Sphaerodactylus inigoi, Daza & Pinto & Thomas & Herrera-Martinez & Scantlebury & Padilla García & Balaraman & Perry & Gamble, 2019

Daza, Juan D., Pinto, Brendan J., Thomas, Richard, Herrera-Martinez, Alexandra, Scantlebury, Daniel P., Padilla García, Luis F., Balaraman, Rajesh P., Perry, Gad & Gamble, Tony, 2019, The sprightly little sphaerodactyl: Systematics and biogeography of the Puerto Rican dwarf geckos Sphaerodactylus (Gekkota, Sphaerodactylidae), Zootaxa 4712 (2), pp. 151-201 : 165

Sphaerodactylus inigoi comb. nov. Thomas & Schwartz, 1966

Figures 11–13

Holotype — MCZ R-81055

Type locality: “Ensenada Sun Bay (= Ensenda Sombe), Isla Vieques, Puerto Rico.”

Diagnosis: SVL Min/Max (14.18/ 30 mm), midbody scales 33–41 (x̅ 36.8), four or five loreal scales (also in S. parvus , contrasting with five or six in S. macrolepis and S. grandisquamis ), two or three postmental scales (two in S. macrolepis , S. grandisquamis , and S. parvus ), a low number of dorsal body scales from axilla to groin (15 to 18, differing from S. parvus and S. grandisquamis except S. g. stibarus [14–16 scales]). Males dorsal head pattern absent or very faint except a dull parietal spot ( Thomas & Schwartz 1966); males with no pigmentation on throat, females with throat pattern; males from Culebra might have some pigmentation on the throat; males with red to yellow head; males and females with reduced scapular patch; males and females with dorsal lines stippled; males dorsal pattern salt and pepper; females with medial lines fused to form a blotch or imperfect line; shortened snout. SVL is smaller in specimens from West Culebra (Min= 14.04 mm, Max= 26.88 mm) than in specimens from Vieques (Min= 14.18 mm, Max= 30 mm).

Color in life ( Fig. 11 ): Female: ground color fluctuates from tan to gray, head and tail fluctuates from gray to light brown, head pattern well defined, medial lines forming a blotch, ocelli color pale or yellowish. Male ground color fluctuates from gray to light brown, head red-orange with absent head pattern or faint remains of it (e.g. parietal or nuchal spot). Iris color brown, copper, or orange.

The color of female S. inigoi is similar to the female coloration of S. g. mimete s, while the male coloration is more similar to the males of S. g. ateles ( Padilla 2006), although the former has a marked head, unlike S. inigoi males, where the pattern is absent or very faint.

Distribution: Vieques Island and satellites, and western part of Culebra Island.

Figures

FIGURE 11. Live specimens of Sphaerodactylus inigoi from Vieques (A, female and B, male) and Culebra Island, Flamenco beach (C, female and D, male).

FIGURE 12. Adult specimens of Sphaerodactylus inigoi from Vieques island. A–B, Female (SHSUHerp000725), C–D male (SHSUHerp000916).

FIGURE 13. Adult specimens of Sphaerodactylus inigoi from Culebra island. A–B, Female (SHSUHerp000210), C–D male (SHSUHerp000210).