Class REPTILIA
Compiler and date details
2009 - ABRS, following publication of Clayton et al. (2006), see Database Notes below; 2009 — further updates in Gekkonidae and Scincidae, and changes to classification in the latter
1983 - Harold G. Cogger, Elizabeth E. Cameron & Heather M. Cogger
Introduction
Since publication of the 1983 Zoological Catalogue (Cogger et al. 1983), many additional species of reptiles have been added to the Australian fauna (917 species now listed) and many taxonomic re-assignments have been proposed. Those affecting reptiles have been incorporated into the current revision.
In the 1983 Catalogue, many decisions as to the validity of particular taxa were arbitrary, usually because there were conflicting opinions in the literature, because original descriptions and diagnoses were poor and unassessable, or because particular nomenclatural acts often were not widely accepted by specialists within the group. More recent studies, especially in molecular phylogenetics, have led to considerable refinement of reptile taxonomy.
The references in the introduction of the original Catalogue are still included here, but for the interesting discourse on preparation of the Catalogue and the history of reptile work in Australia, a user is referred to the published work.
Database Notes
While the records for Australian Reptiles have been updated, given the extraordinary interest shown in Australian reptiles over the last 20 or so years and extensive volume of publications, the general literature has not been updated. Users are directed to the latest edition of the Reptiles & Amphibians of Australia (Cogger 2000) and A Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia (Wilson & Swan 2003). Subspecies names generally follow Clayton et al. 2006; where difficulties were encountered in assigning synonymic names to subspecies, a category of 'Unplaced to Subspecies' is used. Future thorough taxonomic revisions may clarify some of these problematic names.
References
Boulenger, G.A. 1887. Catalogue of the Lizards in the British Museum (Natural History). 3. London : British Museum xii 575 pp. 40 pls
Burger, W.L. & Natsuno, T. 1974. A new genus for the Arafura smooth sea snake and redefinitions of other sea snake genera. The Snake 6: 61–75
Cogger, H.G. 1979. Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia. Sydney : A.H. & A.W. Reed pp. 608
Cogger, H.G. 1999. Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia. Sydney : Reed/Reed New Holland
Cogger, H.G., Cameron, E.E. & Cogger, H.M. 1983. Amphibia and Reptiles. In Walton, D.W. (ed.) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Vol. 1. Netley, South Australia : Griffin Press Ltd. vi 313 pp.
Hahn, D.E. 1980. List der rezenten Amphibien and Reptilien Leptotyphlopidae, Typhlopidae. Das Tierreich. Eine Zusammenstellung und Kennzeichnung der rezenten, Berlin. 101: i–xii 1–93
Klemmer, K. 1963. Liste der rezenten Giftschlangen. Elapidae, Hydrophiidae, Viperidae und Crotalidae. Marburg : N.G. Elwert Universitäts- U. Verlagsbuchhand pp. 253–464
Kluge, A.G. 1974. A taxonomic revision of the lizard family Pygopodidae. Miscellaneous Publications of the Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan 147: 1–221
Mertens, R. 1963. Liste der rezenten Amphibien und Reptilien Helodermatidae, Varanidae, Lanthanotidae. Das Tierreich. Eine Zusammenstellung und Kennzeichnung der rezenten, Berlin. 79: i–x 1–26
Mitchell, F.J. 1950. The scincid genera Egernia and Tiliqua (Lacertilia). Records of the South Australian Museum 9: 275–308
Moore, J.A. 1961. The frogs of eastern New South Wales. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 121: 149–386
Peters, W. 1863. Übersicht der von Hrn. Richard Schomburgk an das zoologische Museum eingesandten Amphibien, aus Buchsfelde bei Adelaide in Südaustralien. Mber. K. Preuss. Akad. Wiss. Berl. 1863: 228–236 [1864 on title page]
Romer, A.S. 1956. Osteology of the Reptiles. Chicago : Univ. Chicago Press pp. xxii 772
Smith, H.M., Smith, R.B. & Sawin, H.L. 1977. A summary of snake classification (Reptilia, Serpentes). Journal of Herpetology 11: 115–121
Smith, M.A. 1926. Monograph on the Sea Snakes. (Hydrophiidae). London : British Museum pp. xvii 130
Stimson, A.F. 1969. Liste der Rezenten Amphibien und Reptilien. Boidae. Das Tierreich. Eine Zusammenstellung und Kennzeichnung der rezenten, Berlin. 89: 1–49
Wermuth, H. 1965. Liste der rezenten Amphibien und Reptilien Gekkonidae, Pygopodidae, Xantusiidae. Das Tierreich. Eine Zusammenstellung und Kennzeichnung der rezenten, Berlin. 80(1–22): 1–246
Wermuth, H. 1967. Liste der rezenten Amphibien und Reptilien; Agamidae. Das Tierreich. Eine Zusammenstellung und Kennzeichnung der rezenten, Berlin. 86: 1–127
Wermuth, H. & Mertens, R. 1977. Liste der rezenten Amphibien und Reptilien; Testudines, Crocodylia, Rhynchocephalia. Das Tierreich. Eine Zusammenstellung und Kennzeichnung der rezenten, Berlin. 100: i–xxvii, 1–174
Wilson, S. & Swan, G. 2003. A Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia. Australia : Holland pp. 448
Zietz, F.R. 1920. Catalogue of Australian lizards. Records of the South Australian Museum 1: 181–228