Blaesodactylus microtuberculatus, Jono, Teppei, Bauer, Aaron M., Brennan, Ian & Mori, Akira, 2015

Jono, Teppei, Bauer, Aaron M., Brennan, Ian & Mori, Akira, 2015, New species of Blaesodactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Tsingy karstic outcrops in Ankarana National Park, northern Madagascar, Zootaxa 3980 (3), pp. 406-416 : 409-413

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.3980.3.4
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:B88E0AA3-260A-43E1-AEC8-9973A283FB11
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5671558
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/452EF71F-6909-FFD9-FF5C-F56AC0DFFE75
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Blaesodactylus microtuberculatus
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Blaesodactylus microtuberculatus sp. nov.

( Figs. 2 View FIGURE 2 A, 4A, 5A)

Holotype. KUZ 069431 (field number AFP 2012-002), adult male ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 A); Ankarana National Park, Antsiranana Province, northern Madagascar (12°57’S, 49°07’E; Fig. 3 View FIGURE 3 ), collected by T. Jono and A. Mori on 4 December 2012.

Paratypes. None.

Etymology. The species epithet “ microtuberculatus ” refers to the presence of small tubercles, compared to all other congeners, on their trunk region.

Diagnosis. A large sized (SVL 117.4 mm), robust-bodied Blaesodactylus with tail slightly longer than SVL ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 A). Snout elongate, gular granules small and homogenous, internarial region convex ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 A). 162 scale rows around midbody, 15–17 longitudinal rows of relatively small tubercles on dorsum. Fourth digit of pes with 21 undivided subdigital lamellae. No tubercles on tail dorsum; midventral subcaudal scales transversely enlarged, about half width of tail. Body dorsum grayish, mid-dorsal row of five blotches, original tail weakly banded, venter pale, only gular region with very faint mottling ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 A).

Among its congeners Blaesodactylus microtuberculatus sp. nov. may be differentiated from B. boivini by its smaller dorsal tubercles ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 ; ~3 times size of adjacent scales versus ~10 times), absence of caudal tubercles ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 ; versus caudal tubercles ~4 times size of adjacent scales and present on more than half of the tail), uniform pale venter except for gular region (versus mottled with areas of dark pigmentation), and lower number of dorsal tubercle rows (15–17 versus 18–21). It differs from B. sakalava in its smaller dorsal tubercles ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 ; ~3 times size of adjacent scales versus ~6 times, with tubercles finely keel), absence of caudal tubercles ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 ; versus keeled tubercles ~6 times size of adjacent scales and present on more than half of the tail), wider midventral subcaudal scales ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 ; about half width of tail versus less than one-third width of tail), and mottled gular region ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 ; versus pale). It is distinguished from B. ambonihazo by its smaller dorsal tubercles ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 ; ~3 times size of adjacent scales versus ~6 times), absence of caudal tubercles ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 ; versus keeled tubercles ~3 times size of adjacent scales present on proximal ~40% of the tail), wider midventral subcaudal scales ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 ; about half width of tail versus less than one-third width of tail), mottled gular region ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 ; versus pale), lower number of dorsal tubercle rows (15–17 versus 17–21). It is distinguished from B. antongilensis by its lower number of dorsal tubercles (15–17 versus up to 24), and mottled gular region ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 ; versus pale).

Description of the holotype. KUZ069431, adult male. SVL 117.4 mm, TailL 134.2 mm (regenerated). Part of liver removed through mid-flank for tissue sample. Head relatively long (HeadL = 30.6 mm; HeadL/SVL = 0.26) and wide (HeadW = 23.6 mm; HeadW/HeadL = 0.77), depressed (HeadD = 12.7 mm; HeadD/HeadL = 0.42); obviously broader than neck. Frontonasal region concave, snout elongate (SnEye = 14.9 mm; SnEye/HeadL = 0.49), blunt, longer than eye diameter (OrbD = 6.1 mm; OrbD/SnEye = 0.41); internarial distance 11.1 mm; interorbital distance 4.6 mm; scales on snout and forehead small, granular, and heterogeneous; scales on snout larger than those on occipital region except for scattered conical tubercles (~3 times size of adjacent scales); 24 scales across narrowest point of frontals, 52 between superciliary scale rows. Eye large (OrbD/HeadL = 0.20); pupil vertical with crenelated margins; superciliaries forming a short brillar fold with small spines at anterior and posterior margins. Ear opening obliquely oval, large (EarL = 3.8 mm; EarL/HeadL = 0.12); eye to ear distance longer than diameter of eye (EyeEar = 9.3 mm; EyeEar/OrbD = 1.54). Rostral quadrangular, much wider (5.2 mm) than high (2.5 mm), with no median groove. Enlarged supranasals separated by two internasal scales, one smaller scale (same size of snout granules) anteriorly, bordering rostral, and one larger scale (twice size of snout granules) posteriorly; rostral in contact with first supralabials, supranasals, and one internasal; nostrils round, each surrounded by supranasal, rostral, first supralabial, and a crescentic nasal, itself bordered posteriorly by 4 postnasal scales; 3–4 rows of small scales separate rim of orbit from supralabials. Mental pentagonal, wider (4.2 mm) than deep (2.7 mm); median pair of postmentals elongated (3.7 mm long), each bordered anteromedially by mental, medially in broad contact with other postmental along most of their entire length, but separated anteriorly by posterior tip of mental, and bordered anterolaterally by first infralabial, laterally by second postmental, posteriorly by 3 slightly enlarged chin scales grading posteriorly and laterally into smaller gular scales; 14 (right) to 13 (left) supralabials, 12 infralabials on both sides.

Body stout, relatively short (TrunkL = 47.2mm; TrunkL/SVL = 0.40) with moderately developed ventrolateral folds. Dorsal scales smooth, granular to conical and recumbent, juxtaposed; 162 scale rows around midbody, intermixed with enlarged, smooth rounded tubercles (~3 times size of adjacent scales, largest on flanks, and smallest in occipital region), extending from occipital regions to tail base; tubercles in 15–17 rows at midbody. Ventral scales much larger than dorsals, smooth, imbricate, free margin rounded, largest on abdomen except for rows immediately anterior to vent; 46 scale rows across venter between ventrolateral folds; gular region with relatively homogeneous, smooth, rounded to oval scales, juxtaposed anteriorly to subimbricate posteriorly. No precloacal or femoral pores, no enlarged femoral scales. Preaxial scalation of limbs subimbricate, postaxial granular, dorsal surface of limbs without tubercles. Scales of palms and soles smooth, flattened, round, subimbricate.

Limbs short and robust (ForeaL = 11.3 mm; ForeaL/SVL = 0.10; CrusL = 20.9 mm; CrusL/SVL = 0.18). Digits broadly dilated, distal portion of digits II–V free of pad, bearing a prominent recurved claw partly sheathed between a pair of scales, distal portion of digit I not free of pad, claw minute and lying in a groove in the adhesive pad; number of broad lamellae beneath each digit (10–17–21–21 –15 manus; 15–14–17–21–17 pes); all lamellae, except distalmost slightly bowed, undivided except for distalmost lamellae of digit I; interdigital webbing weakly developed. Relative length of digits (manus): IV> III> III> II>V> I; (pes): IV>III> V> II> I.

Tail slender, approximately one-third length of whole tail regenerated, tapering to tip; somewhat longer than snout-vent length (TailL/SVL = 1.14), dorso-ventrally depressed. Tail base with 4 (right) and 3 (left) smooth cloacal spurs on each side, largest anteriormost. Scales of tail dorsum heterogeneous — rectangular to pentagonal or hexagonal, subimbricate; midventral subcaudal scales transversely enlarged and about half of tail width; tail clearly verticillate, each segment 8 dorsal scale rows and 3 transversely enlarged subcaudal scales in length; posterior edge of each segment without a row of enlarged tubercles. Regenerated portion of tail with some segmentation evident but scalation irregular. Hemipenes partly everted, but detailed morphology unobservable.

Coloration (in preservative). Body dorsum grayish without a series of crossbars, mid-dorsal row of five lighter color blotches, indistinctly separated from each other along the dorsal midline. Irregular dark vermiculation on dorsum. Flanks with some faint mottling. Limbs mottled. Tail with faint alternating dark-gray and light-gray bands. Head medium gray with beige labial scales, rictus, and posteroventral orbital margin. Venter cream anteriorly and light gray posteriorly; chin with very faint mottling. Palms and soles grayish. Coloration in life generally similar to that in preservative, but more contrasting.

Distribution. This species is currently known only from Ankarana National Park in northern Madagascar ( Fig. 3 View FIGURE 3 A).

Natural history. The specimen was collected in Tsingy karstic outcropping surrounded by dry deciduous forest in Ankarana National Park at 22:19 on 4 December 2012 ( Fig. 3 View FIGURE 3 A). It perched motionless on the surface of an outcrop ( Fig. 3 View FIGURE 3 B). We were unable to capture two additional individuals, similar in appearance and morphological characteristics, which were found in a similar posture on limestones in the karstic outcropping. In the deciduous forest of this park ( Fig. 3 View FIGURE 3 C), we found 16 individuals of B. boivini on tree trunks both in the daytime and at night, but no geckos similar to B. microtuberculatus were found in this habitat. The minimum distance between the locations of B. microtuberculatus and B. boivini was 11 m.