On the Arrangement of the scales on the dorsal surface of the digits in Lygosoma and allied genera

Smith (1937, pp. 215—216, fig. 1) described and figured the different types of scales of the lower surface of the toes in Lygosoma and allied genera. Although several of these types may be found within one genus, they are useful as additional characters to distinguish certain species or groups of species from each other. When studying a number of IndoAustralian scincid lizards, I noticed that the arrangement of the scales on the dorsal surface of the digits shows differences too, which it may be worth while to include in the descriptions of the species as they provide additional characters. The arrangement of the scales seems to be fairly constant within the species. In some cases slight variations were found, but in a series of over one hundred specimens of Lygosoma (Sphenomorphus) temminckii Dum. & Bibr. no variations were found. To make matters not too complicated I have limited my notes to the dorsal scales of the fourth toe, but from the examination, which in a few cases I made of other digits, it became clear that they show no important differences from the fourth toe. I. The simplest type of arrangement is that in which the toe is covered by a single row of scales, which only at the very base divides into two rows in some species (fig. 1a). This type is found in the following species: Lygosoma (Sphenomorphus) minutum Meyer, L. (Sph.) ornatum Gray, L. (Sph.) pardalis (Macleay), Lygosoma (Leiolepisma) grande (Gray), Lygosoma (Leiol.) aeneum (Gir.), L. (Leiol.) moco Dum. & Bibr., L. (Leiol.) nigrofasciolatum Ptrs., L. (Leiol.) himalayanum (Gthr.), L. (Leiol.) ladacense (Gthr.), L. (Leiol.) sikkimense (Blyth), L. (Leiol.) telfairii (Desj.) (fig. 1a), L. (Leiol.) metallicum (O'Shaughn.), L. (Leiol.)