Hemiphyllodactylus gengmaensis, Zhou & Li & Shen & Liu & Rao, 2024

Zhou, Hongxin, Li, Shimin, Shen, Ziqi, Liu, Shuo & Rao, Dingqi, 2024, A new species of Hemiphyllodactylus (Squamata, Gekkonidae) from southwest Yunnan, China, ZooKeys 1197, pp. 197-213 : 197

Hemiphyllodactylus gengmaensis sp. nov.

Figs 4 , 5

Material.

Holotype. 2014002302, adult female, collected by Hong Hui on 15 May 2014 from Banxing Village , Gengma Dai and Wa Autonomous County, Yunnan, China (23.517°N, 98.925°E, at an elevation of 664 m).

Paratypes. 2014002297, 2014002298, 2014002299, adult females, 2014002300, 20140022301, adult males, collected at the same locality as the holotype on 15 May 2014 .

Diagnosis.

Hemiphyllodactylus gengmaensis sp. nov. can be distinguished from its congeners by the combination of the following characters: maximum SVL of 43.24 mm; 8-9 chin scales; enlarged postmentals; 6 circumnasal scales; 2-3 internasal scales; 9-11 supralabial scales; 8-9 infralabial scales; 11-18 dorsal scales; 8-10 ventral scales; a manual lamellar formula of 5-5-5-4 or 5-6-5-4 and a pedal lamellar formula of 5-5-6-5; 20-25 precloacal and femoral pore-bearing scales contiguous in males. dark postorbital stripes or striping on body; dark dorsal transverse blotches; and a brown postsacral mark bearing anteriorly projecting arms.

Description of holotype.

Adult female, SVL 38.52 mm; head triangular in dorsal profile, depressed, distinct from neck (HL 10.80 mm; HW 7.36 mm); lores flat; snout short (SnEye 3.94 mm; SnEye/HL 36%), narrow (SnW 1.78 mm; SnW/HW 24%); eye large (ED 2.12 mm; ED/HL 20%); rostral scale wider than high, bordered posteriorly by two large supranasals and three internasals (IS); nares bordered anteriorly by rostral scale, ventrally by first and second supralabial scale, dorsally by supranasal scale, posteriorly by three postnasals; supralabials square, 10/9 (left/right), tapering from rostral to a point in line with posterior margin of orbit (SL); infralabials square, 9/9 (left/right), tapering from mental to a point in line with posterior margin of orbit (IL); scales on head small, rounded, largest on rostrum; mental triangular, eight chin scales touching internal edges of infralabials from juncture of the second and the third on left and right and mental scale (Chin); scales in gular region rounded, non-overlapping, becoming larger and more ovoid on venter. Robust body type and small, (TrunkL/SVL 45%), dorsoventrally compressed; dorsal body scales small, granular, 18 dorsal scales at midbody contained within one eye diameter; ventral body scales smooth and flat, much larger than dorsal scales, subimbricate, 10 ventral scales at midbody contained within one eye diameter; granular scales on the limbs; finger I is vestigial, clawless, and with rectangular subdigital lamellae, while fingers II-V are well developed; the proximal subdigital lamellae are undivided and rectangular, while the distal subdigital lamellae are divided, angular, U-shaped, except for the terminal lamellae, which are rounded and undivided; the forefoot and hindfoot digital formulae are unidentifiable; white cloacal spur present, one on each side. Tail length (TL/SVL = 73%), with dorsal scales on the tail larger than those on the body and head, but smaller than the subcaudals. The ventral scales are large and flat.

Coloration in ethanol.

The dorsal surface of head and body is light brown; dark brown stripes extend from the posterior corner of the eye socket to the neck; the back is covered with irregular, dark-brown stripes that interconnect to form a net-like pattern; the dorsal surfaces of the limbs are brown, with irregular, dark-brown stripes; the tail is brown, with several dark-brown, transverse stripes; the regenerated tail is gray and without transverse stripes; the ventral surfaces of the head and limbs are cream-grey.

Variation.

Variation of mensural and meristic data are presented in Table 3 . Dark dorsal transverse blotches on the body of this species are relatively small, with those of two specimens (2014002302, 2014002300) being indistinct and fragmented. Furthermore, females are slightly larger than males. The postsacral mark, bearing anteriorly projecting arms, of one individual (2014002300) is indistinct, possibly due to prolonged preservation.

Distribution.

This species is currently known to be distributed at the type locality Banxing Village, Gengma Dai and Wa Autonomous County of Yunnan Province in China (Fig. 1 ).

Natural History.

Hemiphyllodactylus gengmaensis sp. nov. was found at an elevation of 664 m a.s.l., around 21:00. The specimens were found on a restaurant’s wall, which was rough and with crevices. When illuminated with a flashlight, the animals quickly crawled into the crevices.

Etymology.

The scientific name " gengmaensis " is derived from its type locality Gengma Dai and Wa Autonomous County in Yunnan province. We suggest Gengma Slender Gecko in English and "耿马半叶趾虎 ( Gěng Mǎ Bàn Yè Zhǐ Hǔ)” in Chinese.

Comparisons.

We compared the morphology of the new species against its closely related species, specifically species from clade 3, as inferred from the phylogeny we constructed (Table 4 ). In terms of body proportions, H. gengmaensis sp. nov. has a longer head which separates it from H. longlingensis , H. zalonicus , H. changningensis , and H. zhutangxiangensis (HL/SVL = 0.26-0.31 versus 0.22-0.24, 0.22-0.23, 0.22-0.25, 0.17-0.20, respectively); greater SnW distance (SnW/HW = 0.22-0.33 versus 0.15-0.18, 0.21, 0.16-0.20, 0.16-0.21, respectively); the new species has a shorter SnEye distance which separates it from H. longlingensis , H. changningensis , and H. zhutangxiangensis (SnEye/HL = 0.36-0.41 versus 0.42-0.45, 0.41-0.49, 0.53-0.60, respectively); shorter head width (HW/HL = 0.64-0.74 versus 0.75-0.80, 0.72-0.80, 1.03-1.13, respectively); it has a shorter NarEye compared to H. changningensis and H. zhutangxiangensis (NarEye/HL = 0.24-0.30 versus 0.30-0.37, 0.39-0.4, respectively); smaller eyes compared to H. zalonicus and H. zhutangxiangensis (ED/HL = 0.20-0.24 versus 0.23-0.30, 0.30-0.36, respectively). In terms of scalation, the new species has more CN can be distinguished from H. longlingensis , H. zalonicus , H. changningensis , and H. zhutangxiangensis (CN = 6 versus 4-5, 5, 3-4, 5, respectively); more VS compared to H. longlingensis , H. changningensis , and H. zhutangxiangensis (VS = 8-10 versus 6-7, 6-8, 5-7, respectively); the new species has more femoroprecloacal pores which separates it from H. zalonicus , H. changningensis , and H. zhutangxiangensis (20-25 versus 16-20, 19-22, 20-23, respectively). For the lamellar and coloration, the new species differs from H. longlingensis , H. zalonicus , and H. changningensis by having more lamellae on the hand (5-5(6)-5-4 versus 3-4-4-4(3), 3-3(4)-3(4)-3(4) and 3-3(4)-3(4)-3, respectively); differs from H. zalonicus , H. changningensis , and H. zhutangxiangensis by having more lamellae on first fingers (SL1T = 6 versus 4, 3-4, 4-5, respectively). Furthermore, H. gengmaensis sp. nov. has dark transverse blotches on the dorsum, which H. zalonicus does not have. The new species has a dark, reticulate dorsal pattern, which H. zalonicus and H. zhutangxiangensis do not have. It has a postsacral marking with anteriorly projecting arms, which is absent in H. zalonicus and H. changningensis .

Figures

Figure 1. Distribution map of the genus Hemiphyllodactylus in Yunnan Province, China.

Figure 4. Hemiphyllodactylus gengmaensis sp. nov. A holotype, 2014002302, dorsal view in alcohol B holotype, 2014002302, ventral view in alcohol C paratype, 2014002301, dorsal view in alcohol.

Figure 5. Paratype (2014002301) of Hemiphyllodactylus gengmaensis sp. nov. A, B lateral views of head, red lines indicate IL and SL, respectively C ventral view, red lines indicate chin scales D ventral view, red lines indicate femoroprecloacal pores.