A new insular species of Rock Gecko (Cnemaspis Boulenger) from Pulau Langkawi, Kedah, Peninsular Malaysia

Abstract

A new, diminutive species of Rock Gecko Cnemaspis mahsuriae sp. nov. of the affinis group, is described from Gunung Raya on Pulau Langkawi, Kedah, Peninsular Malaysia and is differentiated from all other species in the affinis group by having a unique combination of characters including a maximum SVL of 36.6 mm; keeled subtibials and ventrals; 21-24 paravertebral tubercles; no tubercles in the lateral caudal furrows; caudal tubercles not encircling tail; no precloacal pores; 23-26 subdigital lamellae on the fourth toe; no white ocelli in the shoulder region; no yellow postscapular band; and faint yellow bars on the flanks. Cnemaspis mahsuriae sp. nov. is a forest-dwelling species living in close sympatry or paraptry with the insular endemic C. roticanai Grismer & Chan. The Langkawi Archipelago harbors a unique mix of Malaysian and Indochinese taxa and the frequency of new discoveries from this group of islands is increasing.

Morphological and molecular analyses reveal two new insular species of Cnemaspis Strauch, 1887 (Squamata, Gekkonidae) from Satun Province, southern Thailand

“…The number of recognized Cnemaspis species has increased rapidly during the past two decades (e.g. Bauer and Das 1998;Das 2005;Bauer et al 2007;Grismer et al 2009Grismer et al , 2014Grismer et al , 2015bGrismer and Chan 2010;Wood et al 2013Wood et al , 2017Riyanto et al 2017). Thailand currently contains 16 recognized species of Cnemaspis (Grismer et al , 2014Wood et al 2017;Uetz et al 2018) ranging from Chanthaburi in the east (Bauer and Das 1998), Sai Yok to the west , and south through the Thai peninsula to the Malaysian border and its offshore islands (Grismer et al 2014;Wood et al 2017).…”

Historical demography of four gecko species specializing in boulder cave habitat: Implications in the evolutionary dead end hypothesis and conservation

“…Among a total of 55 species in Cnemaspis , there are more than 30 rocky habitat specialists, most of which have restricted distributions (Grismer et al, ; Grismer, Wood, Quah et al, ; Grismer, Wood, Tri et al, ; Kurita, Nishikawa, Matsui, & Hikida, ; Wood et al, ). In addition to Cnemaspis species, several Cyrtodactylus geckos also occupy these small hills in the Mekong Delta; and all show extremely limited distributional ranges (Grismer, Wood, Quah et al, ; Grismer, Wood, Tri et al, ). These observations suggest that surrounding unsuitable habitats limit the dispersal of specialist geckos, which are isolated in their “habitat islands” even without rising sea level.…”

“…Despite this region's faunal uniqueness and diversity, its biodiversity inventory remains incomplete (Grismer & Ngo, ; Grismer, Wood, Quah et al, ; Grismer, Wood, Tri et al, ). Integrative practices, combining scientific research with suitable conservation management, are desperately needed to protect this critically threatened habitat.…”

“…in Cnemaspis, there are more than 30 rocky habitat specialists, most of which have restricted distributions (Grismer et al, 2014;Grismer, Wood, Quah et al, 2015;Grismer, Wood, Tri et al, 2015;Kurita, Nishikawa, Matsui, & Hikida, 2017;Wood et al, 2017). In addition to Cnemaspis species, several Cyrtodactylus geckos also occupy these small hills in the Mekong Delta; and all show extremely limited distributional ranges (Grismer, Wood, Quah et al, 2015;Grismer, Wood, Tri et al, 2015).…”

“…Despite this region's faunal uniqueness and diversity, its biodiversity inventory remains incomplete (Grismer & Ngo, 2007;Grismer, Wood, Quah et al, 2015;Grismer, Wood, Tri et al, 2015).…”