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Thursday, June 2nd, 2022
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| 7:15a | [Herpetology • 2022] Ancylodactylus kenyaensis, A. chyuluensis, A. laikipiensis, etc. • Resurrection of the African Gecko Genus Ancylodactylus Müller, 1907 (Squamata: Gekkonidae) and Description of Six New Species from Kenya
Abstract The genus Cnemaspis as presently construed is polyphyletic, with African, South Asian and Southeast Asian clades each representing independent lineages. The name Ancylodactylus Müller, 1907 is available for the African clade of forest geckos and features previously identified as putatively diagnostic of this group (loss or reduction of the second phalanx of digit IV of manus and pes, as well as a markedly dilated basal portions of the digits) are here regarded as characters supporting the monophyly of Ancylodactylus. Six new species of Ancylodactylus are described: A. kenyaensis sp. nov., A. kituiensis sp. nov., A. mathewsensis sp. nov., A. laikipiensis sp. nov., A. spawlsi sp. nov., and A. chyuluensis sp. nov. on the basis of unique combinations of body size, trunk and tail tubercles, median subcaudal scales, precloacal pores, enlarged subdigital plates, ventral color, and throat color and patterning. Ancylodactylus kenyaensis is among the largest members of the genus, reaching 65 mm SVL, whereas A. spawlsi and A. chyuluensis, with maximum SVLs of 30 mm or less, are the smallest of all members of the genus. All these geckos are chiefly scansorial, occurring on tree trunks, fallen logs and/or in rock outcrops. Ancylodactylus kituiensis and A. mathewsensis occur in isolated dryland hilltop forests surrounded by large tracts of arid lands and are locally abundant in suitable rock outcrops or caves, where they occur in small colonies. Ancylodactylus kenyaensis is a montane forest species found on tree trunks with cracks and crevices, whereas A. spawlsi is a montane forest species found in crevices and beneath loose bark of tree trunks as well as in rock crevices and slabs. Ancylodactylus laikipiensis is likewise both rupicolous and arboreal and A. chyuluensis has been taken only from a pitfall trap in a dry forest patch. All the new species are endemic to relatively small, circumscribed areas within Kenya and all occur within protected areas. At present we consider their IUCN conservation status to be Data Deficient. Herpetological surveys are recommended in other unexplored or under-explored forest areas, particularly hilltop montane forests in isolated dryland rocky hills as these may harbor other undescribed Ancylodactylus species or previously undocumented populations of known species. Keywords: Reptilia, Cnemaspis, Gekkota, Kenya, description, taxonomy, forests, rock outcrops
Patrick K. Malonza and Aaron M. Bauer. 2022. Resurrection of the African Gecko Genus Ancylodactylus Müller, 1907 (Squamata: Gekkonidae) and Description of Six New Species from Kenya. Zootaxa. 5141(2); 101-139. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5141.2.1 [2022-05-25] | ||||||||||
| 4:06p | [Herpetology • 2022] Cyrtodactylus monilatus • A New Species in the Cyrtodactylus oldhami Group (Squamata, Gekkonidae) from Kanchanaburi Province, western Thailand
Abstract Cyrtodactylus monilatus sp. nov. is described from Si Sawat District, Kanchanaburi Province, in western Thailand. The new species superficially resembles C. zebraicus Taylor, 1962 from southern Thailand. However, differences between the new species from C. zebraicus and other congeners were supported by an integrative taxonomic analysis of molecular and morphological data. Phylogenetic analyses based on the mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 (ND2) gene showed that the new species is a member of the C. oldhami group and closely related to Cyrtodactylus sp. MT468911 from Thong Pha Phum National Park, Thong Pha Phum District, Kanchanaburi Province. Uncorrected pairwise genetic divergences (p-distances) between the new species and its congeners, including C. zebraicus, ranged from 7.7–17.7%. Cyrtodactylus monilatus sp. nov. can also be distinguished from all members of the C. oldhami group by having a unique combination of morphological characters, including a snout to vent length of 53.7–63.3 mm in adult males and 58.6–75.8 mm in adult females; 22–34 paravertebral tubercles; 34–42 ventral scales; 30–39 enlarged contiguous femoroprecloacal scales; femoral pores and precloacal pores absent in both sexes; four or five rows of postprecloacal scales; enlarged median subcaudal scales absent; weak ventrolateral folds present; 4–7 rows of paired, paravertebral, dark-brown blotches edged in yellow or yellowish white; and two rows of small, diffuse, yellow or yellowish white spots on flanks. The new species occurs in a narrow range of forest at mid to low elevations associated with karst landscapes in the Tenasserim mountain range. Keywords: Cyrtodactylus monilatus sp. nov., Cyrtodactylus zebraicus, integrative taxonomy, mitochondrial DNA, morphology, phylogeny, Southeast Asia
Cyrtodactylus monilatus sp. nov. Common English name: Kanchanaburi Spotted Bent-toed Gecko Diagnosis: Cyrtodactylus monilatus sp. nov. is assigned to the C. oldhami group on the basis of its recovered phylogenetic position (Fig. 1). This species can be distinguished from all other species of the C. oldhami group (sensu Grismer et al. 2021b) by having the following combination of characters: (1) a medium-sized Cyrtodactylus, SVL 53.7–63.3 mm in adult males, 58.6–75.8 mm in adult females; (2) 10–13 supralabial and 8–11 infralabial scales; (3) 22–34 paravertebral tubercles; (4) 16–21 longitudinal rows of dorsal tubercles; (5) 34–42 ventral scales; (6) 12–16 total subdigital lamellae on the fourth finger; (7) 15–19 total subdigital lamellae on the fourth toe; (8) 30–39 contiguous enlarged femoroprecloacal scales; (9) femoral pores and precloacal pores absent in both sexes; (10) four or five rows of postprecloacal scales; (11) precloacal groove or depression absent; (12) enlarged median subcaudal scales absent; (13) 9–12 dark and light caudal bands encircling the original tail; (14) weak ventrolateral folds present; (15) subconical to slightly prominent trihedral keeled tubercles on body that extend past the base of the tail but no further than 1/3 of anterior portion of tail; (16) top of head bearing large, dark-brown blotches edged in yellow or yellowish white with no light-colored network; (17) 4–7 dorsal body bands composed of paired, paravertebral, dark-brown blotches edged in yellow or yellowish white; and (18) two rows of small, diffuse, yellow or yellowish white spots on flanks. Etymology: The specific epithet monilatus is taken from monile (L.) for necklace or string of beads and latus (L.) for flank, in reference to the new species having two rows of small, diffuse, yellow or yellowish white spots on the flanks that resemble a beaded necklace. These spots are an important color pattern difference between the new species and C. zebraicus. We propose “Kanchanaburi Spotted Bent-toed Gecko” for the common English name and “ตุ๊กแกป่าลายจุดเมืองกาญจน์” (Took kae pa lai jud Mueang Kan) for the common Thai name of the new species.
Siriporn Yodthong, Attapol Rujirawan, Bryan L. Stuart, L. Lee Grismer, Akrachai Aksornneam, Korkhwan Termprayoon, Natee Ampai and Anchalee Aowphol. 2022. A New Species in the Cyrtodactylus oldhami Group (Squamata, Gekkonidae) from Kanchanaburi Province, western Thailand. ZooKeys. 1103: 139-169. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1103.84672  |
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