Aspidites melanocephalus adelynensis

Aspidites melanocephalus adelynensis Hoser, 2000 [synonym of Aspidites melanocephalus]

Holotype:

WAM R51208 (see remarks).

Type locality:

Wyndham, Western Australia.

Remarks:

Hoser (2000) provided the same erroneous accession number for the holotype as was already provided by Smith (1985) in his original description; WAM R51208 is the number for a skink, Eremiascincus isolepis (fide Mecke et al. 2009) (Doughty, pers. comm.). Hoser (2000) separated this taxon from the nominate form by lower loreal, subocular, and parietal scale counts (see Barker and Barker 1994: 1-2). The same is stated to be diagnostic for Aspidites melanocephalus davieii, which makes them indistinguishable from each other, as already noted by Aplin (2002: 55-56) who considered Aspidites melanocephalus adelynensis the senior synonym due to page priority. The name is placed in the synonymy of Aspidites melanocephalus until further research can clarify its taxonomic position.