Currently, four species of the lacertid lizard genus Adolfus are known from Central and East Africa. We sequenced up to 2,825 bp of two mitochondrial (16S and cyt b) and two nuclear (c-mos and RAG1) genes from 41 samples of Adolfus (representing every species), two species each of Gastropholis and Holaspis, and in separate analyses combined this data with GenBank sequences of all other Eremiadini genera and four Lacertini outgroups. Data from DNA sequences were analyzed with maximum parsimony (PAUP), maximum-likelihood (RAxML) and Bayesian inference (MrBayes) criteria. Results demonstrated that Adolfus is not monophyletic: A. africanus (type species), A. alleni and A. jacksoni are sister taxa, whereas A. vauereselli and a new species from the Itombwe Plateau of Democratic Republic of the Congo are in a separate lineage. Holaspis and Gastropholis were recovered in separate clades. Based on this molecular data, relatively substantial sequence divergence and multiple morphological differences, we describe a new genus of lacertid for the lineage including A. vauereselli and the new Itombwe species. The recognition of this new, endemic genus underscores the conservation importance of the Albertine Rift, especially the Itombwe Plateau, a unique region that is severely threatened by unchecked deforestation, mining and poaching.

中文翻译：

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赤道非洲蜘蛛科的分子系统发育，描述了来自刚果民主共和国东部的一个新属和新种

目前，在中非和东非已知四种蝎尾蜥属 Adolfus。我们对来自 Adolfus 的 41 个样本（代表每个物种）的两个线粒体（16S 和 cyt b）和两个核（c-mos 和 RAG1）基因进行了高达 2,825 bp 的测序，Gastropholis 和 Holaspis 各有两个物种，并在单独的分析中结合该数据包含所有其他 Eremiadini 属和四个 Lacertini 外群的 GenBank 序列。使用最大简约 (PAUP)、最大似然 (RAxML) 和贝叶斯推理 (MrBayes) 标准分析来自 DNA 序列的数据。结果表明 Adolfus 不是单系的：A. Africanus（模式种）、A. alleni 和 A. jacksoni 是姐妹分类群，而 A. vauereselli 和来自刚果民主共和国伊托布韦高原的一个新物种属于不同的谱系. Holaspis 和 Gastropholis 在不同的进化枝中被回收。基于这些分子数据、相对显着的序列差异和多种形态差异，我们描述了包括 A. vauereselli 和新 Itombwe 物种在内的谱系的一个新属。对这一新的特有属的认可强调了艾伯丁裂谷的保护重要性，尤其是伊托姆韦高原，这是一个独特的地区，受到无节制的森林砍伐、采矿和偷猎的严重威胁。