Saurodactylus harrisii, Javanmardi & Vogler & Joger, 2019

Javanmardi, Soheila, Vogler, Sven & Joger, Ulrich, 2019, Phylogenetic differentiation and taxonomic consequences in the Saurodactylus brosseti species complex (Squamata: Sphaerodactylidae), with description of four new species, Zootaxa 4674 (4), pp. 401-425 : 415-418

Saurodactylus harrisii sp. nov. Joger, Javanmardi & Vogler, 2019 (Southern clade)

Distribution. In the Atlantic coastal area from the mouth of Oued Souss to Boujdour, Moroccan Sahara.

Derivatio nominis. We name this taxon in honor of David James Harris, who initiated the first comprehensive study on the genetic differentiation of Saurodactylus brosseti , during which this and two other clades were discovered. The patronym was latinized as Harrisius and then placed into the masculine genitive singular.

Diagnosis. Ground color light to dark brown. Irregularly distributed large spots with dark margins, or smaller spots, concentrated on the lateral side. Tail yellowish or light brown with dark marble pattern. V-shaped light mark on top of head not reaching the neck. Internasal shields separated from each other by two granules. Four shields bordering nostril, i.e., the rostral, internasal, one postnasal and the first supralabial.

Holotype. ZFMK-79667 (deposited at Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig, Bonn, Germany); collected by Wolfgang Böhme, Hemmo Nickel and Thomas Wilms on 26 October 1999 from Guelmime , Morocco.

Description of holotype. Adult male; SVL = 27.35 mm; HL = 7.05 mm; HW = 4.94 mm; HD = 3.48 mm; ED = 1.24 mm; FL = 7.36; HdL = 10.77 mm; TL = 28.22 mm.

Mental shield large; two pairs of postmentals, first pair larger, in contact; 5 supralabial and 5 infralabial scales on each side. Rostral shield large with deep posterior notch. One large postnasal; one additional scale lying between postnasal and internasal. Nostril bordered by four scales: the rostral, internasal, postnasal and first supralabial. Dorsal scales of head homogenous, smooth, minute and granular; 23 interorbital and 8 loreal scales. Dorsal scales of body small, smooth and juxtaposed, slightly larger on the lateral sides. Tail tapering and cylindrical; scales on the dorsal surface of the tail larger than those of the body, homogenous and sub-imbricate; ventral scales of head homogenous, small and flat; 34 scales on the broadest width of head; 39 scales between mental shield and gular line. Ventral scales of body large, plate like and sub-imbricate; 15 longitudinal rows of ventrals at midbody; 31 ventrals from level of axilla to level of groin; 8 precloacals; 64 dorsals between axilla and groin; 36 longitudinal rows of dorsals at midbody. Digits minute and short, slightly bent, without any ornamentation; 18 subdigital lamellae under the fourth toe.

Color pattern. In holotype dorsum uniformly sandy, dusted with several minute dark dots intermixed with small to medium-sized whitish spots; dorsolateral stripes of the head extending from internasals down to the temporal region, fading posteriorly to small whitish spots on sides of the neck; labial scales grayish brown; tail sandy, speckled with irregular brown and whitish spots; a dark brown bar on base of the tail; subcaudal scales cream with dark posterior margins; general coloration of limbs same as body, with a few more dark speckles; lateral sides of the body darker; venter cream, some of the ventral scales with small dark dots at posterior margins ( Fig. 11 ).

Paratypes. ZFMK 70725 , ZFMK 73010-12 , ZFMK 79666 , ZFMK 79668-72 (from Sidi Ifni, Guelmime and Aglou, respectively, deposited at Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig, Bonn) ; SNMB-N 61537 (from Sidi Ifni) SNMB-N 61538 (from Oued Massa ) , SNMB-N 61539-40 (from Aglou near Tiznit) . In nine out of ten paratype specimens from Guelmime and Aglou, the coloration resembles that of the holotype; one specimen from Sidi Ifni has larger dorsal spots compared to others ( Fig. 12 ). Details of measurements related to these specimens are presented in Table 6 .

Figures

FIGURE 11. Holotype of Saurodactylus harrisii sp. nov. Photo by S. Javanmardi.

FIGURE 12. Three (adult) paratypes of Saurodactylus harrisii sp. nov. Localities from left to right: Guelmime, Guelmime, Sidi Ifni. Photo by S. Javanmardi.