A review of the West African skink genus Cophoscincopus mertens (Reptilia: Scincidae: Lygosominae): Resurrection of C. simulans (Vaillant, 1884) and description of a new species

Abstract

The taxonomy of the West African scincid genus Cophoscincopus is reviewed. Based on external and genital morphology the so far monotypic genus can be partitioned into three very similar species. Besides Cophoscincopus durus (Cope, 1862) the name Cophoscincopus simulons (Vaillant, 1884) is available for one of these forms. The third, up to now, unnamed form is herein described as Cophoscincopus greeri sp. n. A key to the species is provided and informations about ecology and distribution are given. We revealed the presence of large, multicellular integumentary glands (located post-cloacally), which are described for the first time in the genus.