Wednesday, May 5, 2021

[Herpetology • 2021] Gekko (Japonigekko) jinjiangensis • A New Species of the Gekko japonicus Group (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Southwest China


Gekko jinjiangensis Hou, Shi, Wang, Jiang & Xie

in Hou, Shi, Wang, ... et Xie, 2021

Abstract
A new species of the Gekko (Squamata: Gekkonidae) is described from the border of Sichuan and Yunnan Province, southwest China, based on distinct morphological and molecular features. Gekko jinjiangensis sp. nov. is distinguished from congeners by a combination of the following characters: size small (SVL 50.2–61.6 mm, n = 13); nares in contact with rostral; interorbital scales between anterior corners of the eyes 20–24; ventral scales between mental and cloacal slit 146–169; midbody scale rows 111–149; ventral scale rows 31–47; subdigital lamellae on first toe 8–11, on fourth toe 11–15; no webbing in the fingers and toes; with tubercles on uapper surface of fore and hind limbs; precloacal pores 4–5 in males; postcloacal unilateral tubercles 1–2; dorsal surface of body with 8–9 large greyish brown markings between nape and sacrum. In molecular analyses, the new species is sister to G. scabridus, but separated from them by approximately 9.9%–12.2% in genetic divergence as shown by a fragment of the partial mitochondrial ND2 gene. The new species is the highest Gekko with elevation range from 2000 to 2476 m. Further surveys are recommended to better understand the occurrence and population status of the new species.

Keywords: Gekko jinjiangensis sp. nov.;  Gekko japonicus group;  molecular phylogenetic analysis;  morphology;  Jinsha River

Holotype (CIB5334220115, male) of Gekko jinjiangensis sp. nov. in preservation. A: dorsal view. B: ventral view.
Living female paratype of Gekko jinjiangensis sp. nov.. Dorsolateral view of CIB5334220100.


   

Gekko jinjiangensis sp. nov. Hou, Shi, Wang, Jiang & Xie

Gekko japonicus Yang and Rao, 2008. Amphibian and reptilia of Yunnan. 177–181.

Diagnosis: Gekko jinjiangensis sp. nov. can be distinguished from its congeners by a combination of following characters: size small (SVL 50.2–61.6 mm, n = 13); nares in contact with rostral; interorbital scales between anterior corners of the eyes 20–24; ventral scales between mental and cloacal slit 146–169; midbody scale rows 111–149; ventral scale rows 31–47; subdigital lamellae on first toe 8–11, on fourth toe 11–15; no webbing in the fingers and toes; with tubercles on upper surface of fore and hind limbs; precloacal pores 4–5 in males and absent in the females; postcloacal unilateral tubercles 1-2; dorsal surface of body with 8–9 large greyish brown markings between nape and sacrum.

Etymology: The specific epithet jinjiangensis refers to the type locality of the species, were collected in the middle reaches of the Jinsha River across the West of Sichuan and Yunnan Province, China. 


Distribution and natural history: Gekko jinjiangensis sp. nov. is currently known from the middle reaches of the Jinsha River, Sichuan and Yunnan Province, China at elevations between 2000 –2476 m a.s.l. The new species is nocturnal, inhabits shrubs or dry rocky cliffs in Jinsha River valley, and also found on walls of building (Figure 5). The breeding season is currently uncertain, no gravid female found during field work from late August 2019 and late July 2020.

Habitat of Gekko jinjiangensis sp. nov.
macrohabitat, dryhot river valley in Benzilan Town, Deqin County, Yunnan Province. 


Habitat of Gekko jinjiangensis sp. nov.
B, C, D: microhabitats. B: holotype CIB5334220115 found on small bushes in the Jinsha River valley. C: one individual hide in rock stretches on cliff after disturbance. D: one individual found on slope with bushes.


Yinmeng Hou, Shengchao Shi, Gang Wang, Guocheng Shu, Puyang Zheng, Yin Qi, Gaohui Liu, Jianping Jiang and Feng Xie. 2021. A New Species of the Gekko japonicus Group (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Southwest China. Asian Herpetological Research. (12(1); 36-48.