVO-REVUELTA, RUBIO, J.L., PALACIOS, F. & CARCÍA-PARÍS (2019), and agree with the conclusions that the description of the lost type specimen is compatible with Algyroides marchi VALVERDE 1958, and very likely would have its real terra typica within the present distribution range of Algyroides marchi. However, in the description of Algyroides hidalgoi, BOSCÁ (1916) is very clear on the terra typica; San Ildefonso (Segovia), and the region in which this would be; Sierra de Guadarrama. SÁNCHEZ-VIALAS, CALVO-REVUELTA, RUBIO, J.L., PALACIOS, F. & CARCÍA-PARÍS (2019) did consider a translocation or insufficient labeling of the type specimen, they did not consider the possibility of an extinction of Algyroides in the Sierra de Guadarrama region.

The possible (and if so, unforgivable) error by BOSCÁ (1916) in the designation of the real terra typica, besides the fact that we are dealing with a single, juvenile and lost type of specimen, leads us to the conclusion that we do not follow the proposal by SÁNCHEZ-VIALAS, CALVO-REVUELTA, RUBIO, J.L., PALACIOS, F. & CARCÍA-PARÍS (2019) to give precedence to Algyroides hidalgoi over Algyroides marchi.

www.lacerta.de, 2019

Relevant taxonomic literature:

• Boscá, E. (1916) -  Un género nuevo para la fauna herpetológica de España y especie nueva o poco conocida. -  Boletín de la Real Sociedad Española de Historia Natural, 16: 294-297.  

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• Valverde, J.A. (1958) -  Una nueva lagartija del género Algiroides Bribron procedente de la Sierra de Cazorla (Sur de España). -  Archivos del Instituto de Aclimatación, 7: 127-134.  

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• Buchholz, K.F. (1965) -  Zur Kenntnis des Genus Algyroides (Reptilia: Lacertidae) in Spanien. -  Bonner zoologische Beiträge, Bonn, 15 (3/4): 239-246.    

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  1. Der Name Algyroides hidalgoi kann nicht als nomen dubium aufgefaßt werden. Nach der detaillierten Beschreibung von Boscá ist das Taxon ohne weiteres identifizierbar. 2. Algyroides hidalgoi Boscá und A. marchi Valverde müssen als verschiedene Species aufgefaßt werden. Sie unterscheiden sich weitgehend in Zeichnung, Färbung und morphologischen Merkmalen. 3. Algyroides marchi wird aus der Sierra de Agua (Jaén) nachgewiesen, und diese blaukehlige Population als A. marchi niethammeri subsp.nov. beschrieben.

• Palacios, F. & Ayarzaguena, J. & Escudero, I. & Escudero, J. (1974) -  Estudio sobre la lagartija de Valverde Algyroides marchi (Reptilia, Lacertidae). -  Doñana, Acta Vertebrata, 1 (2): 5-31.    

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  In this paper the authors study Valverde´s lizard, Algyroides marchi, Valverde 1958. The first part refers to the biometry, pholidosis and coloration of a population of Riopar (Sierra de Alcaraz), province of Albacete, obtaining the following results: Biometry. – The old males weigh more and have larger heads and limbs than the females. The old females are longer as measured from the end of the snout to the vent. In both sexes the length of the tail is similar. Pholidosis. – The pholidosis is pratically the same in both sexes. The only significant differences is in the number of transverse series of ventral plates, 25,3 in the males and 27,9 in the females. Coloration. – The males generally present greater pigmentation than the females. There is an elevated proportion of females that maintain the juvenile coloration. In a later chapter a systematic revision of the species is made. Three known Iberian population are compared: Sierra de Cazorla, Riopar and Bogarra. No specimen from Riopar or Bogarra (Sierra de Alcaraz) presented the characteristics of niethammeri, subspecies described by Buchholz (1964). For that reason niethammeri is not considered valid and is asimilated to marchi. Some data on the biology of reproduction have also been included. The egg-laying takes place during the first two weeks of July and there are 1.4 eggs. The measurements of two eggs which had been completed formed varies greatly from spring to summer. During the copulation period, in April, the testicles are 3-7 times larger than in the summer. The last chapter studies the ecology of this species.It lives between 1.000 and 1.550 m above sea level, in the most humid mountain zones. Its ecological niche corresponds to the vegetal associations: Pino-Juniperion sabinae, Quercion pubescentis and Erinacetalia. The optimum is the Quercion pubescentis enclaved in very humid ravines. Lacerta hispanica ecologically replaces Algyroides marchi in the dry zones subject to strong solar exposure.

• Sánchez-Vialas, A. & Calvo-Revuelta, M. & Rubio, J.L. & Palacios, F. & Garcia-Paris, M. (2019) -  Taxonomic and nomenclatural status of Iberian Algyroides (Lacertidae). -  Amphibia-Reptilia, 40 (1): 91-102.    

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  The taxonomy and nomenclature of Iberian Algyroides are problematic. The first taxon described, A. hidalgoi Boscá, 1916, was based on a single specimen that was subsequently lost. The description of the second taxon, A. marchi Valverde, 1958, was based on the comparison of a newly discovered population with the original description of A. hidalgoi. However, A. hidalgoi specimens have never been recorded since for any locality. Therefore, three questions need to be addressed: Is A. hidalgoi Boscá, 1916 a morphologically diagnosable taxon different from all non-Iberian species of Algyroides? are A. hidalgoi and A. marchi conspecific? And if so, which is the correct name for the species? To clarify the taxonomic status of the Iberian Algyroides we (1) compare Boscá’s A. hidalgoi original description against the descriptions of all other species of Algyroides, (2) test the accuracy of Boscá’s A. hidalgoi by comparing it against 204 Iberian museum specimens, and (3) designate a neotype of A. hidalgoi that fits the head pholidosis described in the original description. We show that none of the diagnostic characters used by Valverde to differentiate between A. hidalgoi and A. marchi are actually diagnostic, as we found high levels of variability on those characters in the studied specimens. Our results validate Boscá’s description of A. hidalgoi, which fits within the morphological variability observed for southern Iberian Algyroides. As a result, we propose the strict synonymy of A. marchi Valverde, 1958 with A. hidalgoi Boscá, 1916.