Vol 13D No. 4, September 1918
General Biology, Ethnology, and Anthropology
No. of Page: 37
60-95
Reptiles of Sulu Archipelago
By Edward H. Taylor
Section of Ichthyology, Biological Laboratory,
Bureau of Science, Manila
While on fisheries exploration in Sulu Archipelago small collections of reptiles were made on several of the islands visited. As zoological collecting was only of secondary consideration on the trip, the attention that such collecting merited was not given to it. Howeve some specimens taken are new and are of much interest and importance. The known limits of distribution of several Philippine species were extended and many rare species and three species heretofore unknown to the Philippine fauna were found. The following species are describe as new:
1. Luperosaurus joloensis. 4. Sphenomorphus biparietalis.
2. Hemiphyllodactylus insularis 5. Brachymeles suluensis.
3. Lepidodactylus divergens. 6. Brachymeles vermis.
The following species are here recorded for the first time from the Philippine Islands:
1. Mabuya rudis Boulenger. 3. Lepidodactylus woodfordi Boulenger.
2. Riopu bowringi Gunther.
Of the forty-seven species here listed, four are known only from Mindanao and northern Philippine Islands; forty-three are found in Sulu Archipelago and in Basilan. Of this number nineteen are common to Mindanao, Sulu, and Borneo; eight species are common to Mindanao and Sulu only, six are common to Borneo and Sulu, but are not known to occur in Mindanao; seven species are known to only from Sulu; two are common to Sulu and other northern Philippine Islands, but as yet are not known from Mindanao; and one is common to Sulu and New Guinea. This tells but little regarding actual faunal relationships, as Mindanao, Borneo, and Sulu Archipelago have been but little explored zoologically. Unfortunately very few specimens were taken or observed on the Sibutu Group of islands, which is the group . . . . . read more
