We describe a new Brookesia species from a forest fragment located 13 km south of Ambalavao in the southern part ofMadagascar's central high plateau. Brookesia brunoi sp. nov. is one of the few arid-adapted Brookesia species inhabitingdeciduous forests on the western slope of the central high plateau of the island (around 950 m a.s.l.). So far the species hasonly been observed in the private Anja Reserve. The species belongs to the Brookesia decaryi group formed by arid-adapt-ed Brookesia species of western Madagascar: B. bonsi Ramanantsoa, B. perarmata (Angel), B. brygooi Raxworthy &Nussbaum and B. decaryi Angel. Brookesia brunoi differs from the other four species of the group by a genetic divergenceof more than 17.6% in the mitochondrial ND2 gene, and by a combination of morphological characters: (1) nine pairs oflaterovertebral pointed tubercles, (2) absence of enlarged pointed tubercles around the vent, (3) presence of poorly definedlaterovertebral tubercles along the entire tail, (4) by the configuration of its cephalic crest, and (5) hemipenial morphology.Based on our molecular phylogeny this species is sister to a clade containing B. brygooi, B. decaryi, and probably B. bonsifor which no ND2 sequences were available. Our molecular data also confirm the presence of a divergent mitochondriallineage in the Tsingy de Bemaraha, which might be assigned to either B. bonsi or B. decaryi, and point to the need of more research on this population.

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Trachylepis elegans and T. gravenhorstii are two of the most widespread reptiles in Madagascar, inhabiting a wide variety of habitats. Previous studies have indicated a considerable mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variation within these species, but the geographic distribution of the major haplotype lineages is poorly known. Herein we analyse the phylogeography of these lizards based on 107 sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene, 101 of which newly determined. As in previous mtDNA assessments, T. elegans and T. gravenhorstii were not reciprocally monophyletic, although recent analyses including nuclear markers indicated their probable monophyly, respectively. The main lineages within T. gravenhorstii were found in strict allopatry and could be divided into a subclade of roughly northern and eastern distribution (lineages 1 and 2) and a subclade of roughly southern and western distribution (lineages 3, 4a, 4b, and 5, plus T. elegans). Our data serve to identify more precisely the probable contact zones among T. gravenhorstii lineages. The two main mtDNA clades (represented by lineages 2 and 3, respectively) can be expected to come into close contact in the area of the upper Mangoro river and Alaotra Lake, and (lineages 2 and 4a) in the Southern Central East between Mananjary and Ranomafana. Future studies intensively sampling these contact zones have the potential to assess hybridization and admixture among these lineages, and to test whether they are deep conspecific lineages of T. gravenhorstii as currently understood, or might represent distinct species.

Recent molecular studies indicate that Podarcis wall lizards occurring in the southern region of the Iberian Peninsula and in North Africa, from south Morocco to eastern Tunisia, constitute a monophyletic group composed of several highly differentiated forms that appear to be incipient species. However, Algerian populations, which are geographically intermediate, have not been investigated so far. In this study we determine the levels of genetic variability between Algerian populations and other North African populations, using a more extensive sampling scheme covering most of the distribution range in this area. Our results show that North African Podarcis present high genetic diversity, comprising at least five highly divergent lineages. Two of these lineages were only detected in Algeria, which harbours most of the genetic diversity found within Podarcis from North Africa.

We describe a new Phelsuma species from the relictual forest of Anja Reserve (13 km south from Ambalavao, on the central high plateau of southern Madagascar). Phelsuma gouldi sp. nov. seems to be an arboreal and possibly rockdwelling species that has been observed in the private Anja Reserve (949 m a.s.l.), and possibly near Betroka almost 160 km further south-west. The species belongs to the P. mutabilis species group and differs from the other three species of the group, P. mutabilis, P. breviceps, and P. borai by a high genetic divergence of more than 10% in the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene, and by a combination of 7–9 subdigital lamellae under the fourth toe, 6–7 supralabials, one internasal, and numerous details of throat scalation. Phelsuma mutabilis comprises three mitochondrial clades with divergences of more than 4% in the 16S rRNA gene, but the lack of distinct morphological differences and absence of a geographical structure among these clades indicate that this pattern is currently best considered as reflecting intraspecific variability.