Plica (lizard) explained

Plica is a genus of tropidurid lizards found in South America and the Caribbean. Species in the genus Plica are arboreal, medium-sized lizards.

Taxonomy

For a long time, the genus Plica was considered to include four species: two relatively widespread ones (P. plica and P. umbra) and two tepuis-associated species with narrow distributions (P. lumaria and P. pansticta). However, recent research has shown that P. plica is a cryptic species complex, and four new species were described in 2013. The species count will likely increase as there are still several undescribed species.^[1]

Species

The currently recognized species are the following:^[2]

• Plica lumaria
• Plica pansticta
• Plica plica – collared tree runner, tree runner
• Plica umbra – blue-lipped tree lizard, harlequin racerunner

Formerly included in Plica plica:^[1]

• Plica caribeana – Caribbean treerunner
• Plica kathleenae – Kathleen’s treerunner
• Plica medemi – Medem’s treerunner
• Plica rayi – Ray’s treerunner

Nota bene

A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Plica.

Notes and References

1. 10.3897/zookeys.355.5868. 24363569. Treerunners, cryptic lizards of the Plica plica group (Squamata, Sauria, Tropiduridae) of northern South America. ZooKeys. 355. 49–77. 2013. Murphy JC, Jowers MJ . 3867189. free. 2013ZooK..355...49M.
2. .