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| Gekko (Japonigekko) qiannanensis Huang, Ma, Jiang & Wu, in Huang, Ma, Xiao, Zhang, Pu, Ran, Zhu, Jiang et Wu, 2026. |
Abstract
Karst landscapes, which are characterized by their complex terrain, foster exceptionally high species diversity. During recent field surveys in Qiannan Buyi and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou Province, China, a new karst-adapted gecko species was discovered. Using an integrative approach combining molecular and morphological analyses, it is described here as Gekko qiannanensis sp. nov. Phylogenetically, it clusters within a well-supported clade of the subgenus Japonigekko that includes the karst-adapted G. fengshanensis, G. liboensis, G. kwangsiensis, G. paucituberculatus, and the dry-hot valley species G. tesselatus. Morphologically, it can be distinguished from all known species in Japonigekko by a combination of the following traits: moderate body size, with snout–vent length 65.4–82.9 mm in adult males and 77.7–91.7 mm in adult females; two enlarged postmentals; nares in contact with the rostral, internasal absent; subdigital lamellae: fourth fingers 14–16, first toes 9–11, and fourth toes 14–17; moderately developed toe webbing, originating proximal to subdigital lamellae; interorbitals 28–38; midbody scale rows 134–155; ventral scale rows 42–49; precloacal pores 10–11 in males; a single postcloacal tubercle on each side; dorsum earth gray, with six dirty-white bands between the nape and sacrum. Notably, the new species can be distinguished from its karst-adapted congeners by its moderately developed toe webbing. The discovery of G. qiannanensis brings the number of recognized species in Japonigekko to 42 globally, of which 28 are now recorded from China. This finding highlights the role of karst habitat fragmentation in driving allopatric speciation and underscores the rich but still incompletely documented herpetofaunal diversity of South China’s karst regions.
Key Words: herpetofauna, integrative taxonomy, new species, phylogeny, toe webbing
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| Holotype (JSU-HJ2025024, adult male) of Gekko qiannanensis sp. nov. after euthanasia. A. Dorsal view of body. B. Ventral view of body. C. Dorsal view of head. D. Ventral view of head. E. Right lateral view of the head. F. Ventral view of right hand. G. Ventral view of left hand. H. Ventral view of right foot. I. Ventral view of left foot. J. Ventral view of precloacal region. K. Right lateral view of basal tail. Photos by Jie Huang and Yang Xiao. Scale bars: 10 mm. |
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| Egg hatching of Gekko qiannanensis sp. nov. A. Discovery of gecko eggs at the corner of the wall, with 14 eggs already hatched and two remaining unhatched. B. Two hatching gecko eggs with attached wall plaster. C. One gecko egg in the process of hatching, side view. D. One gecko egg in the process of hatching, top view. E. The gecko juvenile 13 days after hatching. Photos by Jie Huang. Scale bar: 10 mm. |
Gekko qiannanensis Huang, Ma, Jiang & Wu, sp. nov.
Diagnosis. Gekko qiannanensis sp. nov. is assigned to the subgenus Japonigekko according to phylogenetic analysis. It can be distinguished from other congeners in Japonigekko by the following characters: moderate body size: SVL 65.4–82.9 mm in adult males, 77.7–91.7 mm in adult females; two enlarged postmentals; nares in contact with the rostral, internasal absent; subdigital lamellae: fourth fingers 14–16, first toes 9–11, fourth toes 14–17; moderately developed toe webbing, originating proximal to subdigital lamellae; interorbitals 28–38; Midbody scale rows 134–155; ventral scale rows 42–49; precloacal pores 10–11 in males; a single postcloacal tubercle on each side; dorsum earth gray, with six dirty-white bands between nape and sacrum.
Etymology and suggested Chinese and English name. The specific epithet, qiannanensis, is derived from the Chinese pinyin of its type locality in Qiannan Buyi and Miao Autonomous Prefecture. The Chinese name for the new species is suggested as “黔南壁虎” (pinyin: qián nán bì hǔ), and the English is suggested as “Qiannan Gecko.”
Jie Huang, Shun Ma, Yang Xiao, Fangpeng Zhang, Zhongzhu Pu, Jingcheng Ran, Jingyi Zhu, Wansheng Jiang and Jianpu Wu. 2026. Gekko (Japonigekko) qiannanensis, A New Karst-adapted Gecko (Squamata, Gekkonidae) from southern Guizhou, China. Zoosystematics and Evolution. 102(4): 973-987. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/zse.102.189932 [20-07-2026]
