Cnemaspis mcguirei Grismer, Grismer, Wood & Chan, 2008b

Grismer, Lee, Wood, Perry L., Anuar, Shahrul, Riyanto, Awal, Ahmad, Norhayati, Muin, Mohd A., Sumontha, Montri, Grismer, Jesse L., Onn, Chan Kin, Quah, Evan S. H. & Pauwels, Olivier S. A., 2014, Systematics and natural history of Southeast Asian Rock Geckos (genus Cnemaspis Strauch, 1887) with descriptions of eight new species from Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia, Zootaxa 3880 (1), pp. 1-147 : 74-78

Cnemaspis mcguirei Grismer, Grismer, Wood & Chan, 2008b

McGuire’s Rock Gecko

Figs. 39 , 40

Gonatodes affinis Laidlaw 1901:304 ; Boulenger 1903:148, 1912:38; Smith 1930:16

Gonatodes kendalli Boulenger 1912:38

Cnemaspis kendallii Das & Bauer 1998:13 (in part)

Holotype. ZRC 2.6765 . Type locality: “ Bukit Larut , Perak, Peninsular Malaysia (04°51.715 N, 100°47.993)” at 1351 m in elevation.

Diagnosis. Maximum SVL 65.0 mm; 7–10 supralabials; 7–9 infralabials; ventral scales keeled; 5–10 usually discontinuous, pore-bearing precloacal scales with round pores; 26–32 paravertebral tubercles; body tubercles not linearly arranged, present on flanks; tubercles present in lateral caudal furrows; no ventrolateral caudal tubercles; lateral row of caudal tubercles present; caudal tubercles not encircling tail; all subcaudals keeled, no enlarged median subcaudal scale row; 2–5 postcloacal tubercles on each side of tail base; no enlarged femoral or subtibial scales; subtibials keeled; no enlarged submetatarsal scales on first toe; 27–35 subdigital fourth toe lamellae; two ocelli in the shoulder region in males; wide, white to yellow postscapular band; yellow bars on flanks; distinct black and white caudal bands posteriorly (Tables 6,7).

Color pattern ( Figs. 39 , 40 ). Dorsal ground color grey to brown; head and body overlain with irregularly shaped, dark blotches; light markings on top of head; dark, postorbital stripe extends onto nape and contacts dark, anteriorly projecting, median stripe; medial, white marking occurs on nape followed by distinct, large, black, shoulder patches in males enclosing one or two (usually two) yellow ocelli; shoulder patches edged posteriorly by wide, postscapular band that is yellow laterally and white dorsally; irregularly shaped, paravertebral, white markings occur on body and extend to base of tail; transversely elongate, distinct, yellow markings occur on flanks; diffuse, brown and dull white bands encircle tail; irregularly shaped, dark and light markings occur on limbs; ventral surfaces of head, body, and limbs dull beige, immaculate and darkened laterally; females less boldly marked than males. Coloration lightens considerably at night.

Distribution. Grismer et al. (2008b) noted that Cnemaspis mcguirei ranges through Banjaran Bintang Mountains ( Fig. 3 ) beginning at an isolated population from Gunung Bubu, Perak in the south, northward through the continuous central section of the Banjaran Bintang Mountains from Bukit Larut to Gunung Inas ( Laidlaw 1901; Boulenger 1912) in the north ( Fig. 3 ). From here the Banjaran Bintang Mountains continue northward and merge with the more extensive Banjaran Titiwangsa Mountains and these continue farther north as a series of smaller, parallel, north to south tending, somewhat isolated ranges, terminating just south of Pattani, Pattani Province, Thailand. At Namtok Sai Khao on the northeast perimeter of this range, Boulenger (1903) provided descriptions of four specimens that match the description of C. mcguirei and Grismer et al. (2008b), based on the examination of photographs (LSUDPC 4581–82) of these specimens (BM 1903.4.15.11–14), considered them to represent the northern extent of C. mcguirei . We follow that taxonomy here but note that this presents a 200 km hiatus from its northernmost distribution at Gunung Inas and that a firsthand examination of these specimens and a molecular analysis of this population may indicate they are different species.

Natural history. Grismer (2011a) noted that Cnemaspis mcguirei occurs in rocky, hilly terrain from approximately 900–1,300 m in elevation in lowland and hill dipterocarp and lower montane forests and occurs almost exclusively on granite rocks ( Fig. 40 ) devoid of moss or on the areas of rock where moss is not growing. Only occasionally are lizards found on logs or the mossy parts of rocks. Lizards are commonly seen during the day in heavily shaded areas at the edges of their retreats or clinging upside down to the undersides of large boulders ( Fig. 40 ). In such microhabitats, lizards are cryptic and often noticed only by the yellow ocelli that appear as eyespots. Lizards are wary and quickly move to deeper cover at the slightest provocation, often waving their tails from side to side over their backs as they retreat. At night, C. mcguirei takes on a much lighter coloration and ventures further out onto the surface of the rocks ( Fig. 39 ) and is easily approached. Lizards have been observed abroad at night during heavy rains resting in dry, open patches on rocks sheltered from water. Several termites were found in the gut of one lizard and females carrying two eggs were observed during March and October suggesting C. mcguirei breeds throughout the year.

Relationships. Cnemaspis mcguirei is the sister species of Cnemaspis grismeri ( Fig. 2 ).

Material examined. Malaysia: Perak, Bukit Larut ZRC 2.6765 – 69 (type series). Material examined since Grismer et al. (2008b) : Malaysia: Perak, Bukit Larut ZRC 2.5663 – 64 , LSUHC 8855 , 8858 , 9140 , 9028–33 , 9209 , 9845 ; Gunung Bubu LSUHC 11013 .

Figures

FIGURE 2. Maximum-likelihood phylogram (–InL 73957.608688) of the species of the genus Cnemaspis with Bayesian posterior probabilities (BPP) and maximum-likelihood (ML) bootstrap values, respectively based on the concatenated 3 gene dataset. Black circles are nodes supported by BBP and ML values greater than 0.95 and 70, respectively. Gray circles are nodes supported only by ML values greater than 70. White circles are nodes supported only by BPP values greater than 0.95. The distribution maps on the right delimit the ranges of the four major clades.

FIGURE 3. Distribution of the species and species groups in the Ca Mau and Northern Sunda clades. Stars indicate type localities.

FIGURE 39. Adult male Cnemaspis mcguirei (LSUDPC 5173) from Bukit Larut, Perak, Peninsular Malaysia in the light color pattern phase. Photograph by LLG.

FIGURE 40. Cnemaspis mcguirei (LSUDPC 5173) from Bukit Larut, Perak, Peninsular Malaysia. Upper left: adult male (LSUDPC 6303) in the dark color pattern phase. Photograph by CKO. Upper right: adult male (LSUDPC 5175) in the dark color pattern phase illustrating the dorsal ocelli. Lower right: adult female (LSUDPC 6409) in the dark color pattern phase in the typical diurnal position of clinging upside down to the underside of an overhang on a granite rock. Lower left: granite boulder microhabitat at Bukit Larut. Photographs by LLG.