Gekkonidae

Safaei-Mahroo, Barbod, Ghaffari, Hanyeh & Anderson, Steven C., 2016, A new genus and species of gekkonid lizard (Squamata: Gekkota: Gekkonidae) from Hormozgan Province with a revised key to gekkonid genera of Iran, Zootaxa 4109 (4), pp. 428-444 : 438-443

Key to the genera of Gekkonidae in Iran

Based on Szczerbak & Golubev (1986) and Anderson (1999).

1. Digits not dilated...................................................................................... 2

- Digits strongly dilated, each digit dilated at base, with double row of lamellae beneath, forming pads; terminal phalanges compressed ( Figure 10 A–B )........................................................... Hemidactylus Oken, 1817

2. Digits with well-defined lateral fringe of elongate, flexible pointed scales ( Figure 10 C–D ).......................... 3

- Digits without fringe of elongate, flexible pointed scales, although scales may be denticulate ( Figure 10 E–F )............ 5

3. Dorsal scales uniform, not intermixed with tubercles.......................................................... 4

- Small dorsal scales intermixed with rounded tubercles................................. Crossobamon Boettger, 1888

4. Enlarged postmental scales present, nostril strongly projecting, posterior abdominal scales larger than dorsal scales................................................................................ Pseudoceramodactylus Haas, 1957

- No enlarged postmentals; nostril not protuberant; posterior abdominal scales not larger than dorsal scales............................................................................................ Stenodactylus Fitzinger, 1826

5. Dorsal scales heterogeneous; at least some scales of body and head smooth, dorsal scales small, uniform, intermixed with large tubercles ( Figure 10 G )................................................................................ 6

- Dorsal scales small, homogeneous ( Figure 10 H )........................................................... 11

6. Nostril at apex of prominent swollen or cylindrical caruncle formed by nasal scales; rostral excluded from border of nostril ( Figure 10 I )................................................................... Rhinogecko de Witte, 1973

- Nasal scales do not form cylindrical caruncle, although they may appear to be swollen around the nostril; rostral normally forms part of border of nostril ( Figure 10 J )................................................................ 7

7. Subcaudal covered with smooth or slightly convex scales..................................................... 8

- Subcaudal covered with strongly keeled scales arranged in regular distances; tail tapering gradually (tip of orginal tail sharply pointed), and two mucronate tubercles on either side of each annulus ( Figure 10 K )................................ 9

8. Tail cylindrical, very slender, and of almost uniform diameter from base to tip (tip blunt), no mucronate tubercles or annuli ( Figure 10 L )................................................................... Agamura Blanford, 1874

- Caudal tubercles in each semicircle of one segment are in contact with each other along the entire lateral edge; subdigital lamellae with a single transverse series of tubercles, particularly on the free margin under magnification (sometimes worn down in latter part of epidermal cycle); distal phalanges not compressed....................... Bunopus Blanford, 1874

9. Spine-shaped caudal tubercles do not contact each other in the whorls of a segment, surrounded by uniform scales; height of first labial scale from nostril to edge of mouth distinctly less than its width along edge of mouth.......................................................................................... Mediodactylus Szczerbak & Golubev, 1977

- Low or moderately high tail tubercles widely contact each other in semicircles and surrounded by one to two smaller scales; height of first labial scale from nostril to edge of mouth distinctly longer or slightly shorter than its width along edge of mouth................................................................................................... 10

10. keeled; No fewer than 20 femoral pores in males; row of plates covers almost entire subcaudal width; if there is suture between postmental scales in first pair, its length is no more than half the length of mental scale................................................................................................. Tenuidactylus Szczerbak & Golubev, 1984

- Caudal tubercles or enlarged keeled scales forming terminal ring of each segment. No more than 10 precloacal pores; row of subcaudal plates distinctly narrower than subcaudal surface; suture between postmental scales of first pair longer than half the length of mental scale............................................................ Cyrtopodion Fitzinger, 1843

11. Tail scales uniform, homogenous, not keeled ( Figure 10 M–N )................................................ 12

- Subcaudals arranged in single large and broad row ( Figure 10 P ), two strongly keeled tubercles on either side of each annulus ( Figure 10 O ), tubercles are present on shank (hind limbs have enlarged tubercles)................ Parsigecko gen. nov.

12. Subdigital lamellae keeled; a pair of flat supranasal scales not touching nostril; no postsupranasal scales; besides rostral and first supralabial scales, nostril is in contact with two scales, tubercles are not present on shank... Tropiocolotes Peters, 1880

- Subdigital lamellae smooth; Supranasal scales significantly larger than other nasal scales and always contact nostrils, tubercles are not present on shank.......................................................... Microgecko Nikolsky, 1907

Figures

FIGURE 10 A – B. Pes of Hemidactylus flaviviridis (A) ventral view, (B) dorsal view;

FIGURE 10 C – D. Pes of (C) Crossobamon eversmanni ventral view and (D) Stenodactylus doriae dorsal view;

FIGURE 10 E – F. Ventral view of pes of (E) Agamura persica and (F) Microgecko persicus;

FIGURE 10 G – H. Dorsal scales of (G) Bunopus tuberculatus, (H) Tropiocolotes cf. steudneri;

FIGURE 10 I – J. Nostril of (I) Rhinogecko misonnei and (J) Agamura persica;

FIGURE 10 K – L. Caudal scales of (K) Mediodactylus heterocercum and (L) Agamura persica;

FIGURE 10 M – N. Caudal scales of (M) Tropiocolotes cf. steudneri and (N) subcaudal scales of Microgecko latifi;

FIGURE 10 O – P. Caudal scales of (O) Parsigecko gen. nov. and subcaudal scales of (P) Parsigecko gen. nov. Photographs by B. Safaei-Mahroo.