Amalosia hinesi, Hoskin & Couper, 2023

Hoskin, Ad. J. & Couper, Patrick J., 2023, Revision of zigzag geckos (Diplodactylidae: Amalosia) in eastern Australia, with description of five new species, Zootaxa 5343 (4), pp. 301-337 : 315-318

Amalosia hinesi sp. nov.

Nandewar Zigzag Gecko

( Figures 10 , 11 )

Material examined. Holotype. Male, QM J96292 ( Fig. 10 ), Thane Ck, Durikai SF (28° 17’ 17” S, 151° 41’ 46” E), field collection code: N86373, H. B. Hines & J. Rowland, 19/10/2016 . Paratypes. (all localities in south-east Queensland) QM J13359 , Greymare (28° 10’ S, 151° 46’ E) ; J36135, J36136, J36137, Leslie Dam, via Warwick (28° 13’ S, 151° 55’ E); J59555, Durikai SF, via Karara (28° 12’ 03” S, 151° 37’ 39” E); J96306, Hunt’s Ck headwaters, Durikai SF, W Warwick (28° 14’ 37” S, 151° 38’ 26” E); J89756, Thane Ck, Durikai SF, W Warwick (28° 17’ 03” S, 151° 40’ 32” E); J31858, Inglewood, 33 km W (28° 34’ S, 150° 45’ E); J34810, Amiens, near Stanthorpe (28° 35’ S, 151° 48’ E); J96604, Stanthorpe, 21 km W (28° 41’ 50” S, 151° 43’ 35” E); J89341, Arcot SF (28° 48’ 06” S, 151° 20’ 30” E); J30733, Texas Caves, via Texas (28° 53’ S, 151° 26’ E); J89363, Claremont SF (28° 56’ 44” S, 151° 23’ 36” E).

Diagnosis. A large (max. SVL ~ 60 mm), strongly patterned, member of the A. rhombifer group with a pale vertebral zone that is bordered by dark edging, including being broken by one to six dark, narrow, transverse lines from the nape to the hips. Pale vertebral pattern always broken into blotches on the lower back/hips. Obvious webbing present between third and fourth toes. Males have two to four, large, pointed postcloacal spurs (small and rounded in females) and four to nine precloacal pores with a moderate pore gap (of three to six scales). The second supralabial is often taller, and usually wider, than the first. There are usually six scales contacting the nostril margin.

Measurements and scale counts of holotype. SVL 56.5 mm, oTL 52.8 mm, oTW 5.7 mm, oTD 5.4 mm, HL 12.6 mm, HW 10.3 mm, HD 5.2 mm, S 5.3 mm, AG 24.7 mm, L1 15.7 mm, FL 7.0 mm, L2 19.1, LHL 7.5 mm, BW 10.5 mm, rostral crease 60%, scales contacting dorsal margin of the rostral 3, scales bordering nasal opening 6, scales contacting posterior margin of mental shield 4, supralabials 10, 1 st and 2 nd supralabials subequal in height and width; infralabials 10, postcloacal spurs 3, precloacal pores 7, pore gap 4, subdigital lamellae 4 th finger 6; subdigital lamellae 4 th toe 7; moderate webbing between 3 rd and 4 th toes.

Description of type series. Measurements ( Table 1 ). SVL (mm): 48.5–59.9 (n = 13, mean = 55.5). Proportions as % SVL: oTL = 89–94 (n = 3, mean = 92); HL = 21–23 (n = 13, mean = 22); HW = 17–18 (n = 13, mean = 18); HD = 7.3–11.7 (n = 13, mean = 9.3); S = 8.8–10.3 (n = 13, mean = 9.4); AG = 41–51 (n = 13, mean = 45); L1 = 25–30 (n = 13, mean = 28); L2 = 33–41 (n = 11, mean = 35); FL = 10–13 (n = 13, mean = 11); LHL = 13–15 (n = 13, mean = 14); BW = 16–22 (n = 12, mean = 18). Head. Narrow, elongate, distinct from neck; head width 74–84% head length (n = 13, mean = 79); head depth 44%–66% head width (n = 13, mean = 53); snout length 39%–46% head length (n = 13, mean = 42); covered in small granules with slightly larger granules on the dorsal and lateral surfaces of the snout; rostral approximately twice as wide as deep, partially divided vertically by a medial groove extending 50–80% rostral height; 2–4 scales contacting dorsal margin of the rostral, lying between the nostrils (n = 14, mode = 3, mean = 2.9); 5–6 scales bordering nasal opening (n =14, mode = 6, mean = 5.9); supralabials 10–13 (n = 14, mode = 11, mean = 11), 1 st supralabial usually narrower than 2 nd supralabial, 1 st and 2 nd supralabials subequal in height or 2 nd supralabial taller than 1 st; infralabials 10–12 (n = 14, mode = 11, mean = 10.9); 3–5 scales contacting posterior margin of mental shield, between 1 st infralabials (n = 14, mode = 4, mean = 3.9). Neck. Broad. Body. Slender, slightly depressed, covered in small granules; granules on ventral surface noticeably larger than those on dorsum; a row of enlarged postcloacal spurs (2–4, n = 14, mode = 3, mean = 2.9) behind the lower posterior margin of the thigh in both sexes (larger and pointed in males, smaller and rounded in females). 4–9 precloacal pores (n = 5, mean = 6.6) present in mature males, in some specimens only just extending to underside of thigh, and divided medially by three to six granular scales without pores (n = 5, mean 4.4). Limbs. Moderate length; digits dorsoventrally compressed and expanded distally; an enlarged pair of apical lamellae followed by a transverse series, divided distally, single proximally; forelimb with 5–8 enlarged lamellae on 4 th finger (n = 14, mode = 6, mean = 6.4), 3–4 split or deeply grooved; hindlimb with 6–9 enlarged lamellae on 4 th toe (n = 14, mode = 7, mean = 6.9), 4–5 split or deeply grooved; moderate basal webbing present between 3 rd and 4 th toes. Original tail. Moderately long (89–94% SVL), narrow (oTW/oTL 10–11.5%); tapered, and slightly flattened (oTW/ oTD 107–130%) ( Table 1 ); scales arranged in concentric rings, slightly larger on ventral surface. Pattern in spirit. Dorsal view. Head and body grey to greyish-brown with a pale vertebral zone and a darker, zigzag, dorsolateral pattern. In most specimens, a dark patch is present on the crown, tapering posteriorly to the nape. This is solid or fragmented and in the least patterned specimens or reduced to one or two ‘V’-shaped markings. A dark, central stripe is present on the dorsal surface of the snout and a dark facial stripe, beginning on snout and continuing behind eye, joins the dark zigzag dorsolateral zone, which has a narrow, dark upper edge and extends to the tip of the tail (original). A narrow dark band is often present across the nape. The zigzag pattern consists of dark points extending into the pale vertebral zone (five to seven between, and including, the shoulders and hips). These are often misaligned, so that the tip of each point aligns with the pale, point interspace on the opposite side. The vertebral zone is irregularly broken by narrow, transverse, diagonal dark lines (one to six), connecting the dark points on either side, giving a ladder-like appearance. In some individuals, these breaks in the pale vertebral zone are regular, giving a blotched appearance. Dark transverse lines always present across lower back/hips. Flanks. Obscure mottling and bearing a chocolate-brown, narrow to broad, continuous or broken, mid-lateral stripe. Original Tail. Pattern as for dorsum, with pale zone edged with black, and some dark transverse lines through pale zone. Transverse lines always present on hips and base of tail, and then dark markings less likely to break pale zone along distal two-thirds of tail. Limbs. Variegated/mottled. Ventral surface. Pale, unpatterned, off-white. Colour pattern in life ( Fig. 11 ). As described above but paler markings light grey or white (vs more cream or soft brown in preservative) and darker markings shades of grey (vs often more brownish in preservative). Iris dark copper or brown.

Comparisons. In size, A. hinesi sp. nov. (max. SVL ~ 60 mm) is similar to the other larger members of the Queensland A. rhombifer group: A. jacovae (max. SVL 60 mm), A. lesueurii (max. SVL 59 mm), A. saxicola sp. nov. (max. SVL 65 mm) and A. nebula sp. nov. (max. SVL 58) ( Tables 1 , 2). It is readily separated from A. saxicola sp. nov. in having dark transverse lines across the dorsum, including typically across the nape and always over the lower back/hips/base of tail, to give a ‘ladder’ or blotched appearance (vs transverse lines rare and less distinct in A. saxicola sp. nov., such that it has a more continuous zigzag pattern down the back, Figs. 13 , 14 ); having evenly pale vertebral markings (vs uneven colour to pale vertebral zone in A. saxicola sp. nov., including soft brown markings and white dots); having more pronounced webbing between the third and fourth toes; and having dark copper or brown iris (vs pale copper or silver in A. saxicola sp. nov., Fig. 14 ). It is separated from A. lesueurii in lacking a distinctly spotted pattern (vs sides, limbs and snout usually with small spots and blotches in A. lesueurii ); having an original tail that is longer (oTL/SVL 0.89–0.94) and rounder (oTW/oTD 1.07–1.30) (vs A. lesueurii oTL/SVL 0.78–0.91, oTW/oTD 1.34–1.57); possessing fewer precloacal pores (4–9, mean 6.7 vs 7–13, mean 9.0 in A. lesueurii ); and having a larger pore gap (3–6 in A. hinesi sp. nov. vs 0–2 in A. lesueurii ). In terms of colour pattern, it is most similar to A. jacovae ; however, its dorsal pattern is generally darker and more clearly defined in all respects than in A. jacovae , and the dorsal pale markings are typically more distinct and separated from each other (vs typically more diffuse and connected in A. jacovae ). In particular, there are always separated pale blotches on the lower back, hips and base of tail in A. hinesi sp. nov. (vs all merged together as one irregular, pale band over the hips in A. jacovae , with a central dark marking). Amalosia hinesi sp. nov. further differs from A. jacovae in having a shorter tail (oTL/SVL 0.89–0.94 vs A. jacovae 0.94–1.02), fewer precloacal pores (4–9, mean = 6.7 vs A. jacovae 13–22, mean = 16.4), and pointed postcloacal spurs on males (vs rounded tips on A. jacovae ). The dorsal pattern of A. hinesi sp. nov. is similar to that of A. nebula sp. nov. but the pale vertebral zone is broader and distinctly broken by some transverse lines, to appear ladder-like or blotched (vs a narrower, deeply notched pale vertebral zone in A. nebula sp. nov. that typically lacks transverse lines; but sometimes a transverse line on the neck and the dark dorsolateral points down the back are often in close proximity to, or in contact with, those on the opposite side). Also differs from A. nebula sp. nov. in having prominent webbing between the 3 rd and 4 th toes (vs no or minimal webbing in A. nebula sp. nov.). It differs from the remaining three species, A. cf. rhombifer , A. capensis sp. nov. and A. queenslandia sp. nov., in size (max. SVL ~ 60 mm, vs 53 mm A. cf. rhombifer , 51 mm A. capensis sp. nov., and 50 mm A. queenslandia sp. nov.) and pattern (narrow transverse lines bridging the pale vertebral zone between the fore and hind limbs vs vertebral zone relatively clean in A. cf. rhombifer , A. capensis sp. nov. and A. queenslandia sp. nov.). It is further distinguished from A. cf. rhombifer and A. capensis sp. nov. in having fewer precloacal pores (mean 6.7 vs 16.9 in A. cf. rhombifer and 17.1 in A. capensis ) and in having prominent webbing between the 3 rd and 4 th toe (vs no or minimal webbing in A. queenslandia sp. nov. and A. capensis ); from A. queenslandia sp. nov. in having a larger pore gap (3–6 vs 0–2 in A. queenslandia sp. nov.); and in having more spurs than A. cf. rhombifer (2–4, mean 2.9 vs A. cf. rhombifer 1–2, mean 1.7).

Genetic data. Two ND4 sequences deposited on GenBank: OM584197 (specimen: QM J96292 ; holotype; genetic sample code: HH16-058; Durikai State Forest ) and OM584198 (specimen: QM J96306 ; paratype; genetic sample code: HH15-013; Durikai State Forest) .

Etymology. Named for Harry Hines, a Senior Conservation Officer with the Queensland Department of Environment and Science. Harry collected a number of the type specimens of this species and has contributed substantially to biodiversity knowledge and conservation in the Nandewar Bioregion.

Distribution. Inland north-east New South Wales and south-east Queensland ( Figs. 3 , 4 ). Records come from near Inverell, north through the Texas–Goondiwindi area, west to Westmar, through the Warwick region, and north to Dalby and Miles. The scattered nature of the occurrence records suggest the distribution is incompletely known. The area with most records (the Moree–Goondiwindi–Texas–Warwick area) forms the northern Nandewar Bioregion. This bioregion extends south on the western side of the Great Dividing Range to the Tamworth area, and it is possible that the species occurs through some of this southern region.

Natural history. Amalosia hinesi sp. nov. occurs in open woodlands (e.g., Fig. 12 ) and has been found on low branches and twigs, on stumps and tree trunks, and among leaf-litter. A nocturnal, arthropod feeder. Encounter rates are low at all sites, but it is not clear whether this reflects low density or low detection. It is not known to occur in micro-sympatry with other Amalosia species , but records come from close proximity to A. lesueurii west of Stanthorpe and north of Inverell. It may also occur in close proximity to A. jacovae in the Toowoomba region because A. hinesi sp. nov. likely occurs in that area and a gecko conforming to A. jacovae has been photographed at Southbrook, west of Toowoomba ( Fig. 8D ).

Figures

FIGURE 3. Map of occurrence records of Amalosia species in Queensland and north-east New South Wales. For each species, individuals included in the ND4 sequencing (Fig. 2) are shown as triangles whereas specimen and sighting records are shown as circles. Records of A. robusta are not shown because the copious records obscure presentation of the focal species.

FIGURE 4. Map of occurrence records of Amalosia species in south-east Queensland and north-east New South Wales. For each species, individuals included in the ND4 sequencing (Fig. 2) are shown as triangles whereas specimen and sighting records are shown as circles. Records of A. robusta are not shown because the copious records obscure presentation of the focal species.

FIGURE 8. Amalosia jacovae in life: (A) Mt Coot-tha; (B) Gympie NP; (C) Mt Coot-tha; (D) Southbrook, west of Toowoomba. Photos: Conrad Hoskin (A, C); Harry Hines (B); Steve Wilson (D).

FIGURE 10. Holotype of A. hinesi sp. nov. (QM J96292); Durikai SF. Photo: Conrad Hoskin.

FIGURE 11. Amalosia hinesi sp. nov. in life: (A, B) Durikai SF; (C) Five Corners, near Nullamanna, NSW; (D) Arcot SF. Photos: (A) Conrad Hoskin; (B, D) Harry Hines; (C) Stephen Mahony.

FIGURE 12. Habitat of A. hinesi sp. nov. at Durikai SF. Photo: Conrad Hoskin.

FIGURE 13. Holotype of A. saxicola sp. nov. (QM J91337); Mt Zero, Paluma. Photo: Conrad Hoskin.

FIGURE 14. Amalosia saxicola sp. nov. in life: (A, B) Magnetic Island; (C) Scawfell Island; (D) Massey Ck, Eungella. Photos: Conrad Hoskin.