RESUMO
A new species of insular Bent-toed Gecko, Cyrtodactylus culaochamensis sp. nov. of the C. irregularis group is described from Cu Lao Cham Mountain, from Hon Lao Island, Hoi An City, Quang Nam Province, Cham Islands, central Vietnam. Cyrtodactylus culaochamensis sp. nov. is the sister species of C. pseudoquadrivirgatus from Ba Na Nui Chua from Danang City, central Vietnam. It differs from all congeners by having a maximum SVL of 79.8 mm (n=5); dark spots on the head edged in white; a fragmented nuchal loop; irregularly shaped, broad, completed or broken dorsal bands; 19-21 interorbital scales across the frontal bone; 28-32 scales between the eye and nostril; 45-50 rows of ventral scales between the ventrolateral folds; scattered, smooth tubercles; 20-22 irregular, longitudinal rows of weakly keeled tubercles at midbody between the ventrolateral folds; seven or eight precloacal pores in a chevron pattern in males; no enlarged femoral scales, no femoral pores; 13-15 subdigital lamellae on first toe; 20-23 subdigital lamellae on fourth toe; and very slightly enlarged subcaudal scales.
Assuntos
Lagartos , Distribuição Animal , Estruturas Animais , Animais , Tamanho Corporal , Ecossistema , Masculino , VietnãRESUMO
A new species of Bent-toed Gecko, Cyrtodactylus gunungsenyumensis sp. nov. of the sworderi complex, is described from Hutan Lipur Gunung Senyum, Pahang, Peninsular Malaysia and is differentiated from all other species in the sworderi complex by having a unique combination of characters including a maximum SVL of 74.7 mm; low, rounded, weakly keeled, body tubercles; 34-40 paravertebral tubercles; weak ventrolateral body fold lacking tubercles; 38-41 ventral scales; an abrupt transition between the posterior and ventral femoral scales; 20-23 subdigital lamellae on the fourth toe; enlarged femoral scales; no femoral or precloacal pores; no precloacal groove; wide caudal bands; and an evenly banded dorsal pattern. Cyrtodactylus gunungsenyumensis sp. nov. is a scansorial, karst forest-adapted specialist endemic to the karst ecosystem surrounding Gunung Senyum and occurs on the vertical walls of the limestone towers as well as the branches, trunks, and leaves of the vegetation in the associated karst forest. Cyrtodactylus gunungsenyumensis sp. nov. is the seventh species of karst forest-adapted Cyrtodactylus and the sixteenth endemic species of karst ecosystem reptile discovered in Peninsular Malaysia in the last seven years from only 12 different karst forests. This is a clear indication that many species remain to be discovered in the approximately 558 isolated karst ecosystems in Peninsular Malaysia not yet surveyed. These data continue to underscore the importance of karst ecosystems as reservoirs of biodiversity and microendemism and that they constitute an important component of Peninsular Malaysia's natural heritage and should be protected from the quarrying interests of foreign industrial companies.
Assuntos
Lagartos/classificação , Distribuição Animal , Estruturas Animais/anatomia & histologia , Estruturas Animais/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Animais , Tamanho Corporal , Conservação dos Recursos Naturais , Indústria da Construção , Ecossistema , Espécies em Perigo de Extinção , Feminino , Florestas , Lagartos/anatomia & histologia , Lagartos/genética , Lagartos/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Malásia , Masculino , Tamanho do Órgão , FilogeniaRESUMO
An integrative taxonomic analysis of the distantly related Cyrtodactylus condorensis and intermedius species complexes of the Mekong Delta revealed that C. paradoxus is a junior synonym of C. condorensis and that C. thochuensis is a junior synonym of C. leegrismeri. Additionally, the analysis revealed that a cave-dwelling ecomorpholgy has evolved independently early on in the evolution of both complexes (represented by C. hontreensis in the intermedius complex and C. grismeri and C. eisenmani in the condorensis complex) and cave ecomorphs exist in sympatry-but not syntopy-with general scansorial ecomorphs. Multiple, recent, cyclical, glacioeustatic driven changes in sea levels across the Sunda Shelf are hypothesized to account for the evolution and distribution of the widely separated, conspecific insular populations of C. condorensis and C. leegrismeri. The independent evolution of cave ecomorphology is proposed to have been driven by competition avoidance. Habitat islands across the Mekong Delta are an important source of endemism and in need of protection.
Assuntos
Distribuição Animal , Cavernas , Lagartos/classificação , Animais , Ecossistema , Lagartos/anatomia & histologia , Lagartos/genética , Lagartos/fisiologia , Filogenia , Especificidade da Espécie , TailândiaRESUMO
A new, diminutive species of Rock Gecko Cnemaspis mahsuriae sp. nov. of the affinis group, is described from Gunung Raya on Pulau Langkawi, Kedah, Peninsular Malaysia and is differentiated from all other species in the affinis group by having a unique combination of characters including a maximum SVL of 36.6 mm; keeled subtibials and ventrals; 21-24 paravertebral tubercles; no tubercles in the lateral caudal furrows; caudal tubercles not encircling tail; no precloacal pores; 23-26 subdigital lamellae on the fourth toe; no white ocelli in the shoulder region; no yellow postscapular band; and faint yellow bars on the flanks. Cnemaspis mahsuriae sp. nov. is a forest-dwelling species living in close sympatry or paraptry with the insular endemic C. roticanai Grismer & Chan. The Langkawi Archipelago harbors a unique mix of Malaysian and Indochinese taxa and the frequency of new discoveries from this group of islands is increasing.