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1.
Zootaxa ; 5424(2): 189-202, 2024 Mar 13.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38480290

Bronchocela celebensis Gray, 1845 is one of the rarest species of the genus, known only from less than 20 museum specimens collected from northern Sulawesi. It is often confused with its similar congener, B. cristatella, which occurs widely throughout the Indonesian Archipelago and Peninsular Malaysia, except on the Sulawesi mainland. Here, we examine the morphology of B. celebensis based on 46 museum specimens including freshly collected individuals, and redescribe the species based on the holotype (by monotypy). We studied the characters of B. celebensis with morphometric comparison to its allopatric congener B. cristatella from the adjacent islands of southern Sulawesi in Indonesia. Based on the current distribution pattern and the apparent threats, we update the conservation status of B. celebensis using the IUCN Red List Criteria and propose that it be considered as a Vulnerable (VU) species endemic to Sulawesi.


Lizards , Animals , Indonesia , Museums
2.
Sci Rep ; 14(1): 4727, 2024 03 12.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38472264

Divergence dating analyses in systematics provide a framework to develop and test biogeographic hypotheses regarding speciation. However, as molecular datasets grow from multilocus to genomic, sample sizes decrease due to computational burdens, and the testing of fine-scale biogeographic hypotheses becomes difficult. In this study, we use coalescent demographic models to investigate the diversification of poorly known rice paddy snakes from Southeast Asia (Homalopsidae: Hypsiscopus), which have conflicting dates of origin based on previous studies. We use coalescent modeling to test the hypothesis that Hypsiscopus diversified 2.5 mya during the Khorat Plateau uplift in Thailand. Additionally, we use ecological niche analyses to identify potential differences in the niche space of the two most widely distributed species in the past and present. Our results suggest Hypsiscopus diversified ~ 2.4 mya, supporting that the Khorat Plateau may have initiated the diversification of rice paddy snakes. We also find significant niche differentiation and shifts between species of Hypsiscopus, indicating that environmental differences may have sustained differentiation of this genus after the Khorat Plateau uplift. Our study expands on the diversification history of snakes in Southeast Asia, and highlights how results from smaller multilocus datasets can be useful in developing and testing biogeographic hypotheses alongside genomic datasets.


Oryza , Phylogeny , Ecosystem , Asia, Southeastern , Thailand , Phylogeography
3.
PLoS One ; 18(12): e0292598, 2023.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38117860

Herein, we describe a new species of terrestrially-nesting fanged frog from Sulawesi Island, Indonesia. Though male nest attendance and terrestrial egg deposition is known in one other Sulawesi fanged frog (Limnonectes arathooni), the new species exhibits a derived reproductive mode unique to the Sulawesi assemblage; male frogs guard one or more clutches of eggs festooned to leaves or mossy boulders one to two meters above small slow-moving streams, trickles, or seeps. This island endemic has thus far been collected at three sites on Sulawesi: one in the Central Core of the island, and two on the Southwest Peninsula-south of the Tempe Depression (a major biogeographical boundary). The new Limnonectes has the smallest adult body size among its Sulawesi congeners-with a maximum snout-vent length of about 30 millimeters. Beyond its unique reproductive behavior and body size, the species is further diagnosed on the basis of advertisement call and genetic distance from sympatric fanged frogs. The discovery and description of the new species highlights the remarkable reproductive trait diversity that characterizes the Sulawesi fanged frog assemblage despite that most species in this radiation have yet to be formally described.


Anura , Reproduction , Male , Animals , Anura/genetics , Indonesia , Body Size , Phylogeny
4.
PeerJ ; 11: e15766, 2023.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37637176

The Indonesian island of Sulawesi has a unique geology and geography, which have produced an astoundingly diverse and endemic flora and fauna and a fascinating biogeographic history. Much biodiversity research has focused on the regional endemism in the island's Central Core and on its four peninsulas, but the biodiversity of the island's many upland regions is still poorly understood for most taxa, including amphibians and reptiles. Here, we report the first of several planned full-mountain checklists from a series of herpetological surveys of Sulawesi's mountains conducted by our team. In more than 3 weeks of work on Gunung Galang, a 2,254 m peak west of the city of Tolitoli, Sulawesi Tengah Province, on Sulawesi's Northern Peninsula, we recovered nearly fifty species of reptiles and amphibians, more than a dozen of which are either new to science or known but undescribed. The incompleteness of our sampling suggests that many more species remain to be discovered on and around this mountain.


Biodiversity , Checklist , Indonesia , Geography , Geology
5.
Mol Phylogenet Evol ; 186: 107853, 2023 09.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37327831

Bent-toed Geckos, genus Cyrtodactylus, are one of the most diverse terrestrial vertebrate groups, and their range extends from South Asia into Australo-Papua and adjacent Pacific islands. Given the generally high faunal endemism on Wallacean islands, it is rather paradoxical that the diversity in these geckos appears to be so low (21 species in Wallacea, 15 in the Philippines) compared with continental shelf assemblages (>300 species on Sunda + Sahul Shelves + adjacent islands). To determine whether this shortfall was real or an artifact of historical undersampling, we analyzed mitochondrial DNA sequences of hundreds of southern Wallacean samples (Lesser Sundas + southern Maluku). After screening to guide sample selection for target capture data collection, we obtained a 1150-locus genomic dataset (1,476,505 bp) for 119 samples of southern Wallacean and closely related lineages. The results suggest that species diversity of Cyrtodactylus in southern Wallacea is vastly underestimated, with phylogenomic and clustering analyses suggesting as many as 25 candidate species, in contrast to the 8 currently described. Gene exchange between adjacent candidate species is absent or minimal across the archipelago with only one case of > 0.5 migrants per generation. Biogeographical analysis suggests that the hitherto unrecognized diversity is the result of at least three independent dispersals from Sulawesi or its offshore islands into southern Wallacea between 6 and 14 Ma, with one invasion producing small-bodied geckos and the other two or three producing larger-bodied geckos. The smaller-bodied laevigatus group appears to be able to coexist with members of either larger-bodied clade, but we have yet to find members of the two larger-bodied clades occurring in sympatry, suggesting that ecological partitioning or competitive exclusion may be shaping individual island assemblages.


Coleoptera , Lizards , Animals , Phylogeny , Indonesia , Philippines , Lizards/genetics
6.
Syst Biol ; 72(4): 885-911, 2023 08 07.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37074804

The biota of Sulawesi is noted for its high degree of endemism and for its substantial levels of in situ biological diversification. While the island's long period of isolation and dynamic tectonic history have been implicated as drivers of the regional diversification, this has rarely been tested in the context of an explicit geological framework. Here, we provide a tectonically informed biogeographical framework that we use to explore the diversification history of Sulawesi flying lizards (the Draco lineatus Group), a radiation that is endemic to Sulawesi and its surrounding islands. We employ a framework for inferring cryptic speciation that involves phylogeographic and genetic clustering analyses as a means of identifying potential species followed by population demographic assessment of divergence-timing and rates of bi-directional migration as means of confirming lineage independence (and thus species status). Using this approach, phylogenetic and population genetic analyses of mitochondrial sequence data obtained for 613 samples, a 50-SNP data set for 370 samples, and a 1249-locus exon-capture data set for 106 samples indicate that the current taxonomy substantially understates the true number of Sulawesi Draco species, that both cryptic and arrested speciations have taken place, and that ancient hybridization confounds phylogenetic analyses that do not explicitly account for reticulation. The Draco lineatus Group appears to comprise 15 species-9 on Sulawesi proper and 6 on peripheral islands. The common ancestor of this group colonized Sulawesi ~11 Ma when proto-Sulawesi was likely composed of two ancestral islands, and began to radiate ~6 Ma as new islands formed and were colonized via overwater dispersal. The enlargement and amalgamation of many of these proto-islands into modern Sulawesi, especially during the past 3 Ma, set in motion dynamic species interactions as once-isolated lineages came into secondary contact, some of which resulted in lineage merger, and others surviving to the present. [Genomics; Indonesia; introgression; mitochondria; phylogenetics; phylogeography; population genetics; reptiles.].


Lizards , Animals , Phylogeny , Indonesia , Lizards/genetics , Phylogeography , Genetics, Population , Genetic Speciation
7.
Zookeys ; 1169: 47-64, 2023.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38328028

The lowland region of Sumatra Barat has received little attention in previous biodiversity studies. Past studies have mainly focused on highland habitat and conservation areas. However, many populations of Cyrtodactylus in the lowland habitats of Sumatra Barat were not correctly identified. A phylogenetic tree based on the NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 (ND2) gene showed that the lowland Sumatran population is the sister group of the Malaysian lowland species, C.semenanjungensis, together nesting within the agamensis group. The genetic divergence within the Sumatra Barat population is 0-4.2% and 18.3-20% to C.semenanjungensis. Further examination of morphological characters revealed that they differed from the sister clade and other Sumatran Cyrtodactylus members by a unique combination of characters such as absence of tubercle on brachium, presence of tubercle on ventrolateral fold, 32-41 paravertebral tubercles, 38-46 ventral scales, enlarged femoral scales, presence of precloacofemoral pores and 22-23 subdigital lamellae under fourth toe. Based on the morphological and molecular evidence, the lowland Sumatran population is herein described as a new species, increasing the number of species in Sumatra to seven. More comprehensive and intensive sampling efforts would most likely yield further discoveries in the group of Sumatran Cyrtodactylus in the near future.

8.
Sci Rep ; 12(1): 20730, 2022 12 01.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36456671

Although they are among the most abundant snakes on Earth, and are heavily exploited for their skins and meat, Asian bockadams (or "dog-faced water snakes", Cerberus schneiderii) have attracted relatively little study across their wide geographic range. Based on dissection of 3,382 snakes brought to processing facilities in and around the city of Cirebon in West Java, Indonesia, we document facets of the biology of these mangrove-dwelling aquatic homalopsids. Females attain larger body sizes than do males, and are heavier-bodied (due in part to greater fat reserves) but have shorter tails relative to snout-vent length. Males showed testicular enlargement late in the year (August-November) but both reproductive and non-reproductive females were found year-round. Litters were large (3 to 45 offspring), especially in larger females. The commercial harvest falls mainly on adult snakes of both sexes, with seasonal variation in sex ratios. Life-history traits such as early maturation and frequent production of large litters render this species resilient to commercial harvesting. Future research should explore reasons for strong variation among facilities in the sex ratios of snakes, potentially identifying ways to focus the harvest on the sex (males) whose numbers are less critical for population viability.


Colubridae , Sex Characteristics , Female , Male , Humans , Animals , Indonesia , Asian People , Biology
9.
Zootaxa ; 5150(1): 65-82, 2022 Jun 03.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36095760

Bronchocela jubata Dumril and Bibron, 1837 is one of the commonest species of the genus, known mostly from Java Island and southern parts of Sumatra. It is rare in Bali and Borneo. The juveniles are often confused with its morphologically similar congener, B. cristatella, which occurs widely throughout the Indonesian Archipelago and Peninsular Malaysia. We examined the morphology of B. jubata based on museum specimens including its two available syntypes, and redescribed the species based on the lectotype designated herein. We highlight the characters of B. jubata with a morphometric comparison to its sympatric congener B. cristatella from Java Island, Indonesia. Based on the current distribution pattern and the apparent threats, we update the conservation status of B. jubata using IUCN Red List Criteria, and propose that it be considered as a species of Least Concern (LC), endemic to the Greater Sundaic Islands.


Lizards , Animal Distribution , Animals , Indonesia , Museums , Trees
10.
Zootaxa ; 5120(3): 409-422, 2022 Mar 28.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35391159

Bronchocela hayeki (Mller, 1928) is one of the rarest species of the genus, known only from a handful of museum specimens from five locations in North Sumatra, and often confused with its similar congener, B. cristatella, which occurs widely throughout the Indonesian Archipelago and Peninsular Malaysia. Here, we examined the morphology of B. hayeki based on museum specimens, and redescribe the species based on a freshly collected series near the type locality, as the condition of its neotype is not in a good state. We studied the characters of B. hayeki with a morphometric comparison to its sympatric congener B. cristatella and allopatric congener, B. jubata from Sumatra Island, Indonesia. Based on the current distribution pattern and the apparent threats, we update the conservation status of B. hayeki using IUCN Red List Criteria and propose that it be considered as an Endangered (EN) species endemic of northern Sumatra including Aceh. We also provide a key to the recognized Bronchocela species, based on examined material and literature.


Bryozoa , Lizards , Animals , Endangered Species , Indonesia , Trees
11.
Zootaxa ; 5026(2): 286-300, 2021 Aug 25.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34810928

To reveal the diversity of Indonesian bent-toed geckos, we pay attention to Kalimantan (Borneo)an island which has received less attention than other Indonesian islands such as Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, the Moluccas, and the Lesser Sunda archipelagos. About 30 years after Hikida (1990) described three new Cyrtodactylus from Borneo, four more species were described, namely C. limajalur and C. muluensis in 2019, and C. hantu and C. miriensis in 2021, all by Davis et al. Through examination of the collection at MZB and three addition specimens collected from Tawau, we found several undescribed species, one of which we describe here. This new species is easily differentiated from all other congeners by the combination of the following characters: maximum SVL of at least 65.8 mm; no tubercles on dorsal surface of upper arm; tubercles present in the ventrolateral body folds; 2830 paravertebral tubercles; 1720 longitudinal dorsal tubercle rows; 3946 ventral scale rows at midbody; 1719 subdigital lamellae on fourth toe; precloacal pit with 57 pores in males arranged in a wide -shape but absent in females; no enlarged transverse median subcaudals; paired dark brown semilunar-shaped markings on the upper nape. Further study is needed to reveal its molecular phylogenetic position and biogeographical history.


Lizards , Animal Distribution , Animal Structures , Animals , Borneo , Female , Male , Phylogeny
12.
Zootaxa ; 4990(2): 394400, 2021 Jun 21.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34186751

Spinicauda ciremaiensis sp. nov. (Nematoda: Heterakidae) from the large intestine of Gonocephalus kuhlii (Reptilia: Agamidae) collected in Gunung Ciremai National Park, West Java, Indonesia is described and illustrated. Of the five described species of Spinicauda from the Oriental region, Spinicauda ciremaiensis sp. nov. comes closest to S. sumatrana in having 14 pairs of caudal papillae and the presence of a tail filament. However, the new species differs from S. sumatrana in the longer spicula, smaller eggs, and weak sclerotization of the gubernaculum. S. ciremaiensis sp. nov. is also the only species belonging to the genus Spinicauda which has a sclerotized accessories piece of gubernaculum. A key to the species of Spinicauda is also provided. [http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:785F2D63-E5EB-4E4C-A7E1-7F7E7AD7C392].


Ascaridida/classification , Lizards/parasitology , Animals , Ascaridida/anatomy & histology , Indonesia , Intestine, Large/parasitology , Ovum
13.
Mol Ecol Resour ; 21(7): 2369-2387, 2021 Oct.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33942522

Biodiversity knowledge is widely heterogeneous across the Earth's biomes. Some areas, due to their remoteness and difficult access, present large taxonomic knowledge gaps. Mostly located in the tropics, these areas have frequently experienced a fast development of anthropogenic activities during the last decades and are therefore of high conservation concerns. The biodiversity hotspots of Southeast Asia exemplify the stakes faced by tropical countries. While the hotspots of Sundaland (Java, Sumatra, Borneo) and Wallacea (Sulawesi, Moluccas) have long attracted the attention of biologists and conservationists alike, extensive parts of the Sahul area, in particular the island of New Guinea, have been much less explored biologically. Here, we describe the results of a DNA-based inventory of aquatic and terrestrial vertebrate communities, which was the objective of a multidisciplinary expedition to the Bird's Head Peninsula (West Papua, Indonesia) conducted between 17 October and 20 November 2014. This expedition resulted in the assembly of 1005 vertebrate DNA barcodes. Based on the use of multiple species-delimitation methods (GMYC, PTP, RESL, ABGD), 264 molecular operational taxonomic units (MOTUs) were delineated, among which 75 were unidentified and an additional 48 were considered cryptic. This study suggests that the diversity of vertebrates of the Bird's Head is severely underestimated and considerations on the evolutionary origin and taxonomic knowledge of these biotas are discussed.


Biodiversity , DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic , Animals , Birds/genetics , DNA , Indonesia , Phylogeny , Vertebrates/genetics
14.
Mol Phylogenet Evol ; 158: 106960, 2021 05.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32950680

The large and enigmatic New Guinean pythons in the genus Leiopython are harvested from the wild to supply the international trade in pets. Six species are currently recognized (albertisii, biakensis, fredparkeri, huonensis, meridionalis, montanus) but the taxonomy of this group has been controversial. We combined analysis of 421 nuclear loci and complete mitochondrial genomes with morphological data to construct a detailed phylogeny of this group, understand their biogeographic patterns and establish the systematic diversity of this genus. Our molecular genetic data support two major clades, corresponding to L. albertisii and L. fredparkeri, but offer no support for the other four species. Our morphological data also only support two species. We therefore recognize L. albertisii and L. fredparkeri as valid species and place L. biakensis, L. meridionalis, L. huonensis and L. montanus into synonymy. We found that L. albertisii and L. fredparkeri are sympatric in western New Guinea; an atypical pattern compared to other Papuan species complexes in which the distributions of sister taxa are partitioned to the north and south of the island's central mountain range. For the purpose of conservation management, overestimation of species diversity within Leiopython has resulted in the unnecessary allocation of resources that could have been expended elsewhere. We strongly caution against revising the taxonomy of geographically widespread species groups when little or no molecular genetic data and only small morphological samples are available.


Boidae/classification , Animals , Boidae/anatomy & histology , Boidae/genetics , Cell Nucleus/genetics , Commerce , Conservation of Natural Resources , DNA/chemistry , DNA/metabolism , DNA, Mitochondrial/chemistry , DNA, Mitochondrial/classification , DNA, Mitochondrial/genetics , New Guinea , Phylogeny , Phylogeography , Principal Component Analysis , Sequence Analysis, DNA
15.
Zootaxa ; 4830(1): zootaxa.4830.1.8, 2020 Aug 12.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33056257

The bent-toed geckos of the genus Cyrtodactylus are the most speciose land vertebrates of Southeast Asia (about 300 species so far) and new species continue to be recognized at a rapid rate. Within the last decade three new species were described from Java, Indonesia, C. semiadii, C. petani, and C. klakahensis. The latter two are very similar, except for differences in the precloacal depression in adult males. These two species have relatively close type localities, separated from each other by only about 50 km, and with similar habitat type and elevation. Our study aimed to evaluate the taxonomic status of C. klakahensis and C. petani using both morphological and genetic evidence. These two species are genetically similar, with a genetic divergence of only 1.5 to 1.6%. This divergence is well below the level of typically characterizes sister species of Cyrtodactylus (approximately 4% in the mitochondrial ND2 gene), and is more in line with population variation due to geographic distance. Further examination of specimens, from both type localities, showed no diagnostic morphological characters between the two species. Thus, we conclude that C. klakahensis and C. petani are conspecific, and following article 23 of the ICZN, C. klakahensis is herein considered a junior synonym of C. petani.


Lizards , Animals , Color , Ecosystem , Genetic Drift , Indonesia , Male
16.
Mol Phylogenet Evol ; 142: 106640, 2020 01.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31605811

Molecular data sets and the increasing use of integrative systematics is revealing cryptic diversity in a range of taxa - particularly in remote and poorly sampled landscapes like the island of New Guinea. Green pythons (Morelia viridis complex) are one of the most conspicuous elements of this island's fauna, with large numbers taken from the wild to supply international demand for exotic pets. We test hypotheses about species boundaries in green pythons from across New Guinea and Australia with mitochondrial genomes, 389 nuclear exons, and comprehensive assessment of morphological variation. Strong genetic structuring of green python populations and species delimitation methods confirm the presence of two species, broadly occurring north and south of New Guinea's central mountains. Our data also support three subspecies within the northern species. Subtle but consistent morphological divergence among the putative taxa is concordant with patterns of molecular divergence. Our extensive sampling identifies several zones of hitherto unknown biogeographical significance on the island of New Guinea. We revise the taxonomy of the group, discuss the relevance of our findings in the context of Papuan biogeography and the implications of our systematic changes for the conservation management of these taxa.


Boidae/classification , Animals , Australia , Boidae/genetics , Cell Nucleus/genetics , Genome, Mitochondrial , Melanesia , New Guinea , Phylogeny , Phylogeography
17.
Zootaxa ; 4608(1): zootaxa.4608.1.9, 2019 May 17.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31717166

We describe a new species of rock gecko of the genus Cnemaspis from Java, Indonesia, representing the first record of the genus for this Island. The new species was collected from the southern slopes of Gunung Muria, a dormant volcano in Central Java. The new species is easily distinguished from all congeners by having a maximum SVL of 58.1 mm in males and 56.9 mm in females; a pair of sharp conical tubercle clusters on the occiput; a warty bridge on the nuchal loop, extending from the upper tympanum and curving to the nape; dorsal tubercles not linearly arranged; 18-20 paravertebral tubercles; postmentals separated by one scale; gular, pectoral and abdominal scales, ventral scales of fore- and hindlimbs, and subcaudal scales keeled; no tubercles on lower flank; precloacal and femoral pores absent; enlarged submetacarpal scales present on the first digit of the manus; 38-40 ventral scales; 31-35 lamellae under fourth toe; two postcloacal tubercles on each side; enlarged median subcaudal scales row present; caudal tubercles encircling tail; and a sexually dimorphic ventral color pattern, with males having a yellow belly and females white and the ventral surface of the tail in males yellow proximally changing to white at mid-length, whereas in females, alternating black and white rings completely encircle the tail, which is black distally.


Lizards , Animal Distribution , Animal Structures , Animals , Body Size , Ecosystem , Female , Indonesia , Islands , Male
18.
Mol Phylogenet Evol ; 134: 1-11, 2019 05.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30703515

Complex geological processes often drive biotic diversification on islands. The islands of Sumatra and Java have experienced dramatic historical changes, including isolation by marine incursions followed by periodic connectivity with the rest of Sundaland across highland connections. To determine how this geological history influenced island invasions, we investigated the colonization history and diversification of bent-toed geckos (genus Cyrtodactylus) on Sumatra and west Java. We used mitochondrial and nuclear sequence data to explore species boundaries, estimate phylogenetic relationships and divergence times, and to reconstruct ancestral range evolution. We found that Sumatran and Javan Cyrtodactylus were closely related to species from the Thai-Malay Peninsula, rather than from Borneo, and that Cyrtodactylus most likely dispersed to Sumatra three times during the late Oligocene and early Miocene. Similarly, Cyrtodactylus invaded west Java from Sumatra once in the early Miocene. Our results suggest that despite isolation by marine incursions during much of the Miocene, Cyrtodactylus dispersed to and from Sumatra and west Java likely via land bridges, and that in situ diversification occurred several times on Sumatra.


Biodiversity , Lizards/classification , Animals , Bayes Theorem , Calibration , Fossils , Geography , Indonesia , Islands , Likelihood Functions , Phylogeny , Species Specificity
19.
Zootaxa ; 4442(1): 122-136, 2018 Jun 29.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30313986

The recent description of Cyrtodactylus tahuna from Sangihe Island and descriptions of other new species from remote islands in the Indo-Australian Archipelago indicate the important role of oceanic dispersal and isolation in the evolution and diversification of the genus Cyrtodactylus. We provide another example involving Tanahjampea Island, a remote island 155 km south of the Southwestern Peninsula of Sulawesi, Indonesia. Here, we describe a new species on the basis of 11 specimens collected from that island. This new species is an intermediate sized Cyrtodactylus with a snout-vent length of up to 76.1 mm in adult males and 72.8 mm in females. It is easily distinguished from all recognized species occurring on Sulawesi as well as in the Moluccas and Lesser Sunda Islands by the following unique combination of characters: (1) brachium and antebrachium tuberculated, (2) ventrolateral folds with tubercles, (3) 20-23 irregularly aligned rows of keeled tubercles, (4) 31-34 paravertebral tubercles, (5) 29-34 ventral scales between ventrolateral folds, (6) no precloacal depression, (7) enlarged precloacofemoral scales in continuous series, (8) males with 20-24 precloacofemoral pores in wide Ʌ-shape, (9) enlarged post precloacal scales present, (10) 19-21 fourth toe subdigital lamellae, (11) enlarged transversely median subcaudals absent, (12) tail not prehensile, (13) tubercles extend along 71% of original tail length, and (14) the original tails reaching 147% of snout-vent length. We also provide an identification key to the bent toed gecko species that occur in the Wallacea region.


Animal Distribution , Lizards , Animal Structures , Animals , Australia , Ecosystem , Female , Indonesia , Islands , Male
20.
Zootaxa ; 4399(2): 220-232, 2018 Mar 21.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29690306

Cyrtodactylus tahuna sp. nov. is a new bent-toed gecko we describe herein based on three specimens from Sangihe, North Sulawesi, Indonesia, an island situated in the northern corner of the Wallacea biodiversity hotspot. The new species is a medium sized Cyrtodactylus with a SVL of up to 78.5 mm in adult males and 79.2 mm in females. It is easily distinguished from all but four species (Cyrtodactylus fumosus, C. halmahericus, C. papuensis, and C. tambora) occurring on Sulawesi as well as in the Moluccas and the Lesser Sunda Islands, by possessing precloacal and femoral pores, enlarged precloacal and femoral scales, and lacking transversely enlarged median subcaudal scales. It differs from C. fumosus by the presence of tubercles on the ventrolateral fold, more unkeeled dorsal tubercles (19 versus 4-7) and a pit-like precloacal depression in males (versus groove in males); from C. halmahericus by presence of smaller scales between the enlarged precloacal and femoral scales (versus a continuous series of enlarged precloacofemoral scales) and a continuous series of precloacofemoral pores, as well as the presence of a pit-like precloacal depression in male (versus groove in males), from C. papuensis by possessing a pit-like precloacal depression in males (versus a groove ); and from C. tambora by the presence of tubercles on the dorsal surface of the brachium and the possession of femoral pores. Our contribution, along with several other recent descriptions of bent-toad geckos from Southeast Asia, clearly indicating that the diversity of the genus Cyrtodactylus in Indonesia is still underestimated.


Lizards , Animal Distribution , Animal Structures , Animals , Biodiversity , Bufonidae , Female , Indonesia , Islands , Male
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