Gehyra pulingka, Hutchinson & Sistrom & Donnellan & Hutchinson, 2014

Hutchinson, Mark N., Sistrom, Mark J., Donnellan, Stephen C. & Hutchinson, Rhonda G., 2014, Taxonomic revision of the Australian arid zone lizards Gehyra variegata and G. montium (Squamata, Gekkonidae) with description of three new species, Zootaxa 3814 (2), pp. 221-241 : 238

Gehyra pulingka sp. nov

Figs 2B , 3 , 4B , 10 .

Gehyra 2n=42b " nana-montium" Moritz, 1986: p. 48.

Holotype: SAMA R 65248, from Umuwa, Musgrave Ranges , South Australia (26° 28’ 45ˮ S, 133° 57’ 02ˮ E), collected by M. Hutchinson, on 26 May 2010, ( Fig. 10 A–B ).

Paratypes (n=16; all genotyped as ‘ Clade 2’): SAMA: R 28265, Kulgera, NT (25° 50’S, 133° 18’E) , R28322–23 , between Victory Well and Betty Well, Everard Ranges , SA (27° 03’S, 132° 28’E) , R 41876– 77, 15km W Mimili , SA (27° 01’E, 132° 34’E) , R 42069, 29 km SW Illintjitja , SA (26° 20’S, 130° 10’E) , R 44892, 8 km SE Mitchell Knob , SA (26° 11’S, 131° 53’E) , R 50119, 0.9 km SE Sentinel Hill , SA (26° 05’S, 132° 27’E) , R51536–37 K , R 51540 K , R 51565 K , R 51574 K, 35 km ESE Amata , SA (26° 15’S, 131° 29’E) , R 54751, Mt Howe , SA (26° 16’S, 133° 26’E) , R 61926 K, Kurtjurntari Rockhole, WA (24° 53’S, 128° 46’E) . WAM: R166314 , Kurtjurntari Rockhole, WA (24° 53’S, 128° 46’E) .

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other Australian Gehyra by a combination of modally 7 or 8 divided scansors, small to moderate size, generally three pairs of enlarged chin shields, third infralabial notched, dorsal colour pattern a light to medium brown (in life) patterned by irregular thin black lines and circular pale spots, and a karyotype of 2n=42b ( Fig. 2B ) ( Moritz 1986). Distinguished from most central Australian species ( G. variegata , G. versicolor sp. nov., G. purpurascens and G. montium ) by its strongly white-spotted pattern with dark markings forming short, wavy lines rather than discrete spots or continuous networks. Distinguished from G. moritzi by having short, black wavy lines rather than black spots, and from G. minuta , which has a similar colour pattern, by having the third, rather than second, infralabial notched.

This diagnosis applies to populations of Gehyra genetically assignable to “Clade 2” of Sistrom et al. (2013).

Description. Adult snout-vent length 38–49 mm (mean = 43.3 mm, n = 14). Length of original tail 43–56 mm (mean = 117% SVL, n = 6).

Nostril bordered by rostral, first supralabial, supranasal and two subequal postnasals. Usually a single internasal scale (occasionally two or none) separates the supranasals above the rostral. Supralabials 7–10 (mode 8). Infralabials 7–9 (mode 8). Three pairs of chin shields, outer (third) pair small (absent in three specimens), anterior pair in contact with only the first infralabial. Chin shields separated from the fourth and succeeding infralabials by the interpolation of a series of enlarged scales that margin the ventral edge of the infralabials. Third infralabial notched (all specimens) where this parinfralabial scale row starts ( Fig. 4B ). Scansors under pad of fourth toe divided, 7–8 (mode 8). Precloacal pores in males 12–16 (mean = 13.9, n = 7).

The karyotype (2n=42b) is unique for this species, differing from the 2n=42a karyotype via a secondary constriction on pair 11 ( Moritz 1986).

In life, dorsally pinkish grey to reddish brown, the entire dorsal surface patterned by light spots that are generally strongly contrasting and precisely circular in shape, sometimes forming rather regular transverse series. The pale spots are interspersed with short dark irregular lines, which are more elongate and irregular than the pale spots.

Distribution. Rocky mountain ranges of north-western South Australia, extending into adjacent areas of Western Australia (northwest to the eastern Rawlinson Range) and far southern Northern Territory (Kulgera area).

Comments. Long included in G. montium , G. pulingka is consistently distinguishable in morphology, karyotype and DNA sequence data. The two species show overlap in distribution, although no cases of strict syntopy are known as yet. In the field, the colour pattern of blackish squiggles and prominent spots can be used to distinguish this species from true G. montium , which has a more continuous black dorsal network and small, weakly contrasting spots. Additional distinctions in chin shields (three versus two pairs), having the third, rather than second, infralabial notched and higher male precloacal pore counts will provide extra support if genetic data are lacking.

Etymology. The specific name is from the Pitjantjatjara language ( Goddard 1996) from the roots puli, rock, or rocky hill, and the suffix -ngka meaning pertaining to, alluding to the habits of the species and its distribution, which is confined to the desert areas occupied by the speakers of Pitjantjatjara and related dialects. Specific name would not change with gender of the genus.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Karyotypes which are species-specific. A, 2n=40b, Gehyra variegata, SAMA R65764 from the Maralinga area, South Australia. Note submetacentric pairs 3 and 6. B, 2n=42b, Gehyra pulingka sp. nov, SAMA R51574 from the Amata area, South Australia. The submetacentric pair 6 with a secondary constriction is characteristic. C, 2n=40a, Gehyra versicolor sp. nov, SAMA R51790 from Yudnamutana Bore, Flinders Ranges, South Australia, with submetacentric pairs 5 and 7. B. 2n=38a karyotype, G. versicolor sp. nov, SAMA R65948 from Native Gap, SSE of Aileron, NT, with submetacentric pairs 5, 7 and 8.

FIGURE 3. Distribution of the species of the Gehyra montium - variegata complex, based on populations identified from DNA sequences. Inset shows the detailed distributions of species in the Central Ranges area.

FIGURE 4. Chin shields of Gehyra showing features used in species descriptions. Numbers indicate chin shield pairs. Grey shaded scales are the notched infralablial and the parinfralabial scale series. A. Gehyra variegata (SAMA R59074), with two pairs of chin shields and the second infralabial notched by the parainfralabials. B. Gehyra pulingka sp. nov (SAMA R51574), with three pairs of chin shields and the third infralabial notched by the parainfralabials.

FIGURE 10. Gehyra pulingka sp. nov. A and B. Holotype, SAMA R65248, adult female from Umuwa, South Australia, showing a variant of the species’ colour pattern with dense patterning of dark and light markings, shown as preserved and in life. C. Adult male, SAMA R61926, from Kutjurntari Waterhole, Western Australia, showing a sparse patterning of larger, more widely scattered light and dark markings.