Plica (lizard)

For other uses, see Plica (disambiguation).

Plica
Plica umbra
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Iguania
Family:	Tropiduridae
Genus:	Plica Gray, 1831
Type species
Draco plica Linnaeus, 1758
Species
At least 8, see article.

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.

Species

The currently recognized species are the following:

• Plica lumaria Donnelly & C. Myers, 1991
• Plica pansticta (C. Myers & Donnelly, 2001)
• Plica plica (Linnaeus, 1758) – collared tree runner, tree runner
• Plica umbra (Linnaeus, 1758) – blue-lipped tree lizard, harlequin racerunner

Formerly included in Plica plica:

• Plica caribeana Murphy & Jowers, 2013 – Caribbean treerunner
• Plica kathleenae Murphy & Jowers, 2013 – Kathleen’s treerunner
• Plica medemi Murphy & Jowers, 2013 – Medem’s treerunner
• Plica rayi Murphy & Jowers, 2013 – Ray’s treerunner

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