Ceratophora ukuwelai, Karunarathna & Poyarkov & Amarasinghe & Surasinghe & Bushuev & Madawala & Gorin & Silva, 2020
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publication ID |
https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.13258697 |
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publication LSID |
lsid:zoobank.org:pub:CBE74FDA-A9D0-4957-A2E5-6F29ADD40578 |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/A0538784-5F0D-C83D-07C6-61C51F9D6053 |
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treatment provided by |
Felipe |
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scientific name |
Ceratophora ukuwelai |
| status |
sp. nov. |
Ceratophora ukuwelai View in CoL sp. nov.
Figs. 5–6 View Fig View Fig ; Tables 5–6.
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:3F34CFA5-59BA-4B28-B9D4-7A16B69CB95E
Holotype. NMSL 2020.05.01, adult female, 37.9 mm SVL, collected from rainforest flow neighboring a stream, Salgala Forest , Kegalle District , Sri Lanka (7.120219°N, 80.251892°E, WGS1984; elevation 242 m; around 1100 h) on 22 August 2019 by Suranjan Karunarathna and Anslem de Silva. GoogleMaps
Paratype. NMSL 2020.05.02, adult female, 36.4 mm SVL, collected from rainforest flow neighboring a stream, Salgala forest , Kegalle District , Sri Lanka (7.074361°N, 80.249797°E, WGS1984; elevation 269 m; around 1000 h) on 22 August 2019 by Suranjan Karunarathna and Anslem de Silva GoogleMaps .
Diagnosis. The new species is assigned to the genus Ceratophora on the basis of phylogenetic data and by having a rostral appendage developed in males, absent in females; tympanum covered with skin; nuchal crest indistinct; dorsal crest absent; tail not prehensile; gular fold comparatively reduced; and scales on flanks heterogeneous, some scales greatly enlarged. Ceratophora ukuwelai sp. nov. can be readily distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following morphological and meristic characteristics: rostral appendage complex, comprising several scales; maximum SVL 37.9 mm; trunk relatively long (TRL/ SVL ratio 51.4–52.6%) with relatively short fore-body (SA/TRL ratio 90.2–90.9%); nuchal crest feebly defined; squamosal process present; dorsum with heterogeneous, keeled scales, intermixed with smooth flat scales; almost all scales on head, body, limbs, and tail bearing 1–18 mechanoreceptive pores (in a single scale), each pore with a sensory seta; 5–7 enlarged, keeled scales present on body flanks; nine supraciliary scales; 40–44 paravertebral scales; 72–77 midbody scales; 72–75 midventral scales. The new species is also clearly distinct from all other congeners in ND2 gene sequences (divergence over 9.6%).
Description of holotype. An adult female, 37.9 mm SVL and 42.6 mm original TAL ( Fig. 5 View Fig ), in a good state of preservation (however, 15 mm of the tail was used for the molecular work). For counts and measurements of the holotype see Tables 5–6. Body slender, relatively long (TRL/SVL ratio 51.4%). Head relatively large (HL/SVL ratio 30.0% and HL/TRL ratio 58.5%), broad (HW/SVL ratio 17.8% and HW/HL ratio 59.3%), partly depressed (HD/SVL ratio 14.4% and HD/HL ratio 47.8%), and distinct from neck. Snout relatively long (ES/HW ratio 56.8% and ES/HL ratio 33.7%), less than twice orbit diameter (OD/ES ratio 84.4%), more than half length of jaw (ES/JL ratio 51.5%), snout slightly concave in lateral view; orbit relatively large (OD/HL ratio 28.4%), pupil rounded; orbit length slightly greater than IV digit of manus (OD/DLM IV ratio 100.6%); supraocular rim moderately developed; supraciliaries uplifted; two rows of scales separate orbit from supralabials; interorbital distance is shorter than snout length (IO/ES ratio 49.2%), shorter than head length (IO/HL ratio 16.6%), eye to nostril distance greater than the interorbital distance (EN/ IO ratio 102.6%).
Dorsal, lateral, and ventral surfaces of the head, trunk, and tail with keeled scales intermixed with smooth heterogeneous, small and large scales, each scale with at least one or more pores (up to 18) bearing a sensory seta; rostral horn absent, rostral scales very small; snout convex, scales on snout keeled and raised, smaller than those on interorbital and occipital regions; canthus scales present, 11/10 keeled conical scales from eye to nostril; nasal scale large, nostril rounded and located in the middle of an undivided nasal scale, not in contact with supralabials; scales of the interorbital region heterogeneous, intermixed with smooth scales; palpable squamosal process present. Nuchal crest not prominent, 1–3 pointed and ridged scales on the neck; supralabials 12/12 keeled, infralabials 13/12 keeled, becoming smaller towards the gape. Two scale rows separate orbit from supralabials. Sharp and conical tubercles present both on the sides of the neck and around the gape; tympanum hidden under skin; enlarged, keeled, and flat scales present on tympanum area; 44 paravertebral scales, four diamond shaped markings with three black dots present on vertebral line; 77 midbody scales; lateral scales irregular and keeled, intermixed with 5/6 enlarged scales on the flanks.
Ventral surfaces covered with keeled scales, each scale with one or more mechanoreceptive pores; mental semicircular in shape, small, posteriorly in contact with three small postmentals (smaller than naris, chin scales, and rostral scales), in contact with the 1 st infralabial. Gular fold short and its length is approximately 22.6% of SVL, but dispersed and its depth is approximately 60.3% of HD. Ventral scales pentagonal, subimbricate, ventral scales larger than chin scales, dorsal scales, and lateral scales, 75 ventral scales; keeled scales around vent and base of tail; no precloacal or femoral pores; original tail of holotype longer than the snout-vent length ( TAL / SVL ratio 112.3%), heterogeneous scales on the dorsal aspect of the tail directed backwards, spine-like scales present on tail; subcaudals keeled and small, subrhomboidal, arranged in a single median series. Forelimbs long, slender, upper arm longer than lower arm (LAL/ SVL ratio 15.9% and UAL/ SVL ratio 17.8%); hindlimbs long, tibia slightly shorter than the femur (TBL/ SVL ratio 22.8% and FEL/ SVL ratio 23.7%). Anterior, dorsal, posterior, and ventral surfaces of forelimbs and hindlimbs with strongly keeled and less imbricate scales; anterior surfaces twice as large as those of the other surfaces of both limbs; posterior edges of femur and tibia with six large, conical scales .
Dorsal and ventral surfaces of manus and pes with keeled granules; dorsal surfaces of digits with granular scales. Digits elongate and slender with inflected distal phalanges, all bearing slightly recurved claws. Subdigital lamellae on digits entire, notched; lamellae on manus (left/right): digit I (7/6), digit II (9/9), digit III (13/12), digit IV (13/13), digit V (9/8); total lamellae on pes (left/ right): digit I (6/6), digit II (8/7), digit III (8/8), digit IV (15/14), digit V (7/7); interdigital webbing absent; relative length of left manual digits: I (1.8 mm), V (2.1 mm), II (2.5 mm), III (2.9 mm), IV (3.2 mm); relative length of left pedal digits: I (1.6 mm), II (2.2 mm), III (2.8 mm), V (3.3 mm), IV (5.7 mm).
Variation. Measurements and morphological characters of the type series are given in Tables 5–6. The female paratype is generally similar to the holotype in body proportions and coloration; the SVL of adult female specimens in the type series of Ceratophora ukuwelai sp. nov. (n = 2) ranges from 36.4 to 37.9 mm; enlarged flank scales 5–7; supralabials 12–13; infralabials 11–12; postmentals 3–4; interorbital 9–10; canthal scales 10–11; total lamellae on digit of the manus: digit I (6–7), digit II (8–9), digit III (12–13), digit IV (12–13), digit V (8–9); total lamellae on digit of the pes: digit I (6–7), digit II (7– 8), digit III (7–8), digit IV (14–16); paravertebral granules 40–44; midbody scales 72–77; ventral scales 72–75 (see Tables 5–6). Because the holotype and paratype of the new species are females, sexual dimorphism could not be determined. However, a single male specimen of Ceratophora ukuwelai sp. nov. was recorded at the type locality and photographed in life ( Fig. 6B View Fig ). Male specimen possessed long (RAL/SVL ratio 11.26%) complex rostral appendage, comprised of numerous keeled acuminate scales, including posterostral scales and a pointed enlarged scale on the top.
Color of living specimens. In life, dorsum of head, body, and limbs generally grey-brown ( Fig. 6 View Fig ); forehead with white blotch, interorbital area with a ‘Y’ shaped brown marking, occiput area with a ‘W’ shaped dark marking;
four grey diamond-shaped vertebral markings with black dots. Tail generally brown with faded zigzag markings. Two brown postorbital stripes on each side with striped labials ( Fig. 5 View Fig ). Chin, gular, and ventral scales dirty white mixed with red-brown. Dorsal surface of upper and lower arm with white ring around. Posterior side of femur with white longitudinal spine line, tibia with white ring around. Iris copper-orange; pupil black. Inner surfaces of mouth cavity bluish-grey. A male specimen (not collected) showed generally similar but slightly darker coloration than the female type ( Fig. 6B View Fig ) .
Color of preserved specimens. After preservation in ethanol for one year, coloration pattern of type specimens resembles that observed in life. Dorsally specimens turned dark brown with four distinct diamond-shaped markings on vertebrae; interorbital area with a Y-shaped dark marking; both limbs with dirty white rings. Ventral surfaces turned grey-brown.
Etymology. The specific epithet is a Latinized eponym in the masculine genitive singular, honoring evolutionary biologist and herpetologist Dr. Kanishka Ukuwela (Rajarata University) for his invaluable contribution to biodiversity studies and conservation in Sri Lanka.
Suggested common names. Ukuwelas’ Rough-horn Lizard (English), Ukuwelage ralu-ang katussa (Sinhala).
Comparisons with other Sri Lankan species. The new species, Ceratophora ukuwelai sp. nov., readily differs from Ceratophora aspera by the presence of fewer supraciliary scales (9 versus 12–14), fewer paravertebral scales (40–44 versus 52–58), greater midbody scales (72–77 versus 57–61), fewer ventral scales (72–75 versus 92–95), trunk relatively long (TRL/ SVL ratio 51.4–52.6% versus 41.3–44.5%), and fore-body relatively short (SA/TRL ratio 90.2–90.9% versus 107.6–113.9%). Differs from Ceratophora erdeleni by the presence of a long, complex, and rough rostral appendage in males (versus short, simple, and smooth rostral appendage), lateral scales keeled (versus lateral scales smooth), relatively small bodied, average SVL of adults (37 mm versus 80 mm), found in lowland wet zone (below 300 m versus above 900 m). Differs from Ceratophora karu by the presence of long and rough rostral appendage in males (versus short, pointed, and relatively smooth rostral appendage), no prominent and conical shaped superciliary (versus very prominent and conical shaped superciliary presents), squamosal process present (versus squamosal process absent), found in annual temperature is around 29.2 ºC. Salgala is rich in tall rainforest trees and the forest floor contains thick leaf litter. Numerous smaller streams are present within the type locality. Ceratophora ukuwelai sp. nov. appears to be an elusive and rare species in Salgala as only five individuals were recorded during 10 field excursions (nearly 500 person-hours). Specimens of the new species were recorded on the forest floor in dense forest patches with thick and wet leaf litter under dense canopy cover ( Fig. 7 View Fig ). The microhabitat of Ceratophora ukuwelai sp. nov. was a poorly illuminated (light intensity: 455–687 Lux), relatively moist, canopy-shaded (relative humidity: 72–84% and canopy cover: 70–85%), and relatively warm environment (substrate temperature: 27.7–28.2 °C) by the time of our survey. The new species was recorded in sympatry with several other agamid lizard species, including Calotes calotes (Linnaeus, 1758) , Calotes liolepis Boulenger, 1885 , Calotes versicolor (Daudin, 1802) , and Otocryptis wiegmanni Wagler, 1830 .
lowland wet zone (below 300 m versus above 900 m). Differs from Ceratophora stoddarti by the presence of long, complex, and rough rostral appendage in males (versus long, simple, and smooth rostral appendage), lateral scales keeled (versus lateral scales smooth), relatively small bodied, average SVL of adults (37 mm versus 80 mm), found in lowland wet zone (below 300 m versus above 800 m). Differs from Ceratophora tennentii by the presence of rough and relatively round shaped rostral appendage in males (versus smooth and laterally flattened rostral appendage), lateral scales keeled (versus lateral scales smooth), relatively small bodied, average SVL of adults (37 mm versus 80 mm), found in lowland wet zone (below 300 m versus above 800 m).
Distribution and natural history. The type locality, Salgala Forest (7.109631 – 7.129028 °N, 80.243444 – 80.263494 °E; Kegalle District, Sabaragamuwa Province), is located in the lowland at elevations of 120–325 m asl. The area falls within the northern border of the wet bioclimatic zone, where tropical evergreen rainforests comprise the dominant vegetation type ( Gunatileke and Gunatileke 1990). The forest acreage is approximately 150 ha and Salgala forest is isolated from other forest massifs by the Kelani River and Maha River valleys, numerous perennial middle-order streams, and human modified cultural landscapes such as tea plantations. The mean annual rainfall in the area varies between 2,500 and 3,500 mm, most of it is received during the southwest monsoon (May–September), while the mean Conservation status. Application of the IUCN Red List criteria indicates that C. ukuwelai sp. nov. has to be considered a Critically Endangered (CR) species due to having an area of occupancy (AOO) <10 km 2 (four locations, 0.12 km 2 in total assuming a 100 m radius around the georeferenced locations) and an extent of occurrence (EOO) <100 km 2 (0.26 km 2) in Kegalle District, Sabaragamuwa Province of southwestern Sri Lanka [Applicable criteria B2-b (iii)] ( IUCN Standards and Petitions Subcommittee 2016).
| TAL |
Jardin botanique de Talence |
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