Paragehyra felicitae, Crottini & Harris & Miralles & Glaw & Jenkins & Randrianantoandro & Bauer & Vences, 2015
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publication ID |
https://doi.org/ 10.1007/s13127-014-0191-5 |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/DA44F62D-4F1E-FFA0-FCBA-FD78FF1795EA |
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treatment provided by |
Felipe |
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scientific name |
Paragehyra felicitae |
| status |
sp. nov. |
Paragehyra felicitae View in CoL sp. nov
Refer to Figs. 1b View Fig , 2 View Fig , 4a and 6 View Fig .
Holotype ZSM 1611/2010 (ZCMV 13001), adult male with everted hemipenes, collected in the Anja reserve near Ambalavao, 21° 51′ 3.40″ S, 46° 50′ 34.10″ E, 953 m a.s.l., Haute Matsiatra Region, Fianarantsoa province, southern central Madagascar, on 9th December 2009 by Angelica Crottini, D. James Harris, Iker A. Irisarri, Alexandra Lima, Solohery Rasamison and Emile Rajeriarison. GoogleMaps
Paratypes ZSM 1612/2010 (ZCMV 13002), adult male with everted hemipenes, ZSM 1613/2010 (ZCMV 13003), adult female, and UADBA uncatalogued (ZCMV 13057), unsexed juvenile, all collected at the same locality and dates as the holotype; ZSM 1610/2010 (ZCMV 12794), adult male with everted hemipenis, and UADBA R71044 (ZCMV 12793), collected on a dispersed granitic rock, 600 m east of the Anja reserve at 21° 51′ 03.0″ S, 46° 50′ 02.0″ E, 1010 m a.s.l., Haute Matsiatra Region, Fianarantsoa province, southern central Madagascar, on 8th December 2010 by Aurélien Miralles and Fanomezana M. Ratsoavina; UADBA R71043 (ZCMV 12792) collected in the Anja reserve, at 21° 51′ 07″ S, 46° 50′ 38″ E, approx 950 m a.s.l., 8th December 2010 by Aurélien Miralles and Fanomezana M. Ratsoavina GoogleMaps .
Diagnosis A Paragehyra with 12 longitudinal rows of enlarged tubercles on dorsolateral surfaces of the body (character BT); enlarged tubercles on dorsal surfaces of limbs (character TDL); transverse rows of enlarged tubercles encircle dorsolateral surface of tail (character TT); enlarged infralabials diminish gradually in size posteriorly (character I); small lateral chin scales extend forward along each side, excluded from contact with first infralabials, in contact with first postmentals and second infralabials (character C); ventral scales on distal (tibial) segment of hindlimb enlarged into plates, especially distally (character VET); scales on preaxial-ventral portion of pes between end of tibia and base of digit I relatively large and few, generally six scales (character SPP); two to three small, subdigital scales between enlarged basal scales and terminal distal pad on digit I of manus and pes (character SS); four to six subdigital scales on claw-bearing segment of digit II–V of manus and pes digit IV of left pes. P. austini (b) presents smooth dorsal scales without enlarged tubercles; enlarged infralabials diminish gradually in size posteriorly (character I); bell-shaped mental scale (character ME); first large postmental scales in contact for more than the 50 % of their length (character 1 PM); small lateral chin scales extend anteriorly along each side, excluded from contact with first infralabials and first postmentals, in contact with second infralabials (character C); three to four small, subdigital scales between enlarged basal scales and terminal distal pad on digit I of manus and pes (character SS), in this picture, the example refers to the digit I of left pes; ventral scales on distal (tibial) segment of (left) hindlimb slightly larger than the other ventral scales (character VET); scales on preaxial-ventral portion of pes between end of tibia and base of digit I relatively small, seven scales are visible (character SPP) on left pes; claw-bearing segment of digit II–V of manus and pes with three to seven subdigital scales (character SSC), in this picture, the example refers to the digit II of left pes
(character SSC); smooth dorsal scales equal size to ventrals (character DO); smooth unpigmented ventral scales (character VE); smooth pigmented subcaudal scales (character SC); triangular mental scale (character ME); first large postmental scales in contact for more than 50 % of their length (character 1 PM).
P. felicitae sp. nov. is most similar to P. petiti from which it differs in the following seven characters: BT (12 vs. 10 longitudinal rows of enlarged tubercles dorsolaterally on the body), TDL (enlarged tubercles on proximal and distal segment of dorsal surfaces of limbs vs. presence of enlarged tubercles on distal segment of forelimbs), I (enlarged infralabials diminish gradually in size posteriorly vs. first four to six infralabials much larger than reminder), SPP (six vs. five scales on preaxial-ventral portion of pes between end of tibia and base of digit I), DO (smooth dorsal scales of equal size as ventrals vs. smooth dorsal scales smaller than ventrals), SC (smooth pigmented subcaudal scales vs. smooth unpigmented subcaudal scales), ME (triangle-shaped mental scale vs. bell-shaped mental scale).
Paragehyra felicitae sp. nov. differs from P. gabriellae in nine characters: BT (12 longitudinal rows of enlarged tubercles dorsolaterally on the body vs. small tubercles not arranged in distinct rows); TDL (presence of enlarged tubercles on dorsal surfaces of limbs vs. absence), TT (presence of transverse rows of enlarged tubercles on tail vs. absence), VET (6 enlarged ventral scales on distal (tibial) segment of hindlimb vs. ventral scales on distal (tibial) segment of hindlimb of normal size), SPP (6 large scales along preaxial-ventral border of pes vs. 7–9 small scales along preaxial-ventral border of pes), SS (2–3 small, subdigital scales between enlarged basal scales and terminal distal pad on digit I of manus and pes vs. 7–10 smaller scales), SSC (subdigital scales on claw-bearing segment of digit II–Vof manus and pes large and subequal vs. numerous small scales increasing gradually in size distally), VE (smooth unpigmented ventral scales vs. smooth pigmented ventral scales), 1PM (first large postmental scales in contact for more than the 50 % of their length vs. first large postmental scales in contact for equal or less than the 50 % of their length).
Remarks In addition to the morphological characters, P. felicitae differs from all other species by substantial genetic differentiation in mitochondrial and nuclear markers.
Description of the holotype See Figs. 1b View Fig , 2 View Fig ; for measurements, Tables 2 and 3. Well-preserved male with fully everted hemipenes and with regenerated tail autotomised after the sixth whorl. The tail tip (ca. 3 mm) was removed as a tissue sample and preserved in 96 % EtOH for genetic analyses. Body and head flattened dorsoventrally. Head slightly narrower than the widest part of body (cf. HW and BW), 1.4 times longer than wide (cf. HL and HW in Table 1). Snout long and with a rounded tip. Pupil round. Eye large (ED), diameter 0.39 times snout length (SnL). Ear opening (EO) elliptical, with vertical long axis, smaller than eye, vertical diameter 0.5 times eye diameter. Body (snout-vent length [SVL] minus head length [HL]) relatively short, 2.48 times longer than head. Limbs and digits relatively long, forelimb (FL) when extended forward reaches midway between anterior edge of eye and nostril, when extended posteriorly reaches three quarters of distance to groin, hindlimb (HiL) reaches anterior axilla. Regenerated tail (TAL) 1.17 times as long as SVL, subcylindrical, flattened dorsoventrally especially at the base, and less on the distal portion, and tapering to a sharp point. Quadrangular rostral scale less wide than mental scale with an incomplete, dorsal vertical groove extending downward approximately one half the distance from dorsal edge to lip.
Groove between nasals, one internasal, nasals not in contact (IN). Nostrils in contact with rostral, nasals, three postnasals and first supralabials. Number of supralabials (SL) (right/left) 9/9; number of infralabials (right/left) 8/9. Supralabials and infralabials decreasing in size posteriorly.
Mental (ME) large, triangular ( Fig. 6 View Fig ), in contact with first infralabials and bordered posteriorly by a pair of large elongated irregular hexagonal to pentagonal postmentals. A row of six smaller enlarged scales (here called second postmentals [2PM]) separates the mental and partially the postmentals from the smaller chin and throat scales. Large postmentals (1PM) (as long as mental) in contact for more than the 50 % of their length and in contact with mental and first infralabials anteriorly on the right side and in contact with mental and first two infralabials anteriorly on the left side, with each other posteriorly, with two enlarged second postmentals posterolaterally, and with pair of second postmentals posteriorly. A slightly enlarged chin shield occurs between first and second postmental and infralabials on each side; chin scales decrease gradually in size posteriorly. Lateral chin scales extend forward along each side, right anteriormost chin scale in contact with right first postmental and right second infralabials; left anteriormost chin scale in contact with left first postmental and left second infralabials. Dorsal scales (DO) consist mostly of small smooth granular scales equal in size to ventral scales, with few enlarged, conical to subconical tubercles. No tubercles in front of eyes, smaller tubercles on posterior portion of head and neck. Body tubercles (BT) around three times bigger than dorsal granular scales and arranged in six longitudinal rows on each side. Tubercles of two paravertebral rows smaller than those of lower rows. No additional tubercles below sixth row on each side. Dorsal surface of forelimbs covered with small granular scales with enlarged tubercles on both distal and proximal segments (TDL). Dorsal surface of hindlimbs covered with small granular scales with several enlarged tubercles (of bigger dimension than the tubercles on forelimbs) on both distal and proximal segments (TDL).
Dorsal surface of tail has small granular scales, enlarged tubercles present on whole tail except regenerated portion (TT). Non-regenerated tail with six discernible whorls, dark whorls with a transverse row (ring) of enlarged tubercles in the middle portion of each whorl, light whorls with two transverse rows (rings) of enlarged tubercles, one at the anterior and one at the posterior border of each whorl. Tail base wide (see TBW), with enlarged tubercles. Whorl 1 has seven enlarged tubercles, whorls 2–4 have five enlarged tubercles, and whorls 5–6 have three enlarged tubercles.
Ventral scales (VE) smooth, largely cycloid, varying in size and degree of overlap. Throat scales small, circular and largely juxtaposed. Scales just below posterior infralabials enlarged. Throat covered by small granular scales. Imbricate, cycloid scales begin behind throat and cover chest and belly. Ventral surface of forelimbs covered with granular scales on proximal segment and imbricate cycloid scales on distal segment. Ventral surface of pelvis and thigh (proximal portion of hindlimbs) covered with imbricate cycloid scales. Ventral, distal segment of hindlimbs (VET) with very large, imbricate, cycloid scales increasing in size toward pes, distalmost six scales large, forming a row of overlapping plates half as wide as ventral surface of lower hindlimb. Subcaudal scalation of tail base with imbricate, cycloid scales smaller than following subcaudals. First whorl has two enlarged cycloid scales distally, second whorl with two sets of enlarged cycloid scales proximally and one wide plate distally; whorl 3 with a row of four, wide, undivided plates; whorls 4–6 with a row of three, wide, undivided plates; regenerated portion with a row of wide, undivided plates.
Dorsal scales on tail of the same size as the dorsal scales on the body, ventral plates separated ventrolaterally by one to three longitudinal rows of large, imbricate, cycloid scales. Scales immediately adjacent to cloacal opening much smaller than surrounding scales.
Preaxial border of palm and digit I of manus covered with large scales. Six relatively large, imbricate, cycloid scales along preaxial-ventral border of pes on each side ( SPP) . Granular or weakly imbricate scales cover palms and bases of digits II–V on manus and pes. Pads of digits II–V confined to distal two thirds of pad-bearing segment of digits. Pads consist of rows of undivided scales. Numbers of (transversely enlarged) subdigital lamellae in order on digits II–V ( SLMP) : left manus 8,9,9,9; left pes, 8,9,9,9. Digit I of manus and pes has three types of subdigital scales: a basal row of enlarged scales, an intermediate row of small paired scales (SS) and a large terminal quadrangular pad. Numbers of these in order are: left manus, 3-3-1; left pes 4-3-1. Terminal pad of digit I quadrangular in shape, pilose and lies before the claw. Claw-bearing segment of digits II–V has a series of relatively large, overlapping, subdigital scales from base of digit to base of claw ( SSC) : numbers of these in order are: left manus 5,5,5,6; left pes 6,6,5,5. Comparative finger and toe length 1<2<5<3 <4. Three precloacal pores ( PCP) .
Testes white, enlarged; left testis 5 mm long and 2.7 mm wide, with enlarged vas deferentia ( Fig. 5a View Fig ). The hemipenes show a bilobed structure with clear differentiation between truncus and apex. The sulcus spermaticus is long and not very deep (visible in Fig. 5a View Fig ). Spines and/or denticulated papillae entirely absent. Truncus slender and large sulcated apex dividing this portion in two lobes ( Fig. 5a View Fig ).
Colouration Colour after 4 years in alcohol apparently similar to that in life ( Figs. 1b View Fig , 2 View Fig ). Ground colour of head, body, tail, hands, feet and dorsal parts of limbs dorsally and laterally light grey with darker grey-brownish blotches and bands on dorsal surface of body and limbs. A longitudinal row of five midline dorsolateral grey-brownish blotches on dorsal surface of body with a lighter grey central spot along midline. A grey and grey-brownish pattern along the dorsolateral portion of the tail. A black band from anterior border of eye continuing anteriorly midway to nostrils. Ventral part of body uniformly whitish, but with melanophores that provide a light brownish colouration under magnification on ventral scales of the chin, margin of lower jaws, lower cheeks, lateral throat regions. Palms, subdigital areas and subcaudal scales greyish. Supralabials and infralabials greyish-white. Supralabials with several melanophores, infralabials with few scattered melanophores.
Variation Based on ZSM paratypes, for measurements, see Tables 2 and 3. After 4 years in alcohol, the colour and pattern of ZSM 1612/2010 and ZSM 1613/2010 were apparently similar to that at the time of collection. Colouration overall similar to that of the holotype. Colour and pattern of ZSM 1610/2010 after 4 years in alcohol were overall similar to that at the time of collection and slightly different from the holotype; ZSM 1612/2010 and ZSM 1613/2010 present a faded greyish colour and a colouration pattern less discernible.
In ZSM 1610/2010, the row of second postmentals is constituted by five scales, nasals are in contact, the supralabials on the left side are eight, five precloacal pores are visible, lateral chin scales extend forward along each side, in contact with second infralabials and excluded from contact with first infralabials and first postmentals, the subdigital scales between enlarged basal scales and distal pad on digit I of manus are two. A piece of muscle of the left hindlimb has been excised and preserved in 96 % EtOH for genetic analyses.
In ZSM 1612/2010, the row of second postmentals comprises five scales, five precloacal pores are visible, the infralabials on the left side are seven, lateral chin scales extend forward along each side, in contact with second infralabials and excluded from contact with first infralabials and first postmentals. The tail tip has been cut and preserved in 96 % EtOH for genetic analyses.
In ZSM 1613/2010, the row of second postmentals comprises five scales, no precloacal pores are visible, infralabials nine/seven (right/left), scales on preaxial-ventral portion of pes between end of tibia and base of digit I are small and numerous (nine), the subdigital scales between enlarged basal scales and distal pad on digit I of pes are two. The tail tip has been cut and preserved in 96 % EtOH for genetic analyses.
No measurements are available for the paratypes in the UADBA collection: UADBA uncatalogued (ZCMV 13057), UADBA R71043 (ZCMV 12792) and UADBA R71044 (ZCMV 12793). For the variation in the number of subdigital lamellae under pad-bearing portion of digits II–V of manus and pes, refer to Table 2 (character SLMP); for the variation in the number of subdigital scales in claw-bearing segment of digits II–Vof manus and pes, refer to Table 3 (character SSC).
Regenerated tails differ markedly in colour compared to original tails. The banded pattern of original tails is replaced with longitudinal streaks of grey and white on regenerated tails.
Everted hemipenes are available for two additional males (ZSM 1612/2010 and ZSM 1610/2010; Fig. 5b, c View Fig ) and have an overall structure similar to the one described for the holotype ( Fig. 5a View Fig ).
Distribution, conservation and proposed IUCN Red List status P. felicitae is currently known only from the type locality within the Anja reserve and from large granitic boulders that face the reserve from the other side of national road N7 ( Fig. S1 View Fig ). The Anja reserve, where the holotype was collected, extends for about 30 ha 13 km south of the district capital of Ambalavao and has been designated as a protected area only in 1999. This area is managed by the local community, and it is currently the community-managed forest most visited by tourists in Madagascar. Further investigations in the surrounding areas in central Madagascar (e.g., across the Andringitra massif and along the western slopes of the high plateau) are required to define the actual distribution of the new species. In the Anja reserve, P. felicitae has been observed only on two groups of granitic boulders, both at the edge of the reserve and close to a small brook. In the area of the type locality deforestation for agriculture, logging and cattle grazing was observed, and although this species seems to be strictly rock-dwelling, deforestation of surrounding areas might severely affect current populations. Increased and insufficiently controlled human activities affecting the surrounding habitats might seriously threaten the long-term survival of this species. Therefore, although relatively abundant in the Anja reserve (several individuals were observed in a few hours of active searching) and depending on the actual distribution of its populations, it is likely that P. felicitae sp. nov. will qualify for inclusion in one of the threatened categories, but due to the currently restricted knowledge on this species, we suggest to consider its conservation status as “Data Deficient” according to IUCN criteria ( IUCN 2001).
Habitat and habits Although Paragehyra spp. are nocturnal geckos, the holotype of P. felicitae sp. nov. was found at around 2 p. m. on a granitic boulder at the entrance of the Anja reserve, in an open area close to the forest edge and adjacent to a small stream. The specimen was standing still on the shady surface of the boulder and was initially mistaken for a Hemidactylus . ZSM 1613/2010 and ZSM 1612/2010 were caught at the same granitic boulder, while ZSM 1610/2010 was caught on a granitic boulder, 600 m east of the Anja reserve. The type locality is a granitic boulder surrounded by deciduous dry forest. The temperature at time of collection was relatively high, although lower than the temperatures of the type localities in the south and south-west of Madagascar. The second place where P. felicitae has been collected may be characterised as isolated rocks (up to 5 m high), in a cattlegrazing field covered with dry weeds. Here, P. felicitae was observed between large rocks, but always in areas where no forest remnants were present.
Other reptiles found in the forest of the Anja reserve during our two visits (December 2009, December 2010) were the following: Paroedura cf. bastardi , Thamnosophis lateralis , Furcifer lateralis (or the recently described Furcifer viridis ), Furcifer oustaleti , Oplurus quadrimaculatus , Madagascarophis meridionalis , Trachylepis cf. vato , Hemidactylus frenatus and the two recently described species Phelsuma gouldi ( Crottini et al. 2011) and Brookesia brunoi ( Crottini et al. 2012b) .
Etymology D. J. Harris dedicates this new species in honour of Dr. Felicity O’ Malley. The specific name is thus a matronym.
| PM |
Pratt Museum |
| SSC |
Sacramento State University |
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