Hemidactylus pieresii Kelaart, 1853

Batuwita, Sudesh & Pethiyagoda, Rohan, 2012, Rediscovery of the Sri Lankan ‘ house gecko’ Hemidactylus pieresii Kelaart (Reptilia: Gekkonidae) with a redescription of Hemidactylus depressus Gray, Zootaxa 3359, pp. 17-30 : 18-23

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.210839
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5665226
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/950F8979-0315-3E26-2E88-E7D7FA92FAB7
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Hemidactylus pieresii Kelaart, 1853
status

Treatment

( Figs. 1A, 1 View FIGURE 1. A B, 2A–F, Table 1 View TABLE 1 )

Hemidactylus pieresii Kelaart, 1853 (‘1852’): 159.

Material examined. NMSL WHT 7573, neotype (here designated), male, Gannoruwa proposed forest reserve, Peradeniya, 07°17’N, 80°53’E, 700 m asl, coll. 2 November 2002, S. Batuwita, A. Silva & K. P. Maduwage; NMSL WHT 196, male, Yattapatha, near Sinharaja World Heritage Site (WHS), 06°23’N, 80°17’E, 150 m asl, coll. 24 November 1999, K. Manamendra-Arachchi; NMSL WHT 7570, male, Pitadeniya, near Sinharaja WHS, 06°22’ N, 80°28’ E, 320 m asl, coll. 1 September 1999, S. Batuwita & A. Alagiyawadu; NMSL WHT 7571, female, Kalugala near Baduraliya, 06°30’46” N, 80°14’45”E, 60 m asl, coll. 3 February 2000, K. Manamendra-Arachchi & S. V. Nanayakkara; NMSL WHT 7572, male, Haycock Mountain, near Hiniduma, 06°20’ N, 80°18E’, 660 m asl, coll. 15 September 1999, K. Manamendra-Arachchi.

Diagnosis. Hemidactylus pieresii differs from its peninsular-Indian and Sri Lankan congeners by the combination of the following characters. Maximum SVL 79.2 mm; paired postmentals, anterior pair broadly in contact with each other; 53–58 tubercles in paravertebral row; 17–19 longitudinal rows of middorsal tubercles; ventral scales across midbody, 32–39; dorsal scales heterogeneous; ventral scales smooth, with 3 serrae; precloacal-femoral pores 17–20 on each side, separated mesially by 1–3 poreless scales; subcaudals smooth, the median row enlarged; supralabials to angle of jaws, 11 or 12; subdigital lamellae on digit IV of pes 10 or 11; postcloacal spurs, 1–3; coloration in life chocolate-brown, nape with distinct black longitudinal stripes, back with indistinct irregular black bands; venter dusky white, a yellow lateral band from snout to back of head.

Hemidactylus pieresii resembles H. depressus , but differs from the latter species by the combination of following characters: presence of greater number of paravertebral tubercles (53–58, vs. 35–41); a greater number of longitudinal rows of middorsal tubercles (17–19, vs. 13–16); possessing relatively small and closely spaced middorsal tubercles (vs. large and widely spaced); postcloacal spurs 1–3 (vs. absent); coloration in life chocolate-brown (vs. light brown); and nape with distinct black longitudinal stripes (vs. without stripes).

Description of neotype (data for other recent material given in brackets; for measurements, see Table 1 View TABLE 1 ). Head relatively short (head length 27.2 [25.0–28.1]% SVL), wide (head width 70.0 [65.7–71.9]% head length), depressed (head height 36.5 [35.9–39.2]% head length), distinct from neck. Canthus rostralis indistinct. Snout relatively long (snout length 35.5 [37.9–40.2]% HL), longer than eye diameter (eye diameter 66.2 [54.1–66.2]% snout length). Eye to ear distance 67.6 [60.5–79.7]% snout length, greater than eye diameter (eye diameter 97.9 [76.4–97.8]% eye to ear distance). Eye to ear distance 87.3 [83.6–108]% nostril to eye distance. Interorbital width 36.5 [27.3–44.6]% head length. Scales on snout and forehead granular, much larger than those on occipital region. Eye relatively large (eye diameter 23.5 [21.7–23.9]% head length), pupil vertical. Supraciliaries short, obtuse. Ear opening oval, small (ear length 8.0 [4.3–9.1]% head length). Rostral wider (3.4 [2.6–3.4] mm) than deep (2.0 [1.5–1.8] mm) ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 A), incompletely divided dorsally by a weakly-developed rostral groove. Two enlarged supranasals, separated by two longitudinally-orientated internasal scales ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 A). Rostral in contact with first supralabial, supranasals and anterior internasal ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 A). Nostrils oval, dorsolaterally orientated, each in broad contact with rostral, supranasal, and three subequal postnasals ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 A). Mental subpentagonal, wider than or as wide as (3.8 [2.3–3.4] mm) deep (2.9 [2.0–2.7] mm) ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 B). Two pairs of enlarged postmentals, the first as long as broad, in narrow medial contact, with no intervening granules or scales, bordered laterally by and narrowly in contact with first and second infralabials and broadly in contact with secondary postmental ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 B). Throat scales small, granular. Supralabials to angle of jaws, 11 [11–12]; infralabials to angle of jaws, 8 [9–11]. Interorbital scale rows across narrowest point of frontal, 15 [12–15].

Body moderately elongate, relatively robust (trunk length 57.4 [51.8–58.2]% SVL) ( Fig. 1A View FIGURE 1. A ), with well-developed denticulate ventrolateral folds. Dorsal scales heterogeneous, intermixed with keeled, subtrihedral ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 C), relatively large tubercles extending from parietal region on to back and base of tail. Tubercles most prominent on dorsolateral surfaces, somewhat smaller and more conical on nape; keeled tubercles in 17 [17–19] longitudinal rows at midbody ( Fig. 1 View FIGURE 1. A B); saggital fold absent, parasaggital row of tubercles present; 58 [53–56] tubercles on paravertebral row from parietal region to midsacrum. Ventral scales much larger than dorsal scales, cycloid, each with three serrae ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 D), imbricate to subimbricate, largest under thighs and between precloacal-femoral pores and vent, somewhat larger on abdomen than on pectoral; somewhat enlarged scales anterior to precloacal-femoral pores. Midbody scale rows across belly between ventrolateral folds, 32 [32–39]. Scales on throat minute, granular, grading into larger scales in gular region. Interrupted series of 19 [17–20] (on left side) and 18 [17–19] (on right side) precloacal-femoral pores separated medially by two [1–3] poreless scales in males ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 E).

Fore and hind limbs relatively short, stout. Forearm short (forearm length 12.0 [10.4–13.1]% SVL) ( Fig. 1A View FIGURE 1. A ). Tibia relatively short (tibia length 13.7 [13.0–16.6]% SVL). Dorsal and ventral scales of upper arm granular, lateral ones imbricate, similar to ventral scales; lower arm dorsally with smooth, imbricate scales intermixed with conical tubercles, ventrally and laterally with smooth, imbricate scales. Thigh scales heterogeneous, dorsally covered by granules intermixed with tubercles; ventral and lateral scales of thigh smooth, imbricate. Dorsal and lateral surfaces of shank with smooth imbricate scales and conical tubercles; ventral surface of shank scaly, scales similar to pectoral and abdominal scales. A rudimentary web at angle between thigh and shank ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 E). Palm and sole scales granular. Digits relatively short, all bearing claws; the most proximal and distal subdigital lamellae entire, notched, the rest divided ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 F); lamellae on finger I, 7 [7 or 8], finger II, 10 [9 or 10], finger III, 10 [9 or 10], finger IV, 10 [10], finger V, 10 [9 or 10]; toe I, 8 [7 or 8], toe II, 11 [10 or 11], toe III, 11 [10 or 11], toe IV, 11 [11], toe V, 10 [9–12]; interdigital webbing, rudimentary; relative length of digits of manus IV> III> II> V> I; pes IV> III> V> II> I.

Tail of neotype regenerated. Tail of NMSL WHT 196 tapering, longer than SVL (tail length 111.0% SVL), flattened in cross section. Dorsal scales imbricate. Tail with enlarged conical, strongly keeled tubercles arranged in regular whorls ( Fig. 1A View FIGURE 1. A ); dorsum of tail with enlarged whorls of scales arranged in 6 [6–8] tubercles per whorl anteriorly, becoming reduced towards tail tip. Subcaudal scales half as wide as tail width, with a single median series of enlarged plates. Prominent series of keeled, acute scales along lateral sides of tail. Cloacal spurs with two [1–3] enlarged tubercles on either side of tail base.

Coloration. In preservative ( Fig. 1A View FIGURE 1. A ) dorsum dusky brown; venter dusky white. A colour photograph presented by Somaweera & Somaweera (2009: fig. 197D) depicts the species in life, identified as Hemidactylus depressus .

Etymology. The specific name is apparently a patronym for the “friend, to whom we are indebted for several Zoological specimens, and to whom was awarded one of the prizes of the Royal Industrial Exhibition, for specimens of natural productions of Ceylon ” ( Kelaart, 1853: 159), a Mr Pieres, Latinized in the genitive singular. The specific name was incorrectly spelled ‘piersii’ by Smith (1935: 91), Deraniyagala (1953: 48) and Pethiyagoda & Manamendra-Arachchi (1997: 232). Although not in use in Sri Lanka today, the surname spelling ‘Pieres’ was in use in Sri Lanka in Kelaart’s time ( Attendorf, 1959).

Natural history and distribution. Specimens of H. pieresii were found under the bark of the tree Dipterocarpus ceylonicus (Dipterocarpaceae) and also sometimes hiding in crevices in boulders. The species is known from several locations in the south-western wet zone lowlands of Sri Lanka (Haycock, near Hiniduma; Yattapatha and Pitadeniya, near the Sinharaja WHS; Kalugala, near Baduraliya); and from the Gannoruwa Proposed Forest Reserve, Peradeniya, near Kandy (see Fig. 3 View FIGURE 3 ).

Comparisons. (Precloacal or femoral-pore count given for each side of thigh.) Among its Sri Lankan congeners, Hemidactylus pieresii is distinguished from the apparently closely-related H. depressus by possessing a greater number of paravertebral tubercles (53–58, vs. 35–41), a greater number of longitudinal rows of middorsal tubercles (17–19, vs. 13–16), possessing relatively small and closely spaced middorsal tubercles (vs. large and widely spaced: compare Figs. 1 View FIGURE 1. A B with 1C, D), postcloacal spurs, 1–3 (vs. no postcloacal spurs), chocolate-brown live coloration (vs. light brown), and nape with distinct black longitudinal stripes (vs. without black stripes). It is distinguished from males of H. hunae by possessing 17–20 precloacal-femoral pores on each side (vs. 26–28), separated by 1–3 (vs. 7–9) poreless scales; from males of H. lankae and H. parvimaculatus by possessing a greater number of precloacal-femoral pores (17–20, vs. 7–9 in H. lankae , 13–15 in H. parvimaculatus ); from males of H. frenatus by having an interrupted (vs. continuous) row of precloacal-femoral pores; from H. leschenaultii by the presence of subtrihedral and raised (vs. rounded, flattened) middorsal tubercles; and from H. scabriceps by the presence of heterogeneous, raised (vs. homogeneous, imbricate) middorsal scales. Hemidactylus pieresii differs from H. platyurus (Schneider) in possessing heterogeneous (vs. homogeneous) dorsal scalation.

From among its peninsular-Indian congeners ( Hemidactylus subtriedrus currently considered as a junior synonym of H. triedrus , see Mahony, 2011) H. pieresii is most reminiscent of H. prashadi Smith , from which it differs, however, by the possession of fewer rows of middorsal tubercles (17–19, vs. 21 in H. prashadi ), a lesser maximum SVL (79.2 mm, vs.> 100.0 mm) and a dorsal pattern of irregular black bands (vs. small paler blotches). Hemidactylus pieresii differs from its other peninsular Indian congeners as follows: from H. imbricatus Bauer et al. by the presence of heterogeneous, raised (vs. homogeneous, imbricate) middorsal scalation; from H. graniticolus Agarwal, Giri & Bauer by the presence of 23–28 (vs. 17–19) precloacal-femoral pores; and from H. flaviviridis Rüppell and H. garnotii Duméril & Bibron by the presence of 17–19 middorsal tubercles (vs. dorsum with very few enlarged tubercles, often absent altogether; and dorsum with small, uniform, granular scales, respectively). It differs from H. triedrus (Daudin) by the absence of the latter’s characteristic transverse bands; and from H. persicus Anderson by having 53–58 paravertebral tubercles and 17–19 midbody tubercles (vs. 32 paravertebral tubercles and 13 midbody tubercles). In having an enlarged median series of subcaudal scales H. pieresii differs from the following species: H. reticulatus Beddome and H. albofasciatus Grandison & Soman. Hemidactylus pieresii also differs from the following species in possessing heterogeneous (vs. homogeneous) dorsal scalation: H. anamallensis (Günther) , H. giganteus Stoliczka and H. aquilonius McMahan & Zug. It differs from the following species by possessing 17–20 precloacal-femoral pores on each side in males: H. porbandarensis Sharma (vs. an angular series of 6 precloacal pores), H. gracilis Blanford (6 precloacal pores), H. sataraensis Giri & Bauer (pores absent), H. brookii Gray (12–13 femoral pores), H. treutleri Mahony (3–7 femoral pores) and H. gujaratensis Giri et al. (12–14 femoral pores). Hemidactylus pieresii is distinguished from H. aaronbaueri Giri by having 1–2 (vs. 6) poreless scales between the femoral pores and by its smaller size (maximum SVL 79.2 mm, vs.> 100 mm).

Snout-vent length Forearm length Tibia length Tail length	WHT 7573 (neotype) 75.3 8.8 10.1 61.1	WHT 196 70.9 9.3 11.3 78.8	WHT 7570* 65.3 7.3 10.4 7.1	WHT 7571* 66.1 7.0 11.0 7.5	WHT 7572 79.2 8.2 10.3 68.0
Tail width Trunk length	8.2 42.2	7.2 40.6	6.4 36.8	7.0 38.5	6.5 41.0
Head length Head width	20.0 14.0	19.9 14.3	17.6 11.8	18.4 12.4	19.8 13.0
Head depth Eye diameter Eye to ear distance Snout length	7.3 4.7 4.8 7.1	6.5 4.5 4.6 7.6	6.9 4.2 5.5 6.9	7.2 4.0 5.1 7.4	7.1 4.6 5.0 7.5
Naris-eye distance Interorbital width	5.5 7.3	5.5 6.9	5.1 6.3	5.2 8.2	5.5 5.4
Ear length Internarial distance	1.6 2.4	1.5 2.1	1.6 1.8	0.8 2.0	1.3 1.8