Cnemaspis laoensis, Grismer, Lee, 2010

Grismer, Lee, 2010, The first record of the genus Cnemaspis Strauch (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Laos with the description of a new species, Zootaxa 2475, pp. 55-63 : 57-59

Cnemaspis laoensis sp. nov.

Lao Rock Gecko

Figure 2

Holotype. Adult female ( THNHM 12433) collected at Dong Phu Vieng National Protected Area, Savannakhet, Laos by Tanya Chan-ard on 18 June 1998.

Diagnosis. Adult female reaching 40.9 mm SVL, adult males unknown; relatively large, rugose scales on rostrum; nine supralabials; seven infralabials; subtibials, ventrals, and subcaudals smooth; forearm scales and dorsal tubercles keeled; body scales raised, smooth; 22 paravertebral tubercles; tubercles on flanks not linearly arranged; ventrolateral and lateral rows of caudal tubercles absent; caudal tubercles do not encircle tail; tubercles in lateral, caudal furrow; median row of slightly enlarged, smooth subcaudals; no pore-bearing scales; two or three postcloacal tubercles on each side of tail; shield-like subtibials and enlarged, submetatarsals absent; 29 subdigital lamellae on fourth toe; no dark, longitudinal gular markings or blotches; no dark patch on shoulder or neck enclosing a white to yellow ocellus; no yellow to white, prescapular crescent or transverse bars on flanks; and no orange tail, feet, and hands. These differences are summarized across all Southeast Asian species of Cnemaspis in Grismer et al. (2010:Tables 1 and 2).

Description of holotype. Adult female; SVL 40.9 mm; head oblong in dorsal profile, moderate in size (HL/SVL 0.26), somewhat narrow (HW/SVL 0.39), flat (HD/HL 0.39), distinct from neck; snout short (ES/ HL 0.49), concave in lateral profile; postnasal region constricted medially, raised; scales of rostrum flat, juxtaposed, rugose, much larger than similarly shaped scales on occiput; moderate, supraorbital ridges; shallow frontonasal sulcus; canthus rostralis smoothly rounded; eye large (ED/HL 0.23); extra-brillar fringe scales small in general but largest anteriorly; pupil round; ear opening oval, taller than wide; rostral concave dorsally, raised posteriorly, dorsal 80% divided by longitudinal groove; rostral bordered posteriorly by two supranasals and one much smaller azygous scale, laterally by first supralabials and nostrils; supranaslals followed by three prominently raised scales; 9R,L raised supralabials of similar size; 8R,L infralabials, decreasing gradually in size posteriorly; nostrils small, oblong, posteriorly directed, bordered posteriorly by small, granular, postnasal scales; mental large, subtriangular, deeply concave medially, extending to level of second infralabials, bordered posteriorly by two large, raised postmentals; gular scales raised, smooth, somewhat pointed, anterior gulars largest; throat scales smooth, raised, larger than gulars.

Body slender, elongate (AG/SVL 0.50); small, smooth, slightly raised, dorsal scales equal in size throughout body, intermixed with numerous, large, multi-keeled, longitudinally arranged tubercles; tubercles extend from top of head to base of tail and are smallest anteriorly; 22 paravertebral tubercles; pectoral and abdominal scales flat, smooth, subimbricate; ventrals slightly larger than pectorals, much larger than dorsals; no pore-bearing, precloacal scales; forelimbs moderately long, slender, dorsal scales keeled; ventral scales of forearm smooth, juxtaposed to subimbricate; palmar scales smooth, raised, subimbricate; digits long with an inflected joint; claws recurved; subdigital lamellae unnotched; subdigital lamellae wide throughout length of digits, bearing a larger scale at digital inflections; interdigital webbing weak; fingers increase in length from first to fourth with fifth nearly same length as fourth; hind limbs longer and thicker than forelimbs; dorsal scales keeled, raised, juxtaposed; ventral scales of thigh, raised, keeled; subtibials keeled, larger than dorsal tibials; plantar scales rugose, slightly raised, subimbricate; no enlarged submetatarsal scales beneath first metatarsal; digits elongate with an inflected joint; claws recurved; subdigital lamellae unnotched; lamellae wide throughout length of digits except at base where scales are more granular; enlarged, scale at the digital inflections; interdigital webbing absent; toes increase in length from first to fourth with fourth being longest; 27R,L subdigital lamellae on fourth toe; caudal scales arranged in segmented whorls; dorsal caudal scales raised, keeled, juxtaposed anteriorly; moderate, middorsal furrow; deep, single, lateral furrow; subcaudals smooth; midventral subcaudals slightly enlarged; four or five scales per caudal segment; paravertebral and dorsolateral rows of large, keeled, equally sized, caudal tubercles, lateral tubercular row and ventrolateral caudal tubercles absent; tubercles in lateral, caudal furrow; caudal tubercles do not encircle tail; 2R,3L postcloacal tubercles; tail approximately 1.29% of SVL; tail complete, original.

Measurements (in mm). TL 52.7, TW 4.7, FL 6.5, TBL 7.1, AG 20.5, HL 10.6, HW 6.6, HD 4.1, ED 2.4, EE 2.9, ES 5.2, EN 2.3, IO 2.3, EL 1.1, IN 0.08.

Coloration in alcohol (fig. 2). Dorsal ground color of head, body, limbs and tail pale brown; rostrum and top of head bearing diffuse, faint, brown markings; postorbital stripes absent; light colored, subelliptical, paired, paravertebral markings extending from nape to base of tail, extending onto tail as wide, diffuse, light colored, caudal bands separated by thinner, dark brown bands; dark brown markings within interspaces between light markings; large, light colored markings on flanks; forelimbs and hind limbs mottled; digits bearing dark bands; all ventral surfaces beige bearing small, black stipples in each scale.

Distribution. Cnemaspis laoensis is known only from the type locality at Dong Phu Vieng, Savannakhet, Laos (fig. 1).

Natural History. Nothing is known of the natural history of Cnemaspis laoensis . However, on the basis of it having smooth ventrals and subcaudals, it is hypothesized that this species is a karst dweller. All other karst dwelling, microhabitat specialists share this combination of characters. Furthermore, there are numerous outcroppings of karst tower formations in the general area of the type locality.

Etymology. The specific epithet is in reference to this being the first species of Cnemaspis known to occur in Laos.

Comparisons. Cnemaspis laoensis can be separated from all species of Cnemaspis except C. affinis (Stoliczka) , C. aurantiacopes Grismer & Ngo , C. boulengeri Strauch , C. caudanivea Grismer & Ngo , C. chanthaburiensis Bauer & Das , C. flavigaster Chan & Grismer , C. kumpoli Smith , C. monachorum Grismer, Norhayati, Chan, Belabut, Muin, Wood & Grismer , C. nuicamensis Grismer & Ngo , C. psychedelica Grismer, Ngo & Grismer , C. siamensis (Smith) , C. tucdupensis Grismer & Ngo and in having smooth, as opposed to keeled, ventral scales. Lacking, as opposed to having, a lateral row of caudal tubercles separates C. laoensis from all species of Cnemaspis except C. boulengeri , C. kumpoli , C. psychedelica , C. roticanai Grismer & Chan, C. siamensis , and C. tucdupensis Grismer & Ngo. It can be separated from C. affinins (Stoliczka) , C. perhentianensis Grismer & Chan , and C. siamensis in having sooth as opposed to keeled subcaudals. Being less than 56 mm SVL separates it from C. argus Dring , C. aurantiacopes , C. baueri Das & Grismer, C. boulengeri , C. kendallii (Gray) , C. kumpoli , C. limi Das & Grismer, C. mcguirei Grismer, Grismer, Wood & Chan , C. nigridia (Smith) , C. pemanggilensis Grismer & Das , and C. psychedelica which all have a maximum SVL much greater than 56 mm. It is separated from C. tucdupensis in lacking, as opposed to having, enlarged scales beneath the first metatarsal. Lacking, as opposed to having, dark shoulder and/or neck patches enclosing white to yellow ocelli separate C. laoensis from C. affinis , C. biocellata Grismer, Chan, Nasir, & Sumontha, C. kumpoli , C. mcguirei Grismer, Grismer, Wood, & Chan, and C. pseudomcguirei Grismer, Norhayati, Chan, Belabut, Muin, Wood , & Grismer. These characters as well as others are scored across all species of Cnemaspis in Grismer et al. (2008a)

Figures

FIGURE 2. Holotype of Cnemaspis laoensis (THNHM 12433).