Hemidactylus (Carranza and Arnold, 2012)

Torki, Farhang, 2019, Three new species of Hemidactylus Oken, 1817 (Squamata, Gekkonidae) from Iran, Amphibian & Reptile Conservation (e 209) 13 (2), pp. 239-258 : 254

Comparisons with other Hemidactylus

In general, H. pseudoromeshkanicus sp.n. is significantly different from H. robustus , H. persicus , H. sassanidianus sp.n., and H. achaemenidicus sp.n. by having mostly enlarged trihedral tubercles on dorsal body. Differs from H. robustus in body size (than less 50 vs. at least 74 mm) and tail with more precloacal pores (12 vs. 6–8), tail tuberculation (keeled and raised instead pointed), and different dorsal color patterns (irregular bands vs. spotted). Differs from H. persicus by larger body size and stronger tubercle rugosity on entire dorsal body and limbs, head shape and size, and dorsal tubercle rows ( Table 2). Differs from H. flaviviridis by having enlarged tubercles on dorsum, and without femoral pores. For more comparisons see Table 2. Differs from H. sassanidianus sp.n. and H. achaemenidicus sp.n. by having more precloacal pores (12 vs. 6–8, 6–8, respectively), larger body size, tail with more dorsal tubercle rows, dorsal tubercle shape and size (more rugosity and larger in size for H. pseudoromeshkanicus sp.n.), and more lamellae under fingers ( Table 2).

Brief comparisons show differences of H. pseudoromeshkanicus sp.n. from other Hemidactylus spp. outside of Iran. Differs from H. dawudazraqi , H. hajarensis , H. homoeolepis , H. jumailiae , H. shihraensis , H. alfarraji , H. asirensis , and H. foudaii by precloacal pores (12 vs. 6–8, 4–6, 3–6, 6–9, 6, 4, 6, 8–10, respectively). Differs from H. kurdicus by postmentals (2 vs. 1) and precloacal pores (12 vs. 10) [ Safaei-Mahroo et al. 2017]. Differs from H. montanus by more lamellae beneath 4 th digit of pes (15 vs. 9–12). Differs from H. endophis by large body size (74–75 vs. 59), strongly keeled dorsal tubercles (vs. relatively weakly keeled), and without femoral pores (vs. 14 pores). Differs from H. lemurinus by presence of welldeveloped dorsal tubercles (vs. none). Differs from H. luqueorum , H. festivus , H. paucituberculatus , H. lavadeserticus , H. masirahensis , and H. inexpectatus by more precloacal pores (12 vs. 5–6, 6, 6, 6, 4, and 4, respectively). Differs from H. turcicus by larger body size and tail, more lamellae beneath 4 th digit of pes (13 vs. 8–11), more precloacal pores (12 vs. 6–10), stronger tubercular rugosity, and different body color patterns. Differs from H. mindiae , H. granosus , H. mandebensis , H. awashensis , H. adensis , H. minutus , H. ulii , H. saba , H. jumailiae , and H. yerburii , by having larger body size. Differs from H. alkiyumii by having more rows of tubercles (16–17 vs. 11–14), more lamellae under the 4 th digit of pes (15 vs. 10–12), and more precloacal pores (12 vs. 6–10). Body size in H. pseudoromeshkanicus sp.n. is smaller than in H. aaronbaueri , dorsal tubercles in H. pseudoromeshkanicus sp.n. are much larger than in H. aaronbaueri ; also, color pattern is different from H. aaronbaueri . By having enlarged, trihedral, and regular dorsal tubercles H. pseudoromeshkanicus sp.n. is easily distinguished from several species of Hemidactylus including: H. aaronbaueri , H. bowringii , H. brookii , H. flaviviridis , H. garnotii , H. karenorum , H. leschenaultii , H. maculatus , H. persicus , H. prashad , H. subtriedrus , and H. triedrus . Digits are relatively slender in H. scabriceps , but in H. pseudoromeshkanicus sp.n. they are broadly dilated. H. sinaitus (from Sudan to Northern Somalia, and Arabia) has smaller and more widely separated dorsal tubercles, but H. pseudoromeshkanicus sp.n. has mostly trihedral tubercles.