A REVISION OF THE ANOLIS SERICEUS COMPLEX WITH THE RESURRECTION OF A. WELLBORNAE AND THE DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES (SQUAMATA: POLYCHROTIDAE)

We describe a new species of anole (genus Anolis) from Honduras formerly referred to as Molls (or Norops) sericeus. The new species differs from A. sericeus by having a small unilobate hemipenis (large and bilobate in A. sericeus) and by having large male and no female dewlaps (small dewlaps present in both sexes in A. sericeus). Furthermore, we resurrect Anolis wellbornae for the populations of anoles on the Pacific versant of Nuclear Central America formerly referred to as Anolis (or Norops) sericeus. Anolis wellbornae differs from A. sericeus in the mean values of several scalation and morphometric characters and by having large male and no female dewlaps (small dewlaps present in both sexes in A. sericeus). Anolis wellbornae differs from the new species described here by having a large bilobate hemipenis (small and unilobate in the new species). We provide an identification key and standardized descriptions of A. sericeus, A. wellbornae, and the new species described here.