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| Alsophylax ferganensis & A. emilia Nazarov, Abduraupov, Shepelya, Gritsina, Melnikov, Buehler, Lapin, Poyarkov & Grismer, 2023 DOI: 10.3390/ani13152516 |
Abstract
The high level of endemism in Fergana Valley has been well documented in numerous studies for various groups of animals and plants. In a relatively small area, there are 45 endemic plant species, five endemic insect species, and five endemic reptile species. In surveying this area for data on distribution, abundance, acoustics, and genetic samples for species of reptiles, we discovered two new species of gecko from the genus Alsophylax. Phylogenetic analyses of mitochondrial DNA sequences indicate the relatives of these new species are the even-fingered gecko, Alsophylax pipiens, and the southern even-fingered gecko, Alsophylax laevis, located hundreds of kilometers to the northwest and southwest of the Fergana Valley. The threats to these new endemic species are significant given the amount of continued agricultural development that involves new territories previously considered “unsuitable” for any species of significance that is leading to the further reduction in, fragmentation of, and degradation of the remaining natural ecosystems in the Fergana Valley. The conservation of these rare and locally endemic species depends directly on the readiness of the state to create areas with IUCN I and II protection. The many studies documenting levels of endemism, along with the data published in this study, are the basis for the justification for state-protected areas in the Fergana Valley.
Keywords: reptiles; conservation; taxonomy; Gekkonidae; Alsophylax; Fergana Valley; endemic species; cryptic diversity
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| A comparison of adult male Alsophylax ferganensis sp. nov. (top) and Alsophylax emilia sp. nov. (bottom). |
Taxonomy
Family Gekkonidae
Genus Alsophylax Fitzinger, 1843
Both new species belong to the genus Alsophylax according to the following morphological characteristics:
(1) Elongate body with relatively short limbs; (2) non-segmented tail approximately the same length as the body; (3) relatively small and roundish head with a short rostral part; (4) no femoral pores and 6–8 precloacal pores; (5) small, roundish and flattened dorsal tubercles are present in some representatives of this genus, or dorsal scales can be smooth and homogeneous in another species.
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| (a) Alsophylax ferganensis sp. nov. in situ and (b) its habitat. |
Alsophylax ferganensis sp. nov.
Diagnosis. Alsophylax ferganensis sp. nov. is tentatively a sister to clades A of A. pipiens and A. laevis (Figure 1) and morphologically closer to A. laevis (Table 3). Alsophylax ferganensis sp. nov. sp. nov. can be distinguished from A. laevis by a smaller maximum body size (SVLmax 31.5 mm versus 38.7 mm) and relatively narrow head, as well as elongated limbs and dorsal patterns with well-defined nuchal loop, and relatively narrower dark transverse bands with approximately equal interspaces in between versus wide transverse patterns and narrow interspaces in A. laevis (Figure 6). Caudal margins have dark transverse bands that are wavy. Dorsal scales are flat, smooth, and roundish, without enlarged dorsal tubercles (Figure 7).
Etymology. This species is named after the Fergana Valley where it is endemic.
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| (a) Alsophylax emilia sp. nov. holotype and (b) its habitat. |
Alsophylax emilia sp. nov.
Diagnosis. Alsophylax emilia sp. nov. is a sister to the clade containing lineages of A. pipiens, A. laevis, and A. ferganensis sp. nov. (Figure 1). Alsophylax emilia sp. nov. is morphologically closest to the A. pipiens (Figure 3; Table 3) and can be distinguished by the following features: enlarged dorsal tubercles flat roundish smooth and larger than surrounding scales by no more than 2.5 times; head shape relatively more massive and sharply delimited from the body; 7–9 precloacal pores in V-shaped line; not elongated limbs; 5–6 wide transversal dorsal bands and narrow interspaces, no contrasting nuchal loop, and wide transverse patterns. The main distinguishing features of the new species are the following: maximum SVL of 35.0 mm; maximum TL 40.2 mm; 8/8 infralabials; 6/7 supralabials; two pairs of small roundish postmentals, which contact mentals; one nasal scale; 22 scales between the orbits; 97–104 longitudinal ventral scales from postmentals to cloaca; 59–65 scales along the midline around the body; 11–12 subdigital lamellae on the fourth finger; 13–14 subdigital lamellae on the fourth toe; 2–3 cloacal spurs on each side; medial line of subcaudal scales formed by noticeably enlarged plates, 2–3 times larger the surrounding scales (Table 4).
Etymology. This species is named in honor of Soviet and then Uzbek herpetologist Emilia V. Vashetko (24.04.1940–07.11.2022) for her great contributions to the study of the herpetofauna of Uzbekistan and surrounding countries.
Conclusions:
Lastly, the age of the Fergana Valley allows it to support subtle yet different habitats ranging from claystone outcroppings to massive, isolated sand massifs and xeric flats that each support their own suite of species that are locally adapted to these different micro-habitats. The discovery of possibly two new species (Figure 1 and Figure 3) that are micro-endemic habitat specialists isolated in various clay outcrops and canyons supports the hypothesis that the valley may have been colonized twice at different times. We hypothesize that this possible colonization pattern could indicate that other groups have experienced multiple colonization events and they too have levels of cryptic diversity among their populations. This study highlights the reptile diversity in the Fergana Valley and further supports the need for more surveys focusing on these habitats deemed “non-suitable”, because the data from this study indicate that they may harbor unrecognized biodiversity. If the biodiversity from these areas is not documented and protected, they could become victim to the continued textile and agricultural developments in the Fergana Valley.
Roman A. Nazarov, Timur V. Abduraupov, Evgeniya Yu. Shepelya, Mariya A. Gritsina, Daniel A. Melnikov, Matthew D. Buehler, Jack D. Lapin, Nikolay A. Poyarkov and Jesse L. Grismer. 2023. The Fergana Valley Is an Isolate of Biodiversity: A Discussion of the Endemic Herpetofauna and Description of Two New Species of Alsophylax (Sauria: Gekkonidae) from Eastern Uzbekistan. Animals. 13(15), 2516. DOI: 10.3390/ani13152516
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Evolution, Diversity, and Conservation of Herpetofauna)
Simple Summary: This study was carried out in one of the most densely populated and geographically isolated regions in the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Fergana Valley. The Fergana Valley has the highest level of endemic biodiversity in Uzbekistan (and one of the highest in Central Asia), and the habitats of these endemic species are rapidly being developed for agricultural purposes. Given this development, the remaining areas of habitat are not being adequately protected. The main goal of this study was to obtain up-to-date data on the distribution and abundance of five endemic reptile species in the remaining isolated and undeveloped habitats across the Fergana Valley. One of the most important achievements was the discovery of two unique and new micro-endemic species of gecko genus Alsophylax, which are described herein. These results elevate the number of endemic species in the Fergana Valley and further highlight the urgent need to create state-protected areas of habitat with IUCN I and II protection status for the remaining areas of suitable habitat, which is currently not available.
http://noticiasdelaciencia.com/not/11625/entender-como-las-comunidades-animales-respondieron-a-cambios-climaticos-en-el-pasado-puede-ayudarnos-a-entender-como-van-a-responder-a-cambios-climaticos-en-el-futuro
