Species:

Takydromus tachydromoides  (SCHLEGEL, 1838)

Synonyms:

Lacerta tachydromoides  SCHLEGEL, 1838

Tachydromus japonicus  DUMÉRIL & BIBRON, 1839

Tachydromus sexlineatus  HALLOWELL, 1860

Tachydromus holsti  BOULENGER, 1894

Takydromus tachydromoides  STEJNEGER, 1907

Takydromus tachydromoides oldi  WALLEY 1958

Common names:

Japanese Long-tailed Grass Lizard (English)
Japanischer Schnellläufer (German)

Types:

Syntypes: MNHN-RA 2664, MNHN-RA 1994.1874 (formerly MNHN-RA 2664A); ZMB 1046
Holotype: USNM 129818 (oldi

Terra Typica:

Nagasaki, Japan.

Taxonomic notes:

Die ssp. oldi WALLEY 1958 wird von ARNOLD (1997) nicht anerkannt und die Herkunft des Typusexemplares angezweifelt.

Relevant taxonomic literature:

• Schlegel, H. (1838) -  Lézard tachydromoïde. Lacerta tachydromides. -  In: Fauna Japonica auctore Ph. Fr. de Siebold. vol. 3. Reptilia elaborantibus C.J. Temminck et H. Schlegel. Lugduni Batavorum 1838: 101-102. Pl. 1 Fig. 5-7.    

  ×

• Arnold, E.N. (1997) -  Interrelationships and evolution of the east Asian grass lizards, Takydromus (Squamata: Lacertidae). -  Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 119 (2): 267-296.    

  ×

  The east Asian lacertid lizard genus, Takydromus, is well-defined but its relationships to other primitive Palaearctic lacertids are still uncertain and, although it has similarities to the lower Miocene Miolacerta. Takydromus does not appear to be identical with this. The 16 or 17 recognizable species are reviewed and a key provided for their identification; the remaining area of uncertainty about species boundaries is the Takydromus sexlineatus group in Assam. A phylogeny for Takydromus is estimated using a data set of 35 morphological characters drawn from external features, skeleton and soft-parts. There are two main constituent clades which may be informally recognized as Takydromus s.s. and Platyplacopus. Platyplacopus is subtropical and perhaps relict, whereas Takydromus ranges from temperature to tropical areas. The two clades have different ranges of eggs per clutch. In both of them, elongate forms that climb-extensively in flimsy vegetation have evolved and have independently acquired similar features that confer performance advantages in this situation. Interestingly, the order of assembly of these features is markedly different.