Lakigecko aaronbaueri, Keywords., 2020

Keywords., Farhang Torki, 2020, A new gecko genus from Zagros Mountains, Iran, Amphibian & Reptile Conservation (e 223) 14 (1), pp. 55-62 : 58-60

Lakigecko aaronbaueri sp.n. ( Fig. 3–4 )

Paratype ( Fig. 4 ): Adult male, MTD 49499 , same data as for holotype .

Description of holotype: Body flattened; head flattened; tail depressed and strongly covered by sharp tubercles, eye opening clear, pupil vertical.

Dorsal body. Nostril surrounded by five scales (rostral, nasal, and three behind); nasal nearly completely divided; large dorsal tubercles strongly keeled, each dorsal tubercle surrounded by 10 (or 11) scales, 13 dorsal tubercle rows on dorsal, mid-dorsal tubercles separated from each other by one or two scales, dorsolateral tubercles (four on each side of vertebral midline) are in contact with one another, eight rows (4+4: left + right) extend onto tail, dorsolateral tubercles mostly in contact with one another, separated by two small scales in the dorsal midline; most dorsal scales small and smooth, a few scales large and keeled, mid-dorsal scales elevated, dorsolateral scales strongly elevated, keeled and pyramidal in form; keeled dorsal tubercles extend onto neck and occipital region; neck tubercles pyramidal in form, but dorsal tubercles less so; middorsal neck scales swollen (similar to granules) and not overlapping or elevated, dorsolateral neck scales strongly swollen and keeled (pyramidal) and extending in front of and behind ear; neck scales are different in shape compared to dorsum; upper head tubercles (keeled) smaller than dorsum; nearly all head scales granule-like, keeled and heterogeneous (small to large, cycloid to polygonal); interorbital scales keeled and heterogeneous in size and shape; snout scales keeled; arm covered by strongly keeled large scales (same size as dorsal tubercles); elbow scales keeled; tubercles and scales on forearm strongly keeled; digits covered by strongly keeled scales; leg covered by large, strongly keeled, and overlapping scales (similar size to dorsal tubercles), keeled scales only distributed near knee, lateral surface of leg covered by small scales; foreleg with strongly keeled tubercles distributed among keeled scales, back of hand and digits with strongly keeled scales.

Ventral body. Mental pentagonal; supralabials nine; infralabials seven; three postmentals (PM), 1 st PMs in contact with one another, 2 nd PMs separated by two scales, 3 rd PMs separated by six scales, PMs surrounded by 12 scales, 1 st PM in contact with 1 st infralabials, 2 nd PMs in contact with 2 nd infralabials, and 3 rd PMs in contact with 2 nd and 3 rd infralabials; chin scales small, round, and smooth; scales on neck and between forelimbs smooth and overlapping; interlimb scales keeled, and less overlapped, scale rugosity increases from proximal (across forelimbs) to distal (across hindlimbs) of interlimbs; scales between hindlimb bases as well as preanal scales large and smooth (not keeled); arm scales keeled, elevated; forearm scales keeled and mostly trihedral; forearm scales larger and more rugose than upper arm; scales on palm granular; lamella swollen; dorsolateral scales on digits sharp; thigh as well as foreleg scales keeled and elevated, foreleg scales more rugose than those on thigh; small scales on lateral surface of leg; scales on soles granule-like with some very similar to lamellae, distal lamella smaller; lamellae swollen; dorsolateral scales on digits sharp, lamellae on the middle of each finger (at joint) larger than others; number of lamellae under toes 10:14:15:17:16.

Tail. Mostly original, end of tail regenerated; eight rows of dorsal tubercles extended onto tail; tail tubercles strongly keeled, elevated, sharply keeled, and in contact with each other within each whorl; each whorl formed by 18 (2+8+6+2) tubercles as follows: two in the middle and different from pyramidal scales, eight (4+4) large and elevated and sharp tubercles on dorsum and extend ventrolaterally, six small (3+3) ventrolateral tubercles distinguishable from subcaudal scales, and finally two small scales that are similar to subcaudal scales; 14 whorls of tubercles are clear on tail, each separated from one another dorsally by two small scales and ventrally by two keeled scales; two rows of small and strongly keeled scales between each whorl (from 1 st to 12 th whorls), three such rows of scales between 13 th and 14 th circles.

Color pattern. Background of dorsal body brown, with dark bars covering dorsum and tail; dorsal bars irregular and reticulating; nine dark bars on tail, interspaces yellowish; ventral dirty white; middle of subcaudals bright grayish, lateral surfaces dark grayish; four irregular longitudinal bars on occipital region; dorsum of head covered by small spots; width of bars (wider than interspaces) covering forelimbs (seven bars) and hindlimbs (seven bars); limb bars extend onto digits, five bars on longer digits and four bars on others; dorsal scales on body, tail, limbs, and head are pigmented; ventral body scales pigmented, pigmentation more pronounced laterally than midventrally, two rows of small precloacal scales exhibit the maximum pigmentation, large precloacal scales have minimum pigmentation; scales on venter of leg and foreleg pigmented; all lamellae of pes are dark brownish, middle lamellae less dark; lamellae on digits of manus are light brown, scales on palm are brownish or ashy; chin scales less pigmented; mental, labials, and postmentals pigmented. Color pattern in preservative is similar to life, but paler.

Figures

Fig. 3. (a) Dorsal, (b) ventral, (c) lateral head, and (d) lateral tail views of the holotype of Lakigecko aaronbaueri sp.n. Red stars: tubercular whorls; white star: keeled scale interspaces.

Fig. 4. Dorsal view in life of (a) holotype and (b) paratype of Lakigecko aaronbaueri sp.n. before preservation. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:9809A55C-652A-4510-B39A-753EA57CC81D