Plica (lizard)

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Plica is a genus of tropidurid lizards found in South America and the Caribbean. Species in the genus Plica are arboreal, medium-sized lizards.<ref name=Murphy/>

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.<ref name=Murphy>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Species

The currently recognized species are the following:<ref name=RDB>Template:NRDB genus.</ref>

• Plica lumaria Template:Small
• Plica pansticta Template:Small
• Plica plica Template:Small – collared tree runner, tree runner
• Plica umbra Template:Small – blue-lipped tree lizard, harlequin racerunner

Formerly included in Plica plica:<ref name=Murphy/>

• Plica caribeana Template:Small – Caribbean treerunner
• Plica kathleenae Template:Small – Kathleen's treerunner
• Plica medemi Template:Small – Medem's treerunner
• Plica rayi Template:Small – Ray's treerunner

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