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A total of 230 cleared and alizarin stained and 136 radiographed specimens of Darevskia belonging to 47 nominal taxa (species, subspecies or singular clades) including the seven parthenogenetic ones and a triploid hybrid were studied. Sixteen osteological characters in all the tried species were analyzed. These characters by corporal regions were: skull characters: 1.—number of premaxillary teeth; 2.—number of maxillary teeth; 3.—number of dentary teeth; 4.—teeth morphology; 5.—presence of anterolateral process in the postfrontal bone; 6.—presence of anteromedial process in the postorbital bone; 7.—comparative lengths of the postorbital and postfrontal bones; 8.—overlap degree between the postorbital and the squamosal bones. Postcranial characters: 9.—existence of visible (ossified) ribs associated with the third presacral vertebrae; 10.—sternal/xiphisternal costal formula and presence of inscriptional ribs; 11.—number of presacral vertebrae; 12.—number of posterior dorsal vertebrae (short presacral ribs); 13.—presence and form of the sternal fontanelle; 14.—form of the clavicles (emarginated or marginated); 15.—interclavicle form; 16.—morphology of first autotomic vertebrae of the tail.

Our goals were to characterize osteologically the different species of Darevskia, to contrast their relationships traced from osteological traits with the available genetic-derived phylogenies of the group, to compare the osteological characteristics of the parthenogenetic species with their bisexual parental species, and to comment on their parentage and character polarity. Finally, we aimed to search for osteological characteristics of the different groups within Darevskia, diagnosing them for the first time. The results, commented on by characters, are available in the main text, and taxa characteristics are easily consultable and condensed in Table 1.

Osteological characteristics of Darevskia, together with available phylogenetic trees, have permitted us to define some new groups within Darevskia (raddei, chlorogaster, defilippi, and parvula new groups) (Appendix 3), which are reciprocally monophyletic and have diagnostic characteristics. All of them are diagnosed and named as subgenera to be used if necessary, instead of the partial, old and not always comprehensive groups.

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The paper provides data on the current location of the type specimens of Darevskia (rudis) complex as of July 2017: Podarcis depressa Camerano, 1878 (syntypes – MZUT R2737.1-3, NHM 1946.9.1.31-32), Lacerta depressa var. rudis Bedriaga, 1886 (lectotype – MZUT 2737.1, paralectotypes – MZUT 2737.2-3, NHM 1946.9.1.32), Lacerta depressa var. modesta Bedriaga, 1886 (syntype – NHM 1946.9.1.31), Lacerta saxicola Subsp. bithynica Méhely, 1909 (lectotype [here designated] – ZISP 17128, paralectotype – NMW 11685), Lacerta saxicola tristis Lantz et Cyrén, 1936 (lectotype – GNM 2481, paralectotypes – GNM 2482-2485, 2487 and GNM one unnumbered specimen), Lacerta saxicola obscura Lantz et Cyrén, 1936 (lectotype [here designated] – ZISP ZISP 17171.1, paralectotypes – NHM 1966.769.773, ZISP 14435, 14436, 14437, 14438, 14439, 14440, 14442, 15402, 16290, 17057.1- 3, 17058, 17059.1-3, 17171.2-26, 17172.1-15), Lacerta rudis macromaculata Darevsky, 1967 (holotype – ZISP 17940.6, paratypes – ZISP 17440.1-18, the location of three paratypes is unknown), Lacerta rudis bischoffi Böhme et Budak, 1977 (holotype – ZDEU 183/977, paratypes – ZDEU 222/976:1, 3-6, 8-9, ZDEU 183/977.2-10, ZFMK 22062.63), Lacerta rudis svanetica Darevsky et Eiselt, 1980 (holotype – ZISP 17875.1, paratypes – ZISP 17875.2-8, 17814.1-18, NMW 24138.1-6), Lacerta rudis chechenica Eiselt et Darevsky, 1991 (holotype – NMW 33504.1, paratypes – ZISP 17878.1-13, 17882.2-4, ZISP 18374.1-5, 18781.1-6, 19545.1-13, ZFMK 16448.52, 29262, 38037.45, 40431-33, NMW 32619.1,2, 33504.2,4,5), Darevskia rudis mirabilis Arribas, Ilgaz, Kumlutaş, Durmuş, Avci et Üzüm, 2013 (holotype – ZDEU 145/2002.9, paratypes – ZDEU 145/2002.1-8, 10-18, O. Arribas private collection (1-6)), Darevskia rudis bolkardaghica Arribas, Ilgaz, Kumlutaş, Durmuş, Avci et Üzüm, 2013 (holotype – ZDEU 144/2009.6, paratypes – ZDEU 144/2009.1-5, 7-8, O. Arribas private collection (1-4)). Strictly following the ICZN the name Lacerta depressa var. rudis Bedriaga, 1886 should not be considered as the replacement name (nomen novum) for Podarcis depressa Camerano, 1878, but the only available name. The history of description of all known forms of the complex is given. Localities, collectors and dates of collection of the type specimens are clarified.