Two new highly divergent and isolated Madascincus species from Nosy Be and the Tsingy de Namoroka, Madagascar (Squamata: Scincidae)

Madascincus is a genus of quadrupedal skinks endemic to Madagascar, with 12 recognized species described between the 19 th and 21 st centuries, occupying diverse habitats from humid forests to arid southern regions and even high-altitude areas. Recent field expeditions uncovered two morphologically distinct forms that did not match any known species, prompting integrative taxonomic analyses that combine multilocus phylogenetics and morphology.

Results revealed that each of these forms represents a highly divergent and likely ancient lineage, as evidenced by the substantial branch lengths in both mitochondrial and nuclear phylogenetic trees. These investigations led to the formal description of two new species with restricted distribution ranges: Madascincus irery sp. nov., likely endemic to the island of Nosy Be, and Madascincus minotaurus sp. nov., apparently restricted to the Tsingy de Namoroka karst system.