Uromastyx yemenensis, Wilms, Thomas M. & Schmitz, Andreas, 2007

Wilms, Thomas M. & Schmitz, Andreas, 2007, A new polytypic species of the genus Uromastyx MERREM 1820 (Reptilia: Squamata: Agamidae: Leiolepidinae) from southwestern Arabia, Zootaxa 1394, pp. 1-23 : 12-16

Uromastyx yemenensis sp. nov.

Holotype. ZFMK 47861, adult male, Abyan Governate, vicinity of Lodar (Lawdar), Republic of Yemen, leg. I. Haikal, don. 1985.

Paratypes: ZFMK 47860, adult female, Abyan Governate, vicinity of Lodar (Lawdar), Republic of Yemen, leg. I. Haikal, don. 1985. ZFMK 49036, adult male, Abyan Governate, vicinity of Lodar (Lawdar), Republic of Yemen, leg. I. Haikal, don. 1985. MTD 29475, adult male, Abyan, vicinity of Zingibar (Zinjibar), Republic of Yemen, coll. M.A. Hussein, leg. Dr. W. Wranik, don. 22.X.1987.

Diagnosis. Uromastyx yemenensis sp. nov. is a medium­sized member of the U. ocellata group, which is distinguished from the more primitive U. asmussi , U. loricata and U. hardwickii by the absence of intercalary scales between the whorls of the dorsal surface of its tail; from U. thomasi and U. princeps by the longer tail and from all other species of the genus (with the exception of U. ocellata , U. ornata , U. benti and U. macfadyeni ) by the arrangement of the whorls of the tail. In U. yemenensis as well as in the four above mentioned species the last 8–21 whorls each consists of a simple continuous series of large scales, while in all other Uromastyx species only the last 2–5 whorls are like this.

The new species differs from U. ocellata , U. ornata and U. macfadyeni in lacking femoral­ and preanal pores. Uromastyx yemenensis differs from its sister species U. benti in having smaller and more scales around midbody (192.53 +/­16.63 in U. yemenensis vs. 160.05 +/­ 8.98 in U. benti ) and smaller and more ventrals (87.61 +/­5.66 in U. yemenensis vs. 74 +/­4.02 in U. benti ).

Description of the holotype. Snout­vent–length: 16.5 cm; tail length 13.3 cm; head length 32 mm; head width 28 mm; width of the tail between the 4th and 5th whorl: 18.5 mm; maximum tail width at the 5th whorl: 29 mm; 227 scales around midbody; 90 scale rows between gular­ and inguinal fold, 36 gular scales counted from a line between the anterior margins of the ear openings to the mental scale; 24 (left) and 24 (right) scales between the mid of the ear openings under the jaws to the mental scale; On each side 5 scale rows between the supralabials and the enlarged suboculars; 37 scales around the 5th whorl, 25 tail whorls, the last 19 whorls are made up as single continuous scale rows; 15 subdigital lamellae beneath the 4th toe; no preanal/femoral pores, but more or less enlarged callose scales along the thighs in the position normally occupied by femoral/preanal pores. The holotype has a total length of 29.8 cm. The tail length is 80.61% of the SVL.

Head covered with irregularly arranged scales of different size; the smallest above the eyes. Occipital and neck scales small and smooth. Anterior margins of the ear openings covered with enlarged, triangular scales. Scales of the forelegs smooth, scales on the sole with a well developed median keel. Subdigital scales distinctly keeled; each subdigital scale with 6–8 keels. Gular scales and ventral scales smooth. Forelegs and back without enlarged tubercles.

PLATE 1. Lectotype of Uromastyx benti (BMNH 1946.8.11.72), dorsal & ventral view. Photos: C. McCarthy.

Thigh of the hind legs without enlarged tubercular scales; scales on the backside of the thigh distinctly smaller than on the front side. Ventral parts of the lower leg with smooth rhomboid scales, larger than the ventral scales. Dorsal parts with enlarged tubercular scales intermixed with very small smooth scales. Scales on the upper side of the feet slightly keeled and pointed. A row of enlarged triangular and pointed scales running from the base of the 4th toe to the ankle.

Scales on the dorsal side of the tail strongly keeled, with the median rows only slightly pointed while the marginal rows are strongly pointed.

PLATE 2. Paralectotype of Uromastyx benti (BMNH 1946.8.11.68), dorsal & ventral view. This specimen is not conspecific with U. benti but with the species described in the present paper. Photos: C. McCarthy.

Colouration in preservative. Ground colour of back, tail and hind legs yellowish brown. Tail without distinct pattern, hind legs with very small dark brown dots. Back with a pattern consisting of dark brown lines and dots; five distinct cross bands without or with very few pattern on the back. Dorsal side of the front legs anthracite coloured. Hands yellowish brown. Head yellowish brown, dark brown marbled. Underside of the head anthracite coloured with some yellowish brown dots. Ventral parts of forelegs and chest marbled with grey. Belly with narrow grey/anthracite crossbands.

PLATE 3. Holotype of U. yemenensis (ZFMK 47861), dorsal & ventral view. Photos: T. Wilms.

Variation. For measurements and scale counts of the type series of U. yemenensis see Table 7 .

The two male paratypes (ZFMK 49036, MTD 34675) are in a good accordance to the holotype in respect to overall appearance and colouration. The only female present in the type series (ZFMK 47860) is much paler in colouration. The ground colour of this specimen is a yellowish brown with a pattern of small dark brown lines and dots. Five pale cross bands are present on the animals back. The ventral side of the specimen is almost entirely lacking any pattern (only some very small dots on the underside of the head are visible). The ground colour of the ventral is a light yellowish brown.

Etymology. The name refers to the known distribution area.

The western populations of U. yemenensis differ genetically and are constantly distinct in respect to their colour pattern and are therefore described as:

Tables

TABLE 7. Measurements (in mm) and scale counts of the type series of U. y. yemenensis and U. y. shobrak

Number	Species		Sex	SVL	TL	HW	HL	W	SD	TW
ZFMK 47861	U. yemenensis yemenensis	Holotype	1.0	165	133	28.0	32.0	25	15	18.5
ZFMK 47860	U. yemenensis yemenensis	Paratype	0.1	163	138	28.0	35.0	26	15	19.0
ZFMK 49036	U. yemenensis yemenensis	Paratype	1.0	146	115	26.0	30.5	23	15	19.0
MTD 29475	U. yemenensis yemenensis	Paratype	1.0	139	116	24.0	28.0	26	18	16.0
ZFMK 48681	U. yemenensis shobraki	Holotype	1.0	161	150	33.0	32.0	27	17	21.0
ZFMK 48680	U. yemenensis shobraki	Paratype	1.0	177	defect	34.0	36.0	defect	16	20.5
MHNG 2496.55	U. yemenensis shobraki	Paratype	0.1	177	156	31.5	33.0	25	16	21.5
MHNG 2496.56	U. yemenensis shobraki	Paratype	1.0	122	115	24.0	25.0	26	15	15.0
MHNG 2553.56	U. yemenensis shobraki	Paratype	unknown	129	114	22.5	20.0	26	15	15.5
MHNG 2455.100	U. yemenensis shobraki	Paratype	0.1	160	141	30.5	33.5	24	17	20.0