A new species of Mabuya Fitzinger (Reptilia : Squamata : Scincidae) from the Onilahy River of south-west Madagascar

Mabuya veto is described as a new white-spotted species of the aureopunctat a-group of Madagascan mabuyas, identified by its small size and the presenc e of regularly arranged rows of white spots on the dorsal and dorsolateral surfaces of the neck, body, and tail. It is known from a single locality, L avenombato, near the mouth of the Onilahy River in south-western Madagascar . M, vezo is a rock-dwelling species, similar in size and habitat to M. vat o, and in general coloration to the much larger M aureopunctata. M. veto is broadly sympatric with only one member of its species-group, M. aureopunct ata, but two species of the elegans-group, M. elegans and M, gravenhorstii, occur in the same area. The type locality of M. veto is "fady" (taboo), wh ich provides some degree of protection for this species, which is known fro m only seven specimens.