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| Goniurosaurus varius Qi, Grismer, Lyu, ... et Wang, 2020 |
Abstract
A definition of the Goniurosaurus yingdeensis group is presented in this study, on the basis of morphological and phylogenetic analyses based on a series of additional specimens. Moreover, a new species of this group, Goniurosaurus varius sp. nov., is proposed for northern Guangdong Province, China. The new species can be distinguished from the other two congeners of this group by the following unique characters: one or two internasals; enlarged supraorbital tubercles absent; paravertebral tubercles between limb insertions 27–29; dorsal tubercle rows at midbody 21–24; ten precloacal pores in males and absent in females; body bands with black spots; iris orange-red.
Keywords: Goniurosaurus varius sp. nov., Goniurosaurus zhelongi, morphology, phylogeny, taxonomy
Systematics
Class Reptilia Laurenti, 1768
Order Squamata Oppel, 1811
Family Eublepharidae Boulenger, 1883
Genus Goniurosaurus Barbour, 1908
Goniurosaurus yingdeensis group
Morphological definition. This species group can be differentiated from the other species groups by the combination of the following characters: (1) base of claws sheathed by four scales, two lateral scales of claw short and shell-shaped; (2) precloacal pores fewer than 15 in males and absent in most females; precloacal pores form a continuous transverse series not extending onto the femora; (3) enlarged row of supraorbital tubercles indistinct or absent; (4) nuchal loop rounded posteriorly; and (5) four body bands between the nuchal loop and the caudal constriction.
Goniurosaurus yingdeensis Wang, Yang & Cui, 2010
[English name: Yingde Leopard Gecko]
[Chinese formal name: 英德睑虎]
Distribution: Goniurosaurus yingdeensis is currently only known from the Yingde City, Guangdong Province, China.
Goniurosaurus zhelongi Wang, Jin, Li & Grismer, 2014
[English name: Zhe-Long’s Leopard Gecko]
[Chinese formal name: 蒲氏睑虎]
Distribution: Goniurosaurus zhelongi is currently only known from the Shimentai National Nature Reserve, Yingde City, Guangdong Province, China.
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| A, D Goniurosaurus varius sp. nov. Figure 5. The general aspects of Goniurosaurus yingdeensis and Goniurosaurus zhelongi A Goniurosaurus yingdeensis B Goniurosaurus zhelongi; (1) adult; (2) juvenile. Photographs by Jian Wang, Shuo Qi and Peng Cen. |
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| Figure 7. A Dorsolateral view of the adult male holotype SYS r002333 of Goniurosaurus varius sp. nov. in life B scalation and coloration characters of the head of the adult male holotype SYS r002333 of Goniurosaurus varius sp. nov. C ten precloacal pores in adult male holotype SYS r002333. Photographs by Shuo Qi. |
Goniurosaurus varius sp. nov.
[English name: Nanling Leopard Gecko]
[Chinese formal name: 南岭睑虎]
Diagnosis: Goniurosaurus varius sp. nov. can be distinguished from all other congeners by the combination of the following characters: (1) adult body size moderate, measuring 81.5–86.3 mm in SVL; (2) nasal scales surrounding nares 7–9; (4) internasal usually single, rarely two; (5) eyelid fringe scales 50–56; (6) granular scales of the upper eyelids similar in size to those on the top of the head; (7) scales around midbody 101–110; (8) dorsal tubercle rows at midbody 21–24; (9) paravertebral tubercles between limb insertions 27–29; (10) claws sheathed by four scales, dorsal scale small, two lateral scales short and shell-shaped; (11) axillary pockets deep; (12) presence of ten precloacal pores in males, and absent in females; (13) dorsal ground color of head, body, and limbs in adults reddish brown, mottled with varied spots and stripes; (14) nuchal loop usually incomplete, if complete, posteriorly rounded; (15) presence of four thin dorsal body bands with dark spots, bordered with black anteriorly and posteriorly, sometime last two bands indistinct; (16) usually presence of a longitudinal light colored vertebral stripe on the trunk of body; (17) light pink beneath, with dark brown lateral spots; (18) iris orange-red.
Etymology: The specific name varius means varied or diverse in Latin and refers to its variable dorsal color pattern. As the type locality locates within the Nanling National Nature Reserve, we suggest the common name as “Nanling Leopard Gecko”.
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| Figure 10. Differently patterned morphs of adult and juvenile coloration in Goniurosaurus varius sp. nov. A cross-banded morph B mottled morph C striped morph D juvenile coloration. Photographs by Shuo Qi and Peng Cen. |
Distribution and ecology:
Goniurosaurus varius sp. nov. is currently known only from the karst environment of the Nanling National Nature Reserve, northern Guangdong Province, China (Figure 11). All individuals were found in crevices of limestone near villages, farmlands, or country lanes at elevations between 180 and 560 m at night after 21:00 hrs.
Shuo Qi, L. Lee Grismer, Zhi-Tong Lyu, Liang Zhang, Pi-Peng Li and Ying-Yong Wang. 2020. A Definition of the Goniurosaurus yingdeensis group (Squamata, Eublepharidae) with the Description of A New Species. ZooKeys. 986: 127-155. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.986.47989
