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Issue: Vol. 4170 No. 2: 23 Sept. 2016
Type: Article
Published: 2016-09-23
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4170.2.7
Page range: 339–354
Abstract views: 250
PDF downloaded: 4

A new species of the Cyrtodactylus (Geckoella) collegalensis (Beddome, 1870) complex (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Western India

Department of Biology, Villanova University, 800 Lancaster Avenue, Villanova, Pennsylvania 19085, USA Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, 560012, India
National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bangalore, 560065, India
Bombay Natural History Society, Hornbill House, Dr Sálim Ali Chowk, Mumbai 400001, India
Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, UK Department of Animal Management, Reaseheath College, Cheshire CW5 6DF, UK
National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bangalore, 560065, India
Department of Biology, Villanova University, 800 Lancaster Avenue, Villanova, Pennsylvania 19085, USA
Reptilia Cyrtodactylus Geckoella Geckoella speciosus India cyt b ND2

Abstract

A new species of Cyrtodactylus (Geckoella) from the C. collegalensis complex is described based on a series of specimens from western and central India. Morphological and molecular data support the distinctiveness of the new form, which can be diagnosed from other Cyrtodactylus (including other Geckoella) species by its small body size (snout to vent length to 56 mm), the absence of precloacal and femoral pores, no enlarged preanal or femoral scales, and a dorsal scalation consisting wholly of small, granular scales. The new species is most closely related to C. collegalensis, C. speciosus and C. yakhuna, from which it differs by the presence of a patch of enlarged roughly hexagonal scales on the canthus rostralis and beneath the angle of jaw, its relatively long limbs and narrow body, and a dorsal colour pattern of 4–6 pairs of dark spots.

 

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