Corresponding author: Gunther Köhler (
Academic editor: Hans-Dieter Sues
We describe a new species of
Turnip-tailed geckos (genus
In 2010, several specimens of a distinctly spotted
A list of the comparative specimens examined is provided in the Appendix. Abbreviations for museum collections follow those of
SMF 92120, an adult male from Sint Maarten, near the southern edge of the village of Dawn Beach,
SMF 92194, 92721–29, same collecting data as holotype.
A species (SVL in largest specimen examined 99 mm) of the genus
Adult male as indicated by partially everted hemipenes; SVL 95.5 mm; tail length 75.0 mm, tail complete; tail almost round in cross section, tail height 6.9 mm, width 7.6 mm; axilla to groin distance 37.0 mm; head length 24.5 mm; snout length 12.2 mm; head width 20.5 mm; shank length 16.2 mm. Rostral large, rectangular, about twice as wide as deep, visible from above, and with a long median cleft extending from posterior margin; 2 relatively large, rectangular postrostrals; nostril bordered by rostral, first supralabial, 3 small postnasals and one postrostral; scales on snout and on loreal region granular, mostly keeled; 22 loreal scales in a longitudinal line between rostral and orbit; scales on upper and posterior portions of head slightly smaller than on snout; scales in supraorbital region not differentiated from those on upper part of head; supraciliary flap bordered by a double row of scales, 18 in outer row between anterior border of flap and a point above center of eye, with 7 small spines posteriorly; pupil four-lobed, vertically elongate; 8 supralabials to level below center of eye, total number 10, anterior supralabials subequal in size, below eyes decreasing in size; ear opening obliquely oval, 3.0 x 1.5 mm (length x height) distinctly smaller than eye (eye length 6.1 mm); mental larger than adjacent scales, pentagonal; 2 relatively large postmentals, at each side followed by a row of smooth, polygonal scales, decreasing in size posteriorly, and in contact with anterior infralabials; scales on chin granular, mostly pointed; scales on throat small, round, convex, juxtaposed; 8 (right)–7 (left) infralabials to level below center of eye, total number 10; infralabials mostly large, smooth, quadrangular to pentagonal, posterior ones smaller; dorsum of body with convex, juxtaposed to subimbricate scales with rounded posterior margins, about twice as large as scales on snout, largest dorsal scales about 0.35 x 0.29 mm (length x width); about 72 median dorsal scales in one head length; ventral scales at midbody smooth, juxtaposed to subimbricate with rounded posterior margins, forming oblique rows, about 0.42 x 0.39 mm (length x width); about 45 ventral scales in one head length; a gradual transition between dorsal and ventral scales; 218 scales around midbody; caudal scales smooth, imbricate, with rounded posterior margins, slightly larger ventrally; scales on limbs mostly smooth, subimbricate, with rounded posterior margins, equal to, to larger than dorsals; scales on posterior surfaces of forelimbs and on posterior and upper surfaces of hind limbs small, granular; fingers and toes depressed with a middorsal elevation, connected by a basal web; subdigital lamellae forming two transversely enlarged rows, divided by a median sulcus, 20 under fourth toe, 19 under fourth finger; claw on distal extremity of distal sulcus.
Coloration after one month in preservative (70% ethanol) was recorded as follows: Dorsal surfaces of head, body, limbs, and tail grayish brown with numerous irregular but sharply deliminated, black spots and blotches; ventral surfaces of head, body, and limbs cream with gray shading and faint gray reticulations; widened lamellae of fingers and toes gray; ventral surface of tail brown with dark grayish brown reticulations.
The paratypes agree well with the holotype in general appearance, morphometrics and scalation (see
The name
All type specimens were collected at night while the lizards were active on the lower parts of the trunks of large living trees within or at the edge of forested areas (see also
As currently known,
The distinctive dorsal pattern in
We have not examined the types of the nominal species placed in the synonymy of
Holotype of
Head of holotype of
Right hind foot of holotype of
Habitat at the type locality of
Selected measurements, proportions and scale characters of
SVL | ♂ | 86.0–96.5 (90.6 ± 3.83) | 74.0–95.0 (85.5 ± 6.87) |
♀ | 87.0–99.0 (94.0 ± 4.85) | 79.0–119.0 (93.9 ± 11.65) | |
Tail length | ♂ | 75.0–76.0 (75.3 ± 0.47) | 65.0–72.0 (68.5 ± 3.50) |
♀ | 71.0–83.0 (77.0 ± 6.00) | 75.0–76.0 (75.3 ± 0.47) | |
HL | ♂ | 22.6–24.5 (23.5 ± 0.67) | 18.2–24.7 (21.5 ± 1.75) |
♀ | 23.0–25.0 (24.3 ± 0.79) | 18.8–28.0 (23.2 ± 2.56) | |
HW | ♂ | 17.3–20.5 (18.4 ± 1.25) | 14.7–19.9 (17.3 ± 1.95) |
♀ | 17.6–19.1 (18.2 ± 0.58) | 13.2–22.9 (17.9 ± 2.74) | |
Shank length | ♂ | 13.2–16.2 (14.2 ± 1.21) | 10.0–14.5 (12.7 ± 1.29) |
♀ | 14.0–15.9 (14.5 ± 0.81) | 10.6–17.2 (14.3 ± 1.95) | |
Axilla–groin distance | ♂ | 37.0–38.7 (37.6 ± 0.68) | 33.0–45.7 (39.1 ± 4.54) |
♀ | 32.5–43.0 (39.2 ± 4.14) | 37.7–49.5 (42.5 ± 3.83) | |
Tail length / SVL | ♂ | 0.78–0.87 (0.83 ± 0.04) | 0.82–0.87 (0.85 ± 0.02) |
♀ | 0.72–0.90 (0.81 ± 0.09) | 0.78–0.87 (0.83 ± 0.04) | |
HL / SVL | ♂ | 0.25–0.27 (0.26 ± 0.01) | 0.24–0.26 (0.25 ± 0.01) |
♀ | 0.25–0.27 (0.26 ± 0.01) | 0.24–0.27 (0.25 ± 0.01) | |
Shank length / SVL | ♂ | 0.15–0.17 (0.16 ± 0.01) | 0.13–0.17 (0.15 ± 0.01) |
♀ | 0.14–0.16 (0.15 ± 0.01) | 0.13–0.17 (0.15 ± 0.01) | |
Axilla–groin distance / SVL | ♂ | 0.38–0.43 (0.42 ± 0.02) | 0.41–0.53 (0.46 ± 0.03) |
♀ | 0.37–0.43 (0.42 ± 0.02) | 0.42–0.49 (0.46 ± 0.02) | |
Subdigital lamellae of 4th toe | 16–20 (18.13 ± 1.17) | 18–23 (20.17 ± 1.62) | |
Subdigital lamellae of 4th finger | 16–19 (17.88 ± 1.05) | 17–23 (19.67 ± 2.13) | |
Number of SPL to level below center of eye | 6–8 (6.63 ± 0.70) | 8–10 (8.62 ± 0.62) | |
Number of INL to level below center of eye | 8–10 (8.63 ± 0.70) | 7–8 (7.62 ± 0.49) | |
Number of postrostrals | 2 | 2 | |
Number of postmentals | 2 | 2 | |
Number of medial dorsal scales in one head length | 72–92 (81.25 ± 7.60) | 64–88 (75.15 ± 8.24) | |
Number of medial ventral scales in one head length | 44–56 (49.00 ± 4.24) | 34–52 (40.62 ± 4.68) |
Exportation permits were provided by Mervyn Butcher, Government of St. Maarten, Sint Maarten. For the loan of and/or access to specimens we thank William E. Duellman and John E. Simmons, University of Kansas, Natural History Museum (KU), Lawrence. Sebastian Lotzkat, Frankfurt, provided unpublished morphological data pertaining to Panamanian