Taking Out The Taxonomic Trash: Refining Skink Classification in the Genus Sphenomorphus

Authors

Phillip Cockrell, Brigham Young UniversityFollow
Leah Stimpson, Brigham Young University - Provo
Alison Whiting Ph.D, Brigham Young University - ProvoFollow

Files

Keywords

Skink, New Guinea, Cryptic, Monophyly, Phylogeny

Abstract

Distributed in New Guinea, Wallacea, Indonesia, and SE Asia (see figure 2), Sphenomorphus is often called a “Waste Bin” genus because species that don’t fit elsewhere are “dumped” there.

These cryptic skinks (see figure 1) have been problematic for traditional taxonomy due to a lack of discrete morphological characters.

Recent molecular studies of Sphenomorphus in the Philippines find the genus to be paraphyletic.

New Guinea has one of the largest concentrations of Sphenomorphus, has been poorly studied (figure 4), and is known for its extreme biodiversity¹,².

We seek to test the monophyly of Sphenomorphus in New Guinea, and the currently described species.

BYU ScholarsArchive Citation

Cockrell, Phillip; Stimpson, Leah; and Whiting, Alison Ph.D, "Taking Out The Taxonomic Trash: Refining Skink Classification in the Genus Sphenomorphus" (2025). Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2025. 10.
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/library_studentposters_2025/10

Document Type

Book

Publication Date

2025

Language

English

College

Life Sciences

Department

Biology

University Standing at Time of Publication

Sophomore

Copyright Use Information

https://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/