A new lowland forest Bent-toed Gecko (Squamata: Gekkonidae

Zootaxa 3911 (1): 106–118 www.mapress.com /zootaxa / Copyright © 2015 Magnolia Press

Article

ISSN 1175-5326 (print edition)

ZOOTAXA

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http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3911.1.6 http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:404261AF-68BD-4139-A160-97457EAAACE2

A new lowland forest Bent-toed Gecko (Squamata: Gekkonidae: Cyrtodactylus) from Ranong Province, peninsular Thailand MONTRI SUMONTHA1, OLIVIER S. G. PAUWELS2,6, NONN PANITVONG3, KIRATI KUNYA4 & L. LEE GRISMER5 1

Ranong Marine Fisheries Station, 157 Saphanpla Rd., Paknam, Muang, Ranong 85000, Thailand. E-mail: [email protected] 2 Département des Vertébrés Récents, Institut Royal des Sciences naturelles de Belgique, Rue Vautier 29, B-1000 Brussels, Belgium 3 siamensis.org, 408/144 Phaholyothin Place Bldg 34FL, Phaholyothin Rd., Phayathai, Bangkok 10400, Thailand. E-mail: [email protected] 4 Nakhonratchasima Zoo, 111 M. 1, Ratchasima-Pak Tongchai Rd., Chaimongkol, Muang Nakhonrajsima 30000, Thailand. 5 Department of Biology, La Sierra University, 4500 Riverwalk Parkway, Riverside, California, 92515-8247 USA. E-mail: [email protected] 6 Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract We describe a new lowland forest-dwelling Cyrtodactylus from Suk Samran District, Ranong Province, southern peninsular Thailand, having a blotched dorsal pattern, a continuous series of poreless enlarged femoral and precloacal scales, 18–20 regularly arranged dorsal tubercle rows, no precloacal groove, no transversely enlarged subcaudal plates and a maximal known snout-vent length of 59.6 mm. Cyrtodactylus ranongensis sp. nov. seems closely related to C. quadrivirgatus, but is readily distinguished from it by having 35–40 ventral scale rows, a reddish iris, heavy dorsal mottling, and lacking longitudinal dark-brown elements in its dorsal pattern. Key words: Thai-Malay Peninsula, Ranong, Cyrtodactylus ranongensis sp. nov.

Introduction In the course of our ongoing, long-term systematic and zoogeographic review of the reptiles of the Thai-Malay Peninsula (see Grismer et al. 2012, 2014a–d; Johnson et al. 2012; Sumontha et al. 2012, 2014; Pauwels et al. 2013; Pauwels & Sumontha 2014 for the most recent reports on the gecko fauna), we encountered a population of smallsized Cyrtodactylus in a highly anthropogenic environment in southern Ranong Province. Given that it differs from all congeneric species based on morphology and coloration characters, we describe it here as a new species.

Material and methods Measurements and meristic counts follow Sumontha et al. (2012) and Pauwels et al. (2013). Paired meristic characters are given left/right. Numbers of supralabial and infralabial scales are counted from the largest scale immediately posterior to the dorsal inflection of the posterior portion of the upper jaw to the rostral and mental scales, respectively. The number of longitudinal rows of body tubercles was counted transversely across the center of the dorsum from one ventrolateral skin fold to the other. The number of longitudinal rows of ventral scales was counted transversely across the center of the abdomen from one ventrolateral skin fold to the other. The numbers of subdigital lamellae beneath the toes were counted from the base of the first phalanx to the claw. The following measurements were taken with a digital caliper to the nearest 0.1 mm: AG: axilla to groin length, taken from the posterior margin of the forelimb at its insertion point on the body to the anterior margin of the hind limb at its

106 Accepted by A. Bauer: 10 Dec. 2014; published: 16 Jan. 2015

insertion point on the body; EarL: ear length, the greatest horizontal distance of the ear opening; ForeaL: forearm length, taken on the dorsal surface from the posterior margin of the elbow while flexed 90° to the inflection of the flexed wrist; HeadH: head height, the maximum depth of head from the occiput to the throat; HeadL: head length, from the posterior margin of the retroarticular process of the lower jaw to the tip of the snout; HeadW: head width, measured at the angle of the jaws; Internar: internarial distance, measured between the nares across the rostrum; Interorb: interorbital distance, measured between the anterior edges of the orbits; NosOrb: nostril to orbit distance, from the posterior margin of the external nares to the anterior margin of the orbit; OrbD: orbit diameter, the greatest horizontal diameter of the orbit; OrbEar: orbit to ear distance, from the anterior edge of the ear opening to the posterior edge of the orbit; SnOrb: snout to orbit distance, from the tip of the snout to the anteriormost margin of the orbit; SVL: snout-vent length, taken from the tip of snout to the vent; TailL: tail length, taken from the vent to the tip of the tail, original or regenerated; TailW: tail width, taken at the base of the tail immediately posterior to the postcloacal swelling; TibiaL: tibia length, taken on the ventral surface from the posterior surface of the knee while flexed 90° to the base of heel. Meristic characters abbreviations: DorTub: dorsal tubercles; FemP: femoral pores; IL: infralabial scales; InterorbSc: interorbital scales; ParaTub: number of paravertebral tubercles between the limbs insertions, counted in a straight line immediately left of the vertebral column; PreclP: precloacal pores; SL: supralabial scales; Ven: ventral scales. Museum and other acronyms: LSUHC: La Sierra University Herpetological Collection, La Sierra University, Riverside, California; MS: Montri Sumontha’s field number series; PSUZC-RT: Prince of Songkhla University Zoological Collection, Reptile Section, Songkhla; THNHM: Natural History Museum, National Science Museum, Technopolis, Pathum Thani.

Systematics Cyrtodactylus ranongensis sp. nov. (Figs. 1–6) Holotype. THNHM 22545 (field number MS 190); adult male from Ban (=Village) Ton Kloy (09o 20' 22" N, 98o 27' 05" E), Tambon (= Subdistrict) Kampuan, Amphoe (= District) Suk Samran, Ranong Province, southern Thailand. Collected by Montri Sumontha on 5 July 2006. Paratypes. PSUZC-RT 2012.7 (field number MS 328), adult male, collected by Thanin Kaewmanee on 26 January 2007 at the same locality as the holotype. THNHM 22546 (field number MS 191), adult female, collected by Montri Sumontha on 6 July 2008 along a street near Phetchkasem Road at Ban Kampuan (09o 22' 03" N, 98o 24' 58" E), Tambon Kampuan, Amphoe Suk Samran, Ranong Province, by the same collector as holotype. PSUZC-RT 2012.8 (field number MS 358), adult female, collected by Thanin Kaewmanee on 23 February 2008 at same locality as the holotype. Diagnosis. Cyrtodactylus ranongensis sp. nov. can be distinguished from all other congeneric species by the unique combination of characters including its maximal known SVL of 59.6 mm; moderately-sized, conical, keeled dorsal tubercles arranged in 18–20 regular longitudinal rows at midbody; tubercles occurring from occiput on to tail base and on hind limbs, forelimbs lacking tubercles; 35–40 midbody scale rows across belly between ventrolateral skin folds; absence of transversely enlarged, median subcaudal scales; a continuous row of enlarged femoro-precloacal scales; absence of femoral and precloacal pores in males and females; absence of a precloacal groove; blotched dorsal pattern lacking symmetric longitudinal dark bands; tail with 10 to 13 light rings; and reddish iris. Description of holotype. Adult male. SVL 58.2 mm; TailL 67.1 mm, original. Head relatively long (HeadL / SVL ratio 0.29), moderately wide (HeadW/HeadL ratio 0.55), depressed (HeadH/HeadL ratio 0.36), distinct from slender neck. Loreal region not inflated, canthus rostralis weakly marked. Snout moderately elongate (SnOrb/ HeadL ratio 0.37), pointed, longer than orbit diameter (OrbD/SnOrb ratio 0.64); scales on snout small, rounded, granular to weakly conical, mostly homogeneous, larger than those on crown, interorbital and occipital regions. Eye large (OrbD/HeadL ratio 0.24); pupil vertical; supraciliaries short, anteriormost longest. Ear opening vertically elliptical, small (EarL/HeadL ratio 0.05); orbit to ear distance equal to diameter of orbit. Rostral wider (2.1 mm) than deep (1.6 mm), rostral crease about half of rostral height. Two slightly enlarged supranasals separated from each other by two small scales transversally aligned. Rostral in contact with first supralabials, nostrils, supranasals,

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and two internasals. Nostrils oval, more-or-less laterally directed, each surrounded by supranasal, rostral, first supralabial, and two slightly enlarged postnasals. Two or three rows of small scales separate orbit from supralabials. Mental triangular, slightly wider (2.3 mm) than deep (2.0 mm). A single pair of enlarged postmentals in broad contact behind mental; each postmental bordered anteromedially by mental, anterolaterally by first infralabial, posterolaterally by an enlarged lateral chinshield, and posteriorly by four (left) or three (right) granules. Supralabials to midorbital position 9/8; enlarged supralabials to angle of jaws 12/11. Infralabials 11/10. Interorbital scale rows across narrowest point of frontal bone 29. Body slender, elongate (AG/SVL ratio 0.44) with poorly defined, non-denticulate ventrolateral folds. Dorsal scales weakly heterogeneous, domed to slightly conical; regularly distributed tubercles (3–4 times size of adjacent scales), extending from shoulder region on to tail base, smaller tubercles on postocular region, crown, occiput and nape; most tubercles bearing a keel, those on lower part of flanks often lacking a distinct keel, those on posterior trunk and sacral region most prominent; tubercles in 20 regular rows at midbody, typically separated from one another by 2–3 dorsal granules. Ventral scales larger than dorsals, smooth, oval and subimbricate, larger in precloacal region. Midbody scale rows across belly between ventrolateral skin folds 40. Gular region with homogeneous, smooth, juxtaposed granular scales. A continuous series of 12/12 enlarged femoral scales in contact with a patch of enlarged precloacal scales, following a row of femoral scales itself smaller but slightly enlarged compared to the granular scales covering the underside of hind legs. No precloacal or femoral pores. No precloacal groove or depression. No postcloacal spur (Fig. 2).

FIGURE 1. Live adult male holotype of Cyrtodactylus ranongensis sp. nov. Photo by M. Sumontha.

Scales on palm and sole smooth, rounded to oval or hexagonal, flat or slightly domed. Scalation on dorsal surfaces of limbs similar to body dorsum, the forelimbs lacking tubercles, the hind limbs with enlarged tubercles interspersed among smaller scales. Fore and hind limbs moderately long, slender (ForeaL/SVL ratio 0.14, TibiaL/ SVL ratio 0.18). Digits long, slender, inflected at interphalangeal joints, all bearing robust, slightly recurved claws. Basal subdigital lamellae broad, ovoid to rectangular, without scansorial surfaces (4-5-6-7-5 right manus, 5-6-7-87 right pes); narrow lamellae distal to digital inflection and not including ventral claw sheath: 9-9-10-10-9 (right manus), 10-11-11-10-10 (right pes). Tail original, gently tapering to pointed tip, longer than SVL (TailL/SVL ratio 1.15); tail without enlarged median subcaudal plates. Additional morphometric data are provided in Table 1. Coloration in life. Dorsal ground color of neck, body and limbs brown. Dorsal ground color of head of the same brown, except above orbits, where the skin is light-bluish. Dorsal ground color of tail brown anteriorly, gradually turning into white posteriorly. Dorsal surface of head with numerous irregular dark-brown spots, some of them forming in the parietal area a Y whose fork is pointing forwards. The dorsum has irregularly shaped large dark-brown blotches; the upper surfaces of limbs and fingers have smaller irregular blotches of the same color. The tail has 13 light rings, completely encircling the tail; the ground color of the undersurface of the tail is dark-brown.

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There is a short postocular stripe, of the same color as the dorsal dark-brown blotches. The upper surfaces of head, dorsum, members and tail are heavily mottled with light-brown and whitish spots. The undersurfaces of the head, the throat and the venter are uniformly beige; the undersides of members are uniform but slightly darker. Iris reddish. TABLE 1. Meristic and morphometric (in mm) data for the type series of Cyrtodactylus ranongensis sp. nov. Paired meristic characters are given left/right.

Sex

THNHM 22545 Holotype

PSUZC-RT 2012.7 Paratype

PSUZC-RT 2012.8 Paratype

THNHM 22546 Paratype

Male

Male

Female

Female

SVL

58.2

59.6

56.9

58.2

ForeaL

8.3

9.2

8.5

9.2

TibiaL

10.2

10.3

11.3

10.3

TailL

67.1

66.0

66.7

>7.7 (tail broken and missing)

TailW

5.1

5.0

4.5

3.9

AG

25.7

27.0

25.6

26.3

HeadL

17.1

17.0

15.9

17.6

HeadW

9.4

9.8

9.8

9.7

HeadH

6.1

6.3

6.0

6.6

OrbD

4.1

4.2

4.1

4.3

OrbEar

4.1

4.5

4.3

4.6

SnOrb

6.4

6.5

6.2

6.5

NosOrb

5.1

4.8

4.9

4.8

Interorb

3.6

3.3

3.6

3.7

EarL

0.8

0.7

0.9

0.9

Internar

1.9

1.7

1.8

2.0

DorTub

20

20

18

19

ParaTub

33

34

33

33

PreclP

0

0

0

0

FemP

0

0

0

0

Ven

40

38

35

38

SL

12/11

11/11

10/11

11/11

IL

11/10

10/9

10/10

11/10

InterorbSc

29

31

28

29

Variation. Main morphometric and meristic characters of the type series are provided in Table 1. Morphological and coloration characters of the paratypes agree in most respects with those of the holotype, differing only in minor details. Unlike in the holotype, postcloacal spurs of all three paratypes bear two enlarged conical scales. Like in the holotype, the supranasals of all paratypes are separated from each other by two transversally aligned small scales. As in the holotype, there is a continuous series of a dozen of enlarged femoral scales on each hind limb of the paratypes (except on the right hind limb of PSUZC-RT 2012.7 where the scales are abnormally irregular in size), in contact with the patch of enlarged precloacal scales. Femoral and precloacal pores or pits absent in all specimens. All known individuals of Cyrtodactylus ranongensis sp. nov. show a Y-shaped mark on occiput (Figs. 1, 3–6). PSUZC-RT 2012.7 and PSUZC-RT 2012.8 both have an original tail with 10 light rings, encircling the tail. The only known subadult (Fig. 6) has a whitish background dorsal color with dark-brown dorsal blotches separated by a thin whitish vertebral line and its dorsal pattern is more contrasted than in adults.



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FIGURE 2. Precloacal region of the holotype of Cyrtodactylus ranongensis sp. nov. Photo by M. Sumontha.

Distribution and natural history. Cyrtodactylus ranongensis sp. nov. is currently known only from its type locality in Ranong Province (Fig. 7). The area is one of the wettest parts of Thailand, having an average rainfall of more than 4,000 mm each year. The adult female THNHM 22546 was collected in a papaya salad (som-tam) shop along the street (Fig. 8) a few hundred meters from Phetchkasem Road, in an urbanized environment. The other types were collected a few hundred meters away from the street, on tree trunks in highly disturbed secondary forest and in plantations. More animals were spotted climbing on large tree trunks along a perennial stream in lowland tropical rain forest. Reptiles found in the same secondary forest in syntopy with the new species include Acanthosaura cf. crucigera Boulenger, Bronchocela cristatella (Kuhl), Calotes emma Gray (Agamidae), Cyrtodactylus brevipalmatus (Smith), Hemidactylus frenatus (Schlegel), H. garnotii Duméril & Bibron, H. platyurus (Schneider), Gehyra mutilata (Wiegmann), Gekko gecko (Linnaeus), Ptychozoon lionotum Annandale (Gekkonidae), Ahaetulla mycterizans (Linnaeus), A. prasina (Boie), Boiga dendrophila (Boie), B. drapiezii (Boie) (Colubridae), Rhabdophis nigrocinctus (Blyth), Xenochrophis trianguligerus (Boie) (Natricidae), Pareas carinatus (Boie) (Pareatidae), and Python reticulatus (Schneider) (Pythonidae). Given that the species can obviously cope with a high degree of anthropogenic disturbance, that it is found in lowland areas and does not seem to be associated with any particular geological or ecological feature, it is surprising that is has never been found elsewhere in Ranong Province, where the first author lives and has done extremely extensive herpetological surveys, nor in the nearby provinces of Chumphon, Krabi, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phang-Nga, Phuket, or Surat Thani where two of us (MS and OSGP) have been regularly doing herpetological surveys for more than ten years (see, among other contributions to the knowledge of the lizards of southern peninsular Thailand, Grismer et al. 2010, 2012; Pauwels et al. 2000, 2002, 2004, 2013; Sumontha et al. 2012). Although there does not seem to be any current threat to its conservation, especially due its high tolerance to anthropogenic disturbance, C. ranongensis sp. nov. might be threatened by potential collecting for the pet trade because of its limited geographical distribution.


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FIGURE 3. Preserved type series of Cyrtodactylus ranongensis sp. nov. A. Dorsal view. B. Ventral view. Photos by O.S.G. Pauwels.



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FIGURE 4. Live adult male paratype PSUZC-RT 2012.7 of Cyrtodactylus ranongensis sp. nov. in situ at type locality. Photo by M. Sumontha.

FIGURE 5. Live adult female paratype THNHM 22546 of Cyrtodactylus ranongensis sp. nov. Photo by M. Sumontha.


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FIGURE 6. Live subadult Cyrtodactylus ranongensis sp. nov. in situ at type locality, not collected. Photo by N. Panitvong.

Etymology. The specific epithet ranongensis is an adjective referring to Ranong Province, in which the type locality is situated. We suggest the following common names: Took-kai Ranong (Thai), Ranong bent-toed gecko (English), Cyrtodactyle de Ranong (French), Ranong Bogenfingergecko (German), Ranongkromvingergekko (Dutch).

Discussion The absence of both precloacal and femoral pores in males is an uncommon feature in the genus Cyrtodactylus. It is common in members of Geckoella, regarded by some authors as a subgenus of Cyrtodactylus, but the new species clearly differs from that group by its gracile body, long slender tail and long digits. The constant absence of pores in males is only found in the Indonesian species C. batik Iskandar, Rachmansah & Umilaela, C. jellesmae (Boulenger), C. laevigatus Darevsky and C. wallacei Hayden, Brown, Gillespie, Setiadi, Linkem, Iskandar, Umilaela, Bickford, Riyanto, Mumpuni & McGuire, the Malaysian C. guakanthanensis Grismer, Belabut, Quah, Chan, Wood & Hasim, 2014, C. leegrismeri Chan & Norhayati, C. semenanjungensis Grismer & Leong and C. tebuensis Grismer, Anuar, Muin, Quah & Wood, 2013, the New Guinean C. sermowaiensis (de Rooij), the Vietnamese C. badenensis Nguyen, Orlov & Darevsky, C. cucphuongensis Ngo & Chan, C. eisenmanae Ngo, C. grismeri Ngo and C. paradoxus (Darevsky & Szczerbak), and the Thai species C. thirakhupti Pauwels, Bauer, Sumontha & Chanhome, 2004 (Grismer & Leong 2005; Hayden et al. 2008; Ngo & Chan 2011; Nguyen et al. 2006; Pauwels et al. 2004). The latter species Cyrtodactylus thirakhupti, still known only from its type locality in Surat Thani Province, southern Thailand, is, among those lacking femoral and precloacal pores, geographically the closest to our new species; however, they are clearly distinguished from each other by their pattern and scalation (dorsal pattern made of five irregular yellowish bands with very dark brown borders on a lighter brown background and enlarged subcaudal plates in C. thirakhupti). We actually believe that, based on habitus, scalation and dorsal pattern, the closest relative of Cyrtodactylus thirakhupti might be the recently described C. sanook Pauwels, Sumontha, Latinne & Grismer, 2013, even if the latter has precloacal pores in males; this hypothesized close phylogenetic relationship should be tested by genetic studies. Cyrtodactylus ranongensis sp. nov. is easily distinguished from C. badenensis, C. batik, C. jellesmae, C. sermowaiensis and C. wallacei by its continuous series of enlarged femoral scales. It is readily distinguished from C. batik, C. cucphuongensis, C. eisenmanae, C. grismeri, C. leegrismeri and C. paradoxus by the absence of enlarged subcaudal plates, from C. guakanthanensis, C. laevigatus and C. tebuensis by the absence in the latter three species of large dorsal blotches, and from C. semenanjungensis by the absence of a precloacal groove. The absence of precloacal and femoral pores was also observed in some male specimens of the Thai-Myanmar C. oldhami (Theobald) species complex, but populations of that complex can be easily distinguished from our new species by their dorsal pattern of white spots and stripes and by their enlarged subcaudal plates. It is also a feature



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of the juvenile holotype and only known specimen of C. buchardi, but it is not known if adult males also lack pores; in any case C. buchardi is easily distinguished by not having enlarged femoral scales and by its different dorsal pattern consisting of much less blotches. The males of the Vietnamese C. thuongae Phung, van Schingen, Ziegler & Nguyen, 2014 can exceptionally lack pores, but the latter species is easily distinguished by its transversely enlarged subcaudal plates. The New Guinean C. derongo Brown & Parker was described based on females only, that do not show pores, and it is not known if males possess pores, but in any case that latter species differs from C. ranongensis sp. nov. by its much larger size (SVL up to 112 mm) and its dorsal pattern. The description of the Laotian Cyrtodactylus vilaphongi Schneider, Nguyen, Le, Nophaseud, Bonkowski & Ziegler, 2014 was based on two poreless females, and the possible presence of pores in males is thus unknown; however, the latter species can be distinguished by its 15–16 dorsal tubercle rows (vs. 18–20 in C. ranongensis sp. nov.), not distinctly enlarged femoral scales (vs. distinctly enlarged) and its thin white dorsal bands. Similarly, Cyrtodactylus jarakensis Grismer, Chan, Grismer, Wood & Belabut was described based on a female, that is so far the only known specimen, lacking femoral and precloacal pores; it is however easily distinguished from C. ranongensis sp. nov. by the fact that it lacks enlarged femoral and precloacal scales (Grismer 2011). By its sylvicolous habits, its small size and gracile habitus, its continuous series of enlarged femoro-precloacal scales, its absence of femoral pores, of precloacal groove and of transversely enlarged subcaudal scales, Cyrtodactylus ranongensis sp. nov. seems to be most closely related to C. quadrivirgatus Taylor. The latter species geographically extends from Trang, Satun, Yala and Narathiwat provinces in extreme southern Thailand (Nabhitabhata et al. 2004; Nabhitabhata and Chan-ard 2005; Fig. 9) to southern Peninsular Malaysia. There is a gap of about 250 km between the known localities of C. ranongensis sp. nov. and the closest known populations of C. quadrivirgatus, in Trang Province (Nabhitabhata et al. 2004). The Cyrtodactylus quadrivirgatus complex was recently reviewed (Johnson et al. 2012), and shown to be composed of distinct populations with significant variation in color pattern, associated with distinctive geographic regions and habitats. One highly divergent population, showing the highest number of precloacal pores, was described as C. payacola Johnson et al., 2012, while all other populations show zero to five precloacal pores in males. Typical C. quadrivirgatus, from the type locality in Trang Province, southern Thailand, show four dark brown stripes that extend from the nape and the eyes to the base of the tail, that are the rationale for the scientific epithet (Taylor 1962, 1963). These dark-brown stripes are more or less complete in Malayan populations, sometimes much reduced (see the numerous illustrations for the various populations characterized in Johnson et al. 2012, plus additional specimens from various Malayan localities in Chan-ard et al. 1999, Grismer 2011 and Manthey and Grossmann 1997), but the dorsal pattern of all contains longitudinal dark-brown elements, at least on the nape and scapular region. By its complete lack of darkbrown longitudinal elements in its dorsal pattern, C. ranongensis sp. nov. is thus very different from the typical four-lined C. quadrivirgatus found in Thailand, and can as well be easily distinguished from all Malayan populations. It is interesting to note that, among all populations of the C. quadrivirgatus complex, the one that is the closest geographically is also the most different from C. ranongensis sp. nov. in terms of dorsal pattern. In addition, by the absence of precloacal pores, C. ranongensis sp. nov. readily differs from the type series of C. quadrivirgatus (Taylor mentioned that both males and females have four pores or pits). Compared to the variation in all populations of C. quadrivirgatus combined (see Table 4 in Johnson et al. 2012, C. payacola excluded), C. ranongensis sp. nov. shows a high number of SL (variation 10–12, mean and standard deviation 11.00 ± 0.53 vs. variation 8–11, means and standard deviations 9.00 ± 0.00 to 10.50 ± 0.00) and a high number of Ven (35–40 vs. 28–37). The intense mottling makes the dorsal and supracaudal pattern of C. ranongensis sp. nov. less contrasted than in any known population of the C. quadrivirgatus complex. From C. payacola, it is distinguished by the absence of a precloacal groove, of precloacal pores, of tubercles on forelimbs, and of symmetric paravertebral blotches on nape. The new species shares with C. payacola a reddish iris and a blotched color pattern, distinguishing them from all populations of the C. quadrivirgatus complex, which show a dark-brown to gold iris and tendencies toward striping (Johnson et al. 2012: 50). It is also interesting to note that C. ranongensis sp. nov. lives in a wet area, which is an additional common point shared with C. payacola and its phylogenetically closest relative C. pantiensis (Johnson et al. 2012: 46), which both share riparian habits.


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FIGURE 7. Map of Thailand showing the position of the type locality of Cyrtodactylus ranongensis sp. nov.



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FIGURE 8. Type locality and biotope of Cyrtodactylus ranongensis sp. nov. at Kampuan, Tambon Kampuan, Amphoe Suk Samran, Ranong Province, southern Thailand. Photo by M. Sumontha.

FIGURE 9. Uncollected live adult Cyrtodactylus quadrivirgatus from a rubber plantation in Amphoe Thung Wa, Satun Province, southern Thailand. Photo by M. Sumontha.

Acknowledgements We are grateful to Tanya Chan-ard (THNHM, Pathum Thani) and Sansareeya Wangkulangkul (PSU, Songkhla) for


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having kindly given us access to their respective institutions’ herpetological collections. We thank Thanin Kaewmanee and Wachira Sodob (Ranong Marine Fisheries Station) for their help in collecting the type series and for preparing the map, respectively.

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new cave-dwelling gecko from southern Thailand. Zootaxa, 771, 1–11. Pauwels, O.S.G., Laohawat, O.-A., David, P., Bour, R., Dangsee, P., Puangjit, C. & Chimsunchart, C. (2000) Herpetological investigations in Phang-Nga Province, southern peninsular Thailand, with a list of reptile species and notes on their biology. Dumerilia, 4 (2), 123–154. Pauwels, O.S.G., Laohawat, O.-A., Naaktae, W., Puangjit, C., Wisutharom, T., Chimsunchart, C. & David, P. (2002) Reptile and amphibian diversity in Phang-Nga Province, southern Thailand. Natural History Journal of Chulalongkorn University, 2 (1), 25–30. Pauwels, O.S.G. & Sumontha, M. (2014) Cyrtodactylus samroiyot, a new limestone-dwelling Bent-toed Gecko from Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, peninsular Thailand. Zootaxa, 3755 (6), 573–583. http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3755.6.4 Pauwels, O.S.G., Sumontha, M., Latinne, A. & Grismer, L.L. (2013) Cyrtodactylus sanook (Squamata: Gekkonidae), a new cave-dwelling gecko from Chumphon Province, southern Thailand. Zootaxa, 3635 (3), 275–285. http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3635.3.7 Phung, T.M., van Schingen, M., Ziegler, T. & Nguyen, T.Q. (2014) A third new Cyrtodactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Ba Den Mountain, Tay Ninh Province, southern Vietnam. Zootaxa, 3764 (3), 347–363. http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3764.3.5 Schneider, N., Nguyen, T.Q., Le, M.D., Nophaseud, L., Bonkowski, M. & Ziegler, T. (2014) A new species of Cyrtodactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from the karst forest of northern Laos. Zootaxa, 3835 (1), 80–96. http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3835.1.4 Sumontha, M., Pauwels, O.S.G., Kunya, K., Nitikul, A., Samphanthamit, P. & Grismer, L.L. (2012) A new forest-dwelling gecko from Phuket Island, southern Thailand, related to Cyrtodactylus macrotuberculatus (Squamata: Gekkonidae). Zootaxa, 3522, 61–72. Sumontha, M., Pauwels, O.S.G., Suwannakarn, N., Nutatheera, T. & Sodob, W. (2014) Cyrtodactylus wangkulangkulae (Squamata: Gekkonidae), a new Bent-toed Gecko from Satun Province, southern Thailand. Zootaxa, 3821 (1), 116–124. http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3821.1.8 Taylor, E.H. (1962) New Oriental reptiles. The University of Kansas Science Bulletin, 43 (7), 209–263. Taylor, E.H. (1963) The lizards of Thailand. The University of Kansas Science Bulletin, 44 (14), 687–1077.

APPENDIX. Comparative material examined. Cyrtodactylus payacola: see material listed in Johnson et al. (2012). Cyrtodactylus quadrivirgatus: Johor: Endau–Rompin LSUHC 7706, 7733, 8127, 8185–86; Gunung Ledang: LSUHC 8969–72; Kedah: Pulau Langkawi LSUHC 6863–65, 6870, 9438, 9445–56; Sungai Sedim LSUHC 9620–22, 9624–25, 9837, 9864; Pahang: Fraser’s Hill LSUHC 6460–61, 6478–79, 6484, 8081, 9082–89, 9924; Pulau Pinang LSUHC 9057–58; Pulau Tioman LSUHC 4813, 5022, 5101, 5173, 5517, 5562, 5582, 6136, 6146; Sungai Lembing LSUHC 4980, 5017; Perak: Bukit Larut LSUHC 8859–60, 9011–16, 9864–72, 9909; Pulau Pangkor LSUHC 9191; Temengor LSUHC 5633–34, 5640; Selangor: Genting Highlands LSUHC 6503, 6607–08, 6617–18; Kepong LSUHC 4018, 4823; Terengganu: Pulau Perhentian LSUHC 9057–58. Cyrtodactylus sanook: see Pauwels et al. (2013). Cyrtodactylus semenanjungensis: see Grismer & Leong (2005). Cyrtodactylus thirakhupti: see Pauwels et al. (2004).


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