Aeluroscalabotes felinus ( Ģnther, 1864 )

Figueroa, Alex, Low, Martyn E. Y. & Lim, Kelvin K. P., 2023, Singapore’s herpetofauna: updated and annotated checklist, history, conservation, and distribution, Zootaxa 5287 (1), pp. 1-378 : 97-98

Aeluroscalabotes felinus ( Ģnther, 1864) — Native; Indeterminate.

Pentadactylus felinus Ģnther, 1864 : xiv, 117, 118, pl. 12, fig. F, F’. Holotype: BMNH 1962.180 , by original designation. Type locality: “ Singapore ”.

Cat Gecko

( Figures 11E & 11F )

Singapore records.

Pentadactylus felinus Ģnther, 1864 : xiv, 117, 118.—Theobald, 1876: 228.

Aelurosaurus felinus — Boulenger, 1885 a: 73.

Aeluroscalabotes felinus — Flower, 1896: 865.— Flower, 1899: 625.—Ridley, 1899: 206.— Hanitsch, 1905: 22 ( Singapore Botanic Gardens).— Hanitsch, 1910a: 5 ( Singapore Botanic Gardens).— Hanitsch, 1912b: 14.—Sworder, 1925a: 64.— Smith, 1930: 17.—Taylor, 1963: 701, 704.—K.K.P. Lim & L.M. Chou, 1990: 55.— Denzer & Manthey, 1991: 313.— Manthey & Grossmann, 1997: 209.— Chan-ard et al., 1999: 23.—K.P. Lim & F.L.K. Lim, 2002: 151.—L.L. Grismer, 2006: i, 4.— K.K.P. Lim et al., 2008: 170, 265 (Central Catchment Nature Reserve).—N. Baker & K.P. Lim, 2008: 159.— Das, 2010: 198.—L.L. Grismer, 2011b: 287–288.—P.K.L. Ng et al., 2011: 323.—N. Baker & K.P. Lim, 2012: 159.—Chan-ard et al., 2015: 47.—M.E.Y. Low & Pocklington, 2019: 162.— Janssen & Sy, 2022: 53, 152.

AEluroscalabotes [sic] felinus — Boulenger, 1912: 39.

Aelüroscalabotes [sic] felinus —K.K.P. Lim & F.L.K. Lim, 1992: 151.

Aeruloscalabotes [sic] felinus —L.M. Chou et al., 1994: 105.

Remarks. Singapore is the type locality for A. felinus ( Table 1 ), which was described from the holotype (BMNH 1962.180) by Ģnther (1864). Aeluroscalabotes felinus was not reported again from Singapore until Ridley (1899) collected several specimens ( Hanitsch 1905), now stored at CAS, LKCNHM, MCZ, and UMMZ. These specimens are dated 1904 and 1908 and were all taken from SBG ( Fig. 11E ). Since the precise locality of the type-specimen is unknown, A. felinus is only known from SBG. For this reason, it was suspected that A. felinus was probably introduced (Low & Pocklington 2019). Lim et al. (2008) mentioned an unconfirmed record from CCNR in 2003 based on a photograph taken at UPRP and sent in from an anonymous source (K.K.P. Lim unpub. data). Unless this latter record is indeed authentic, A. felinus is most likely extirpated from Singapore.

Occurrence. Known from only six specimens predating 1908. Likely extirpated.

Singapore conservation status. Critically Endangered.

Conservation priority. Immediate priority, if rediscovered.

IUCN conservation status. Least Concern [2018].

LKCNHM & NHMUK Museum specimens. Singapore (no locality): BMNH 1962.180 (no date) [holotype]; Botanic Gardens: ZRC.2.989 (no date), ZRC.2.988 (1904).

Additional Singapore museum specimens. Singapore (no locality): UMMZ; Botanic Gardens: CAS, MCZ.

Singapore localities. Central Catchment Nature Reserve*— Singapore Botanic Gardens*.

Figures

FIGURE 11. A) Draco melanopogon, B) Draco quinquefasciatus, C) Draco sumatranus, D) Anolis sagrei, E) Aeluroscalabotes felinus, F) Aeluroscalabotes felinus, G) Cnemaspis peninsularis, and H) Cyrtodactylus consobrinus. Photographs by: Jensen G.H. Seah [A–B], Kelvin K.P. Lim [C, E], Thio Hui Bing [D], Mary-Ruth Low [F], and Alex Figueroa [G–H].