Anolis cumingii Peters

Anolis cumingii Peters 1863:140; holotype (ZMB 4105) from “ Mexico.” Troschel (1864:213), Müller (1865:601), Boulenger (1885:80), Günther (1885:50), Barbour (1934:129), Burt and Myers (1942:291), Smith and Taylor (1950a:67), Smith and Taylor (1950b:320)

Anolis cummingi. Stuart (1955:4,26), Etheridge (1959:210), Fitch and Henderson (1973:126)

Anolis cummingii. Bocourt (1873:89), Cope (1887:31)

Norops cumingii. Savage and Guyer (1989:111)

Description of the holotype of Anolis cumingii (ZMB 4105; Fig. 1). Adult male as indicated by shape of base of tail and size of dewlap; SVL 46.0 mm; tail length 102.0 mm, tail complete; tail slightly compressed in cross section, tail height 2.5 mm, tail width 2.1 mm; axilla to groin distance 19.6 mm; head length 13.0 mm, head length/ SVL ratio 0.28; snout length 6.0 mm; head width 7.5 mm; longest toe of adpressed hind limb reaching to tympanum; shank length 11.0 mm, shank length/head length ratio 0.87. Scales on snout varying from faintly to strongly keeled; 5 postrostrals; 8 scales between nasals; 1 prenasal scale in contact with both rostral and first supralabial; most scales in distinct prefrontal depression smooth, some of them keeled; supraorbital semicircles well developed, separated by a minimum of one scale row; supraorbital disc composed of about 9 distinctly enlarged, faintly keeled scales; circumorbital row of small scales incomplete, thus, 1 (right)–2 (left) enlarged supraorbitals in contact with supraorbital semicircles; a single large elongated superciliary; 2 rows of small keeled scales extending between enlarged supraorbitals and superciliary; no parietal depression; interparietal scale well developed, 1.4 x 1.0 mm (length x width), surrounded by scales of moderate size anteriorly and by small to moderate size scales posteriorly; 3 scales present between interparietal and supraorbital semicircles; canthal ridge distinct, composed of 6 canthal scales, with 3 larger posterior scales; 6 scales present between second canthals; 7 scales present between posterior canthals; 26 (right)–27 (left) loreal scales in a maximum of 6 (right)–5 (left) horizontal rows, with the scales mostly keeled; 5 subocular scales (anterior ones keeled) arranged in a single row; 7 (right)–6 (left) supralabials to level below center of eye; 2 suboculars broadly in contact with supralabials; ear opening 0.7 x 0.7 mm (length x height), ratio tympanum height/parietal scale length 0.5; mental distinctly wider than long, completely divided medially, bordered posteriorly by 4 postmentals; 8 (right)–7 (left) infralabials to level below center of eye; sublabials undifferentiated; small elongate keeled scales present on chin and throat; dewlap small, extending from level below oral ricti to a point 2 mm posterior to level of axilla; dorsum of body with weakly keeled scales with rounded posterior margins, granular on the neck and becoming more flattened posteriorly, 17 medial rows slightly enlarged, about 0.34 x 0.25 mm (length x width); 33 medial dorsal scales in one head length; 63 medial dorsal scales between levels of axilla and groin; lateral scales homogeneous, about 0.20 x 0.14 mm (length x width); ventrals at midbody keeled, mucronate, imbricate, about 0.64 x 0.44 mm (length x width); 29 ventral scales in one head length, 43 ventral scales between levels of axilla and groin; 101 scales around midbody; caudal scales strongly keeled, without whorls of enlarged scales, although an indistinct division in segments is discernible; postcloacal scales not enlarged; no tube-like axillary pocket present; scales on dorsal surface of forelimb keeled, imbricate; digital pads dilated, dilated pad (width 0.7 mm) almost three times the width of non-dilated scales on distal phalanx (0.25 mm); 25 (right)–26 (left) lamellae under phalanges II–IV of fourth toe; 7 (right)–6 (left) scales under distal phalanx of fourth toe. Overall dorsal coloration pearl gray with a suggestion of olive brown on snout, neck, flank, and ventral surfaces; dewlap olive gray with a darker central area.

Taxonomic conclusions: A comparison of the holotype of Anolis cumingii with all other known species of anoles leads me to the conclusion that it is conspecific with A. sericeus Hallowell 1856. Diagnostic characters include:

(1) short legged (longest toe of adpressed hindlimb reaches to tympanum); (2) tympanum very small (less than one fourth the size of interparietal plate); (3) a single large and elongate superciliary;

(4) ventral scales strongly keeled, imbricate, and mucronate. (5) no enlarged postcloacal scales in males;

(6) a moderate-sized dewlap in males

Therefore, I herewith place Anolis cumingii Peters 1963 in the synonymy of A. sericeus Hallowell 1856. This species is currently known from the Atlantic versant of the Mexican states of Tamaulipas, Hidalgo, San Luis Potosí, Veracruz, Tabasco, Campeche, Quintana Roo, and Yucatán as well as the extreme northern portion of Oaxaca (Köhler and Vesely 2010).

The only other species in the region that possibly can be confused with this species are A. unilobatus and A. wellbornae, which differ from A. sericeus by having a larger male dewlap (Köhler and Vesely 2010).