Abstract
The stone geckos of the Diplodactylus vittatus species-group are robust terrestrial geckos, mainly distributed through the southern half of Australia. Recent molecular analyses indicate that the current taxonomy significantly under-represents the true diversity in this group. Here we assess the morphological variation in the currently recognized species D. vittatus and D. granariensis, including the subspecies D. g. rex. We redescribe D. vittatus and D. granariensis, resurrect D. furcosus from the synonymy of D. vittatus and describe D. calcicolus sp. nov. and D. wiru sp. nov. from semiarid habitats in western and southern Australia. Other than D. g. rex, most taxa are very similar for such characters as scalation, body and tail shape and size, but colour patterns show species-specific modal conditions, and the largely allopatric distributions mean that most areas support only one or two species which can be distinguished through a combination of characters. Further genetic data is required to resolve the systematic status and geographic distribution of additional deeply divergent genetic lineages in eastern Australia.References
Bauer, A.M., & Henle, K. (1994) Das Tierreich 109, Familia Gekkonidae (Reptilia: Sauria). Part I. Australia and Oceania. Walter De Gruyter Publishers, Berlin, 306 pp.
Brygoo, E.R. 1991. Les types de gekkonidés (Reptiles, Sauriens) du Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle. Catalogue critique. Bulletin du Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle., Paris (4)12, 19–141.
Cogger, H.G. (1983) Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia (3rd edition). Reed Books, Sydney, NSW, Australia, 660 pp.
Cogger, H.G., Cameron, E.E. & Cogger, H.M. (1983) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Vol 1. Amphibia and Reptilia. Bureau of Fauna and Flora, Canberra, vi+313 pp..
Doughty, P. & Hutchinson, M.N. (2008) A new species of Lucasium (Squamata: Diplodactylidae) from the southern deserts of Western Australia and South Australia. Records of the Western Australian Museum, 25, 95–106.
Doughty, P., Oliver, P. & Adams, M. (2008) Systematics of stone geckos in the genus Diplodactylus (Reptilia: Diplodactylidae) from northwestern Australia, with a description of a new species from the Northwest Cape, Western Australia. Records of the Western Australian Museum, 24, 247–265.
Gamble, T., Bauer, A.M., Greenbaum, E. & Jackman, T.R. (2008) Evidence for Gondwanan vicariance in an ancient clade of gecko lizards. Journal of Biogeography, 35, 88–104.
Goddard, C. (1996) Pitjantjara / Yunkunytjatjara to English Dictionary. IAD Press, Alice Springs, xiv+306 pp.
Gray, J.E. (1832) Three new animals brought from New Holland by Mr Cunningham. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, 1832, 39–40.
Gray, J.E. (1845) Catalogue of the Specimens of Lizards in the Collection of the British Museum. British Museum, London, UK, xxviii+289 pp.
Günther, A. (1867) Additions to the knowledge of Australian reptiles and fishes. Annals and Magazine of Natural History (3), 20, 45–68.
Han, D., Zhou, K. & Bauer, A.M. (2004) Phylogenetic relationships among gekkotan lizards inferred from C-mos nuclear DNA sequences and a new classification of the Gekkota. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 83, 353–368.
Hutchinson, M.N. & Donnellan, S.C. (1992) Taxonomy and genetic variation in the Australian lizards of the genus Pseudemoia (Scincidae: Lygosominae). Journal of Natural History, 26, 215–264.
Hutchinson, M.N., Adams, M. & Fricker, S. (2006) Genetic variation and taxonomy of the Ctenotus brooksi speciescomplex (Squamata: Scincidae). Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia, 130, 48–65.
King, M. (1977) Chromosomal and morphometric variation in the gecko Diplodactylus vittatus (Gray). Australian Journal of Zoology, 25, 42–57.
Kluge, A.G. (1967) Systematics, phylogeny and zoogeography of the lizard genus Diplodactylus Gray (Gekkonidae). Australian Journal of Zoology, 15, 1007–1108.
Lucas, A.H.S. & Frost, C. (1896) Reptilia. In: Spencer, W.B. (Ed.), Report on the Work of the Horn Scientific Expedition to Central Australia, Part. II. - Zoology. Melville, Mullen & Slade, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, pp. 112–151.
Mahony, M., Donnellan, S.C., Richards, S.J. & McDonald, K.R. (2006) Species boundaries among barred river frogs, Mixophyes (Anura : Myobatrachidae) in north-eastern Australia, with descriptions of two new species. Zootaxa, 1228, 35–60.
McMinn, W.G. (1970) Alan Cunningham. Botanist and Explorer. Melbourne University Press, Melbourne, ix + 147.
Oliver, P., Hugall, A., Adams, M., Cooper, S.J.B. & Hutchinson, M. (2007a) Genetic elucidation of ancient and cryptic diversity in a group of Australian geckos: the Diplodactylus vittatus complex. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 44, 77–88.
Oliver, P.M., Hutchinson, M.N. & Cooper, S.J.B. (2007b) Phylogenetic relationships in the lizard genus Diplodactylus Gray and resurrection of Lucasium Wermuth (Gekkota, Diplodactylidae). Australian Journal of Zoology, 55, 197–210.
Oliver, P.M., Adams, M., Lee, M.S.Y., Hutchinson, M.N. & Doughty, P. (2009) Cryptic diversity in vertebrates: molecular data double estimates of species diversity in a radiation of Australian lizards (Diplodactylus, Gekkota). Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 276, 2001–2007.
Peters, W. (1863) Eine Übersicht der von Hrn. Richard Schomburgk an das zoologische Museum eingesandten Amphibien, aus Buchsfelde bei Adelaide in Südaustralien. Monatsberichte der K. Preussisches Akademie von Wissenschaft, Berlin, 1863, 228–236.
Storr, G.M. (1979) The Diplodactylus vittatus complex (Lacertilia: Gekkonidae) in Western Australia. Records of the Western Australian Museum, 7, 391–402.
Storr, G.M. (1988) Three new Diplodactylus (Lacertilia: Gekkonidae) from the arid zone of Australia. Records of the Western Australian Museum, 14, 217–223.
Storr, G.M., Smith, L.A. & Johnstone, R.E. (1990) Lizards of Western Australia. III. Geckos and Pygopods. Western Australian Museum Press, Perth, WA, Australia. x+141 pp.
Underwood, G. (1954) On the classification and evolution of geckos. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 124, 469–492.
Wilson, S.K. & Swan, G. (2008) A Complete Field Guide to Reptiles of Australia, second edition. Reed New Holland, Sydney, NSW, Australia, 512 pp.