Genus:

Latastia BEDRIAGA, 1884

Species (8):

Latastia boscai  BEDRIAGA, 1884

Latastia caeruleopunctata  PARKER, 1935

Latastia cherchii  ARILLO et al., 1967

Latastia doriai  BEDRIAGA, 1884

Latastia johnstoni  BOULENGER, 1907

Latastia longicaudata  (REUSS, 1834)

Latastia petersiana  MERTENS, 1938

Latastia taylori  PARKER, 1942

Uncertain (2):

Latastia ornata  MONARD, 1940

Latastia siebenrocki  (TORNIER, 1905)

Species Typica:

Latastia longicaudata  (REUSS, 1834)

Taxonomic notes:

The Afro-tropical genus consists of 10 nominal species and has its Radiation Center in the Horn of Africa (Somalia). The genus is scientifically poorly edited.

WERNER MAYER, 2015

Relevant taxonomic literature:

• Bedriaga, J. von (1884) -  Die neue Lacertiden-Gattung Latastia und ihre Arten (L. doriai n.sp. var. Martensi m., Samharica Blanf. und Boscai n.sp.). -  Annali del Museo civico di storia naturale di Genova, 20: 307-324.  

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• Arillo, A. & Balletto, E. & Spanò, S. (1967) -  Il genere Latastia Bedriaga in Somalia. -  Bollettino dei Musei e degli Istituti Biologici Dell’Università di Genova, 35 (229): 105-145.  

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• Largen, M.J. & Spawls, S. (2006) -  Lizards of Ethiopia (Reptilia Sauria):an annotated checklist, bibliography,gazetteer and identification key. -  Tropical Zoology, 19 (1): 21-109.    

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  This review lists Agama smithii Boulenger 1896 as a synonym of Agama agama (Linnaeus 1758), Agama trachypleura Peters 1982 as a synonym of Acanthocercus phillipsii (Boulenger 1895) and describes for the first time Acanthocercus guentherpetersi n. sp. Without more convincing evidence, Chamaeleon ruspolii Boettger 1893 cannot be accepted as specifically distinct from Chamaeleo dilepis Leach 1819, nor Chamaeleo calcaricarens Böhme 1985 from C. africanus Laurenti 1768. Consequently, 101 species of lizard are currently recognised in Ethiopia, of which some 40% appear to be denizens of the Somali-arid zone. This significant proportion is attributable in part to the importance of the Horn of Africa as a centre for reptilian diversification and endemicity, in part to the fact that this lowland fauna was rather extensively sampled during the 1930s, but also to the conspicuous neglect of lizards in other regions of the country. Mountain and forested habitats are widespread in Ethiopia, so it seems extraordinary to record only five saurian species which are believed to be endemic in such environments. The inference that there are many more still to be discovered has important implications for conservation, because montane forest is known to be among the most threatened of Ethiopian biomes and there is clearly an urgent need for its herpetofauna to be more thoroughly researched and documented.