I’ve always had a special affinity for scincid lizards. Riopa skinks are one of the many poorly known skink genera of SE Asia, especially in Myanmar. In this study, led by Dr. Elyse Freitas, we generate novel morphological (meristic and mensural) and multi-locus genetic data from specimens collected throughout central and northern Myanmar to better understand species-level diversity within this group. Using a myriad of species delimitation approaches, we find that lineages overlap significantly in multivariate morphospace and high levels of cryptic diversity exist despite substantial genetic divergence. Check out the study published in Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, or download a PDF directly.
