Hemidactylus ulii, Smid, Jiri, Moravec, Jiri, Kratochvil, Lukas, Gvozdik, Vaclav, Nasher, Abdul Karim, Busais, Salem M., Wilms, Thomas, Shobrak, Mohammed Y. & Carranza, Salvador, 2013

Smid, Jiri, Moravec, Jiri, Kratochvil, Lukas, Gvozdik, Vaclav, Nasher, Abdul Karim, Busais, Salem M., Wilms, Thomas, Shobrak, Mohammed Y. & Carranza, Salvador, 2013, Two newly recognized species of Hemidactylus (Squamata, Gekkonidae) from the Arabian Peninsula and Sinai, Egypt, ZooKeys 355, pp. 79-107 : 91-95

Hemidactylus ulii sp. n. Figs 5, 7, 8

Hemidactylus turcicus - Rösler and Wranik (1998: 120; part.).

Hemidactylus sp. ‘OTU7’ - Busais and Joger (2011a: 27); Busais and Joger (2011b: 268); Carranza and Arnold (2012: 95).

Hemidactylus sp. 4 - Moravec et al. (2011: 25); Šmíd et al. (2013: 3).

Holotype.

NMP6V 74833/2,adult male (MorphoBank M305892-M305902), Yemen, Ta’izz governorate, Al Hababi (13.333°N, 43.722°E), 463 m a.s.l.; collected by L. Kratochvíl, 28. X. 2007.

Paratypes.

NMP6V 74833/1 (adult male, MorphoBank M305884-M305891), same collecting data as holotype; NMP6V 74831/1-2 (one adult and one subadult female, MorphoBank M305854-M305863, M305864-M305870), Yemen, Abyan governorate, Al Hadr (13.877°N, 45.8°E), 1151 m a.s.l., collected by L. Kratochvíl on 22. X. 2005; NMP6V 74832/1-2 (two subadult females, MorphoBank M305871-M305875, M305876-M305883), Yemen, Ta’izz governorate, ca. 3 km S of Najd an Nashamah by road (13.358°N, 43.957°E), 1182 m a.s.l., collected by L. Kratochvíl on 26. X. 2007; NMP6V 74834/1-2 (one adult and one subadult female, MorphoBank M305903-M305911), Yemen, Dhamar governorate, Wadi Zabid (14.147°N, 43.517°E), 292 m a.s.l., collected by L. Kratochvíl on 29. X. 2007; NHM-BS N41916 (juvenile, MorphoBank M305842-M305852), Yemen, Al Bayda’ governorate, Radman (14.1°N, 45.283°E), collected by W. Mustafa on 13. XI. 2007.

Referred material.

NMP6V 74835 (juvenile), Yemen, Lahij governorate, wadi 35 km W of Lahij (13.032°N, 44.558°E), 297 m a.s.l., collected by L. Kratochvíl on 25. X. 2007; JEM476 (juvenile), same collecting data as holotype; All juvenile specimens were used for comparison of meristic characters and included in the molecular analyses.

Diagnosis.

A small species of the ' Hemidactylus saba species group’ withinthe Arabian radiation of the Arid clade of Hemidactylus , as evidenced by the mtDNA and nDNA analyses. The new species is characterized by the following combination of molecular and morphological characters: (1) Uncorrected genetic distances from Hemidactylus saba : 9.9-10.7% in 12S, 13.5-14.9% in cytb; from Hemidactylus granosus : 10.2-12.3% in 12S, 11.2-13.5% in cytb; (2) small size with a maximum recorded SVL 40.7 mm (36.8-40.4 mm in males, 39.4-40.7 mm in females); (3) moderately robust head, head length 28-30% of SVL, head width 70-75% of head length, head depth 37-46% of head length; (4) tail length 116% of SVL (only 1 specimen with intact tail); (5) uppermost nasals separated by a small shield (60% specimens) or in wide contact (40%); (6) large anterior postmentals in wide mutual contact in 90% of individuals, and in contact with the 1st and 2nd lower labial (scarcely and unilaterally with the 1st lower labial only); (7) 8-10 upper labials; (8) 7-9 lower labials; (9) dorsum with 12-16 longitudinal rows of enlarged, slightly keeled, conical tubercles; (10) 5-6 lamellae under the 1st toe and 8-9 lamellae under the 4th toe; (11) ca. 6-8 tail segments bearing 6 tubercles; (12) 8 preanal pores in one continuous row in males; (13) subcaudals enlarged; (14) in alcohol dorsum brownish grey with a pattern of more or less conspicuous dark transverse bands starting on the nape, tail with 9 dark brown transverse bands.

Comparison.

Hemidactylus ulii sp. n. can be distinguished from the other members of the ' Hemidactylus saba species group’ and from all other congeners distributed in the region by the following combination of characters (see also Table 2):

From Hemidactylus granosus by its smaller size (max. SVL 40.4 mm vs. 53.2 mm in males, 40.7 mm vs. 53.3 mm in females), by having less frequently separated uppermost nasals (60% vs. 89% of specimens), higher number of preanal pores in males (8 vs. 4-7), and lower number of lamellae under the 1st (5-6 vs. 7-8) and 4th (8-9 vs. 10-13) toe.

From Hemidactylus saba by its smaller size (max. SVL 40.4 mm vs. 58.3 mm in males, 40.7 mm vs. 59.1 mm in females), higher number of preanal pores in males (8 vs. 6), and lower number of lamellae under the 1st (5-6 vs. 8-9) and 4th (8-9 vs. 11-12) toe.

From Hemidactylus flaviviridis by its smaller size (maximum SVL 40.4 mm in males, 40.7 mm in females vs. up to 90 mm [ Anderson (1999); sexes not distinguished]), the presence of enlarged dorsal tubercles, and the absence of femoral pores in males.

From Hemidactylus jumailiae by its smaller size (max. SVL 40.4 mm vs. 54.2 mm in males, 40.7 mm vs. 54.0 mm in females), lower frequency of separated uppermost nasals (60% vs. 95%), in having conical and at least slightly keeled dorsal tubercles (vs. non-protruding and smooth tubercles), and lower number of lamellae under the 1st (5-6 vs. 6-8) and 4th (8-9 vs. 9-12) toe.

From Hemidactylus robustus by its smaller size (max. SVL 40.4 mm vs. 43.7 mm in males, 40.7 mm vs. 50.1 mm in females), and lower number of lamellae under the 4th toe (8-9 vs. 8-12).

From Hemidactylus sinaitus by the presence of enlarged tile-like subcaudals and in having separated uppermost nasals (60% vs. 9% of specimens).

From Hemidactylus yerburii montanus by its smaller size (maximum SVL 40.4 mm vs. 65.3 mm in males, 40.7 mm vs. 64.1 mm in females), lower number of preanal pores in males (8 vs. 9-13), and lower number of lamellae under the 4th toe (8-9 vs. 9-11).

From Hemidactylus yerburii yerburii by its smaller size (maximum SVL 40.4 mm vs. 74.9 mm in males, 40.7 mm vs. 62.1 mm in females), lower number of supralabials (8-10 vs. 9-12), lower frequency of having separated uppermost nasals (60% vs. 92%), lower number of preanal pores in males (8 vs. 10-18), and lower number of lamellae under the 1st (5-6 vs. 6-8) and 4th (8-9 vs. 9-12) toe.

Description of holotype.

NMP6V 74833/2, adult male. Body slightly depressed to cylindrical (Fig. 8). Upper labials 8/8, lower labials 7/7. Nostril between rostral, three nasals and in punctual contact with the first upper labial. Uppermost nasals separated by a small inserted shield. Mental almost triangular. Anterior postmentals large and very long, in wide mutual contact behind mental, in contact with the 1st lower labial (left) and the 1st and 2nd lower labials (right) (Fig. 5). Posterior postmentals smaller, in contact with the 1st and 2nd (left) and the 2nd (right) lower labial. Eye moderate (E/HL=0.24). Supraciliar granules with prominent projections, which form a comb-like structure above the eyes. Parietal and temporal region covered with round pointed regularly distributed tubercles. Ear opening oval. Dorsum with 14 longitudinal rows of enlarged, prominent, caudally pointed tubercles bearing distinct longitudinal keels. Thighs and lower legs with scattered enlarged tubercles. Tail partially regenerated from about half of its original length (estimate), original part relatively thick without basal constriction. Conical and keeled tail tubercles on tail segments forming regular whorls. Each whorl separated from the next one by four small scales. Subcaudals enlarged, tile-like. Regenerated part of the tail with small uniform scales without tubercles. Lamellae under the 1st toe 6/6, lamellae under the 4th toe 8/8. Eight preanal pores, no femoral pores or enlarged femoral scales.

Measurements (in mm): SVL 40.4, HL 11.5, HW 8.6, HD 5.2, E 2.8, AG 16.2.

Coloration of holotype in preservative.

Overall dorsal coloration brownish grey. An indistinct dark horizontal stripe in loreal and temporal area. Seven dark brown transverse bands across the nape and body, the one in scapular region being the most conspicuous. Dark brown bands also on the original part of the tail. Belly whitish.

Variation.

The paratypes (Fig. 9) differ from the holotype in the following features: number of upper labials 8-10; number of lower labials 7-9; four paratypes (NMP6V 74831/1, NMP6V 74832/1-2, NMP6V 748333/1) have uppermost nasals in wide contact; anterior postmentals in contact with 2nd lower labials on both sides (except of NMP6V 74832/1 where the arrangement is the same as in the holotype); longitudinal rows of enlarged tubercles 12-16; lamellae under the 1st toe 5-6, lamellae under the 4th toe 8-9. The intact tail of the paratype NMP6V 74833/1 has 7 segments bearing at least six enlarged spine-like tubercles and 9 dark brown transverse bands widening towards the tail tip.

Measurements of paratypes (in mm): NMP6V 74831/1: SVL 40.7, HL 11.5, HW 8.2, HD 4.9, E 3.0, AG 19.0; NMP6V 74831/2: SVL 32.0, HL 9.3, HW 6.6, HD 3.7, E 2.1, AG 12.7; NMP6V 74832/1: SVL 32.7, HL 9.7, HW 7.0, HD 3.4, E 2.3, AG 14.3; NMP6V 74832/2: SVL 32.9, HL 9.3, HW 6.7, HD 3.6, E 2.4, AG 13.5; NMP 6V 74833/1: SVL 36.8, HL 10.7, HW 8.0, HD 4.5, E 2.4, AG 14.1, TL 42.5; NMP6V 74834/1: SVL 39.4, HL 11.1, HW 8.1, HD 4.4, E 2.7, AG 16.7; NMP6V 74834/2: SVL 32.0, HL 9.5, HW 6.7, HD 3.9, E 2.5, AG 13.8; NHM-BS N41916: juvenile, not measured.

As already mentioned (Results), the level of genetic variability within Hemidactylus ulii sp. n. is very high. The species is divided into three well supported sublineages which reflect the geographic origin of the samples. Although there is a certain geographic separation corresponding with these sublineages, the exact limits are not distinct and also morphological variation among paratypes is not congruent with geography.

Etymology.

The species epithet “ulii” is a patronym for Prof. Ulrich Joger, a German herpetologist known as Uli among friends, in recognition of his important contribution to the knowledge of the herpetofauna of the Western Palearctic.

Distribution and ecology.

Hemidactylus ulii sp. n. is known from inland mid-altitude areas (292-1182 m) of southwestern Yemen (Fig. 6). Most specimens were collected in open dry wadis with scattered rocks and boulders, in stony deserts and also in the vicinity of villages in gardens and irrigated cropland fields.

The following reptile specieswere found to occur in sympatry with Hemidactylus ulii : Bunopus spatalurus Anderson, 1901; Hemidactylus yerburii yerburii Anderson, 1895; Pristurus crucifer (Valenciennes, 1861); Pristurus flavipunctatus Rüppell, 1835; Pristurus rupestris Blanford, 1874; Ptyodactylus sp.; Tropiocolotes scorteccii Cherchi and Spano, 1963; Acanthodactylus sp.; Chamaeleo arabicus Matschie, 1893; Pseudotrapelus sinaitus (Heyden, 1827); Trapelus flavimaculatus Rüppell, 1835; and Pelomedusa subrufa (Bonnaterre, 1789).