Sunday, April 10, 2022

[Herpetology • 2022] Bauerius gen. nov. • Systematic Revision of Afrogecko ansorgii (Boulenger, 1907) (Sauria: Gekkonidae) from western Angola


Bauerius ansorgii (Boulenger, 1907)
 Bauerius gen. nov.

 Lobon-Rovira, Conradie, Vaz Pinto, Keates, Edwards, du Plessis & Branch, 2022.
 
Abstract
Here we provide the first phylogenetic analysis that include Afrogecko ansorgii and a detailed morphological comparison with other species of leaf-toed geckos. For this purpose, we used two mitochondrial (16S, ND2) and four nuclear (RAG1, RAG2, CMOS, PDC) genes to produce a robust phylogenetic reconstruction. This allowed us to show that A. ansorgii is not related as previously believed to circum-Indian Ocean leaf-toed geckos and is rather more closely related to other Malagasy leaf-toed geckos. Additionally, we explore and compare osteological variation in A. ansorgii skulls through High Resolution X-ray Computed Tomography with previously published material. This allowed us to describe herein a new genus, Bauerius gen. nov., and additionally provide a detailed redescription of the species (including the first description of male material), supplementing the limited original description and type series, which consisted of only two females.

Keywords: Reptilia, Leaf-toed gecko, taxonomy, CT-scan, skull, osteology, phylogeny




   Bauerius ansorgii (Boulenger, 1907)


    

 
Javier Lobon-Rovira, Werner Conradie, Pedro Vaz Pinto, Chad Keates, Shelley Edwards, Anton du Plessis and William R. Branch. 2022. Systematic Revision of Afrogecko ansorgii (Boulenger, 1907) (Sauria: Gekkonidae) from western Angola.  Zootaxa. 5124(4); 401-430. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5124.4.1


Vaz Pinto, P., Luis Veríssimo, L. and Branch, W.R. 2019. Hiding in the Bushes for 110 years: Rediscovery of an iconic Angolan gecko (Afrogecko ansorgii Boulenger, 1907, Sauria: Gekkonidae). Amphibian & Reptile Conservation. 13 (2), 29–41.