Cyrtodactylus teyniei, David, Patrick, Nguyen, Truong Quang, Schneider, Nicole & Ziegler, Thomas, 2011

David, Patrick, Nguyen, Truong Quang, Schneider, Nicole & Ziegler, Thomas, 2011, A new species of the genus Cyrtodactylus Gray, 1827 from central Laos (Squamata: Gekkonidae), Zootaxa 2833, pp. 29-40 : 30-35

Cyrtodactylus teyniei spec. nov.

( Figs. 1–3 )

Holotype. NEM 0 0 95, an adult female, from Ban Na Hin, Nam Kading NBCA, Borikhamxay Province, Laos. Collected by Alexandre Teynié, 8 May 2010.

Diagnosis. A species of the genus Cyrtodactylus , characterized by the combination of the following characters: (1) SVL 89.9 mm, (2) longitudinal rows of dorsal tubercles 19, (3) ventral scales in 38 rows between ventrolateral skin folds, (4) ventrolateral skin folds without tubercles, (5) enlarged femoral and precloacal scales 54 (precloacal scales 8, plus 23 femoral scales on each side), (6) precloacal depression lacking, (7) precloacal pores 14, (8) subdigital lamellae under the firth toe 19–20, (9) enlarged median subcaudals, and (10) nuchal band absent, dorsum with blotched pattern.

A comparison with other species of the genus Cyrtodactylus recorded from Laos, Vietnam and adjacent regions is given in the Discussion. In particular the high number of femoral and precloacal scales and the low number of precloacal pores distinguish Cyrtodactylus teyniei spec. nov. from most of the remaining species of the genus.

Description of holotype. Measurements (in mm). Adult female, SVL 89.9, tail lost, AG 42.1, HL 24.1, HW 16.0, HH 10.0, SE 10.6, EE 7.4.

Head scalation. Rostral wider than high (RW 3.9 mm, RH 2.7 mm), a little wider than mental (MW 3.7 mm, ML 2.9 mm); dorsal margin straight, with a vertical suture medially; supralabials 10/10; supralabials separated from orbit by 4 rows of small granular scales; nare in contact with first supralabial, rostral, supranasal, and three small nasal scales posteriorly; supranasals 2, large, in contact with each other and with rostral; internasals lacking; snout bearing elongate medial impression; scales between fifth supralabials in 46 rows; pupil vertical; anterior ciliaria 2–3 times larger than posterior ones, without spinose tubercles; ear opening oval; interorbital region with small subcircular, granular scales; larger tubercles dispersed within orbital region; granular scales on occiput small, about 1/3–1/2 the size of medial snout scales, and flatter than those in interorbital region; tubercles in temporal region twice the size of adjoining scales; scattered small tubercles in parietal region, 3–4 tubercles in a line between corner of mouth and ear opening; mental triangular, wider than long; infralabials 9/9; postmental 2, trapezoidal, approximately 1.5 times as long as broad, in contact with each other medially, with mental anteriorly, first infralabial on each side laterally, and 7 scales posteriorly (outer ones distinctly larger); gular scales granular.

Body scalation. Dorsal scales flat, juxtaposed, as large as medial snout scales, irregularly arranged in vertebral region, and laterally in relatively regular tranversal rows; dorsal tubercles medially oval, laterally rounded, bluntconical, in part slightly keeled posteriorly; dorsal tubercles 3–4 times larger than adjoining dorsal scale, in 19 more or less regular longitudinal rows at midbody; dorsal tubercles surrounded by 9–11 dorsal scales, separated from each other by 2–3 scales longitudinally and by 2–4 scales transversally; ventrolateral folds well developed, without enlarged tubercles; ventral scales flat, more or less imbricate posteriorly; 38 ventrals between ventrolateral folds; 108 scales around midbody; 184 scales between mental and cloacal slit; scales on upper arm flat, smooth, anteriorly twice the size than posteriorly; forearm dorsally granular, without tubercles; femoral scales flat anteriorly, smooth, more or less juxtaposed, dorsally granular, with rounded, conical tubercles; enlarged femoral scales present, numbering 23 on each side; shank dorsally granular, with conical tubercles; fingers and toes free of webbing; claw bordered by two scales; subdigital scales under finger I: 11/11, finger II: 14/14, finger III: 17/16, finger IV: 18/17, and finger V: 15/15, of which basally broadened lamellae on finger I: 3/2, finger II: 4/4, finger III: 4/4, finger IV: 6/6, and finger V: 5/5; toe I: 10/10, toe II: 16/15, toe III: 19/19, toe IV: 19/20, toe V: 20/19, of which basally broadened lamellae on toe I: 2/2, toe II: 4/4, toe III: 5/6, toe IV: 7/8, and toe V: 5/6; the length formula of fingers I <II <III <IV> V and toes I <II <III <IV> V; precloacal pores 14, in a wide angular series; pores slit-like, arranged at posterior margin of scales; posterior region of precloacal pores with 4 rows of enlarged scales; postcloacal tubercles 3/3, flattened, thickened, and obliquely arranged. Original tail lost, but median subcaudals distinctly Color in preservative (70% ethanol). Dorsal head greyish brown with small, asymmetrical dark marking; dark streaks present below the eye and from posterior corner of eye to ear opening; labials grey with cream sutures; nuchal band lacking; neck and dorsum with dark blotches, not edged in white, blotches continuously like a longitudinal streak on shoulder; dorsal tubercles white; throat, belly, and ventral side of extremities whitish-grey.

Coloration in life. Body greyish brown above with dark blotches; dorsal tubercles whitish; upper surface of tail greyish brown with 10 black bands.

Etymology. This species is named in honour of Mr. Alexandre Teynié (Société d’Histoire Naturelle Alcide d’Orbigny, Clermont-Ferrand, France), for having collected the holotype of this new species and for his numerous contributions to the better understanding of the herpetology of Laos.

Distribution. Cyrtodactylus teyniei spec. nov. is known only from the type locality in Ban Na Hin, Nam Kading NBCA, Borikhamxay Province, Laos. This region is known for its karstic formations covered with wet evergreen forests.

Biology. The holotype was found at an elevation of 200 m asl. Before being collected, the holotype was observed several times at day time during three days at the end of the dry season. It was lying motionless in the darkness of a small rock crack, the body vertical with the head downwards. This crack was located near the entrance of a cave at the bottom of a tall karst formation, at the foot of which runs a small creek, dried up during the dry season. The area is covered with semi-evergreen forests, with small, scattered banana grooves in the undergrowth. The holotype was seen in syntopy on the same karst boulders with Acanthosaura lepidogaster , Gekko scientiadventura , Scincella cf. rufocaudata , Eutropis multifasciatus , Ahaetulla prasina , and Dendrelaphis pictus . Subsequent dissection revealed the holotype to contain small yellowish-white follicles, the largest two on the right side measured 1.9 and 4.0 mm.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Cyrtodactylus teyniei sp. nov. (holotype, NEM 0095) in life: a) in the habitat, and b) portrait.

FIGURE 2. Cyrtodactylus teyniei sp. nov. (holotype, NEM 0095) in preservative: a) dorsal, and b) ventral view.

FIGURE 3. Cloacal region with pores marked by black dots (a) and lower tail surface (b) of the preserved holotype of Cyrtodactylus teyniei sp. nov. (NEM 0095).