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| Cyrtodactylus khlonghatensis Ampai, Rujirawan, Yodthong, Termprayoon, Stuart & Aowphol, 2024 |
Abstract
A new karst-dwelling bent-toed gecko of the Cyrtodactylus intermedius group is described from Khlong Hat District, Sa Kaeo Province, eastern Thailand, based on an integrative taxonomic analysis of genetic data and morphological characteristics. Phylogenetic analyses using the mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 (ND2) gene revealed that topotypes of C. intermedius were sister to a clade containing C. kulenensis from Cambodia, an unnamed lineage from Sakaerat Biosphere Reserve in Nakhon Ratchasima Province, Thailand, and the Khlong Hat lineage described here as Cyrtodactylus khlonghatensis sp. nov. Multivariate analyses of morphometric and meristic characters showed that C. khlonghatensis sp. nov. is morphologically distinct from all other species in the group by having the combination of SVL 76.5–82.8 mm in adult males and 88.5 mm in an adult female; eight supralabial and nine infralabial scales; 30–32 paravertebral tubercles; 20 or 21 longitudinal rows of dorsal tubercles; 43 or 44 ventral scales; seven or eight expanded subdigital lamellae on the 4th toe; 12 unmodified subdigital lamellae on the 4th toe; 19 or 20 total subdigital lamellae on the 4th toe; 31 or 32 total number of enlarged femoral scales; enlarged femoral and precloacal scales continuous; 6–8 pore-bearing precloacal scales in males; three or four rows of enlarged post-precloacal scales; 1–3 postcloacal tubercles; proximal femoral scales less than one-half the size of distal femoral scales; absence of interdigital pocketing between digits of forefeet and hindfeet; and posterior border of the nuchal loop rounded. Uncorrected pairwise genetic divergences (p-distances) between the new species and other species of the intermedius group ranged from 4.73–22.55%. The discovery of this new species exclusively in isolated karst formations from the Thai-Cambodia border suggests that there may be further undiscovered Cyrtodactylus in unexplored karst landscapes along the border of eastern Thailand and western Cambodia.
Key words: Distribution, Gekkota, integrative taxonomy, ND2 gene, multivariate analysis
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| Adult male holotype of Cyrtodactylus khlonghatensis sp. nov. (ZMKU R 01068) from Tham Phet Pho Thong, Khlong Hat Subdistrict, Khlong Hat District, Sa Kaeo Province, Thailand, prior to preservation A dorsal view B ventral view C palmar view of the right hand D plantar view of the right foot E lateral view of left side of head, and F precloacal region showing distribution of enlarged femeroprecloacal scales. Scale bar in dorsal and ventral views: 10 mm. |
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| Variation in color pattern of Cyrtodactylus khlonghatensis sp. nov. Tham Phet Pho Thong, Khlong Hat Subdistrict, Khlong Hat District, Sa Kaeo Province, Thailand, in life A adult male paratype (ZMKU R 01067) B adult male holotype (ZMKU R 01068) C adult male paratype (ZMKU R 01069), and D adult female paratype (ZMKU R 01070). |
Cyrtodactylus khlonghatensis sp. nov.
Suggested common name: Khlong Hat Bent-toed Gecko
ตุ๊กกายคลองหาด
Diagnosis: Cyrtodactylus khlonghatensis sp. nov. can be distinguished from all other species of the intermedius group by having the following combination of characters: (1) SVL of 76.5–82.8 mm (mean 80.5 ± 3.5 mm, n = 3) in adult males and 88.5 mm in an adult female (n = 1); (2) eight supralabial and nine infralabial scales; (3) 30–32 paravertebral tubercles; (4) 20 or 21 longitudinal rows of dorsal tubercles; (5) 43 or 44 ventral scales; (6) seven or eight expanded subdigital lamellae on the 4th toe; (7) 12 unmodified subdigital lamellae on the 4th toe; (8) 19 or 20 total subdigital lamellae on the 4th toe; (9) 31 or 32 total number of enlarged femoral scales; (10) enlarged femoral and precloacal scales continuous; (11) 6–8 pore-bearing precloacal scales in males; (12) three or four rows of enlarged post-precloacal scales; (13) 1–3 postcloacal tubercles; (14) proximal femoral scales < 1/2 the size of distal femoral scales; (15) absence of interdigital pocketing between digits of forefeet and hindfeet; and (16) posterior border of the nuchal loop rounded.
Etymology: The specific epithet khlonghatensis is named after the type locality of Khlong Hat Subdistrict, Khlong Hat District, Sa Kaeo Province, Thailand.
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| Habitats of Cyrtodactylus khlonghatensis sp. nov. at the type locality of Tham Phet Pho Thong, Khlong Hat Subdistrict, Khlong Hat District, Sa Kaeo Province, Thailand A the isolated karstic mountain surrounded by karstic outcrops with dry deciduous forest B karstic trail C karst boulders. |
Natee Ampai, Attapol Rujirawan, Siriporn Yodthong, Korkhwan Termprayoon, Bryan L. Stuart and Anchalee Aowphol. 2024. A New Species of Karst-dwelling Bent-toed Gecko of the Cyrtodactylus intermedius group (Squamata, Gekkonidae) from eastern Thailand and the phylogenetic placement of C. intermedius. ZooKeys. 1211: 101-130. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1211.122563
ตุ๊กกายคลองหาด Cyrtodactylus khlonghatensis
ตุ๊กกายชนิดใหม่ ในกลุ่ม ตุ๊กกายตะวันออก (Cyrtodactylus intermedius complex) จากระบบนิเวศถ้ำและเขาหินปูนในอำเภอคลองหาด จังหวัดสระแก้ว
