Sphaerodactylus leonardovaldesi, Mccranie, James R. & Hedges, Blair, 2012

Mccranie, James R. & Hedges, Blair, 2012, Two new species of geckos from Honduras and resurrection of Sphaerodactylus continentalis Werner from the synonymy of Sphaerodactylus millepunctatus Hallowell (Reptilia, Squamata, Gekkonoidea, Sphaerodactylidae), Zootaxa 3492, pp. 65-76 : 66-70

Sphaerodactylus leonardovaldesi sp. nov.

( Fig. 2 )

Sphaerodactylus continentalis — Meyer & Wilson, 1973:12 (part). Sphaerodactylus continentalis — Wilson & Hahn, 1973:105 (part).

Sphaerodactylus millepunctatus — Harris & Kluge, 1984:17 (part). Sphaerodactylus millepunctatus — Grismer et al., 2001:135.

Sphaerodactylus millepunctatus — McCranie et al., 2005:80 (part). Sphaerodactylus millepunctatus — McCranie et al., 2006:110 (part).

Holotype. FMNH 282785, an adult male from Palmetto Bay, 16.359033°, -86.486717°, Isla de Roatán, Islas de la Bahía, Honduras, near sea level, collected 22 May 2011 by James R. McCranie and Leonardo Valdés Orellana.

Paratypes (13). FMNH 282786–88, USNM 579988–89, same locality as holotype; FMNH 282791 (genetic sample 3, JX 073109 , JX 073120 ), USNM 579990–93, from Camp Bay, 16.429467°, -86.286300°; FMNH 282789 (genetic sample 1, JX 073110 , JX 073121 ), 282790 (genetic sample 2, JX 073111 , JX 073122 ), from 1 km E of Pollytilly Bight, 16.406300°, -86.388083°; all adults from Isla de Roatán and collected 21–22 May 2011 by James R. McCranie and Leonardo Valdés Orellana or 18–19 November 2011 by McCranie. USNM 579987, juvenile from Palmetto Bay, Isla de Roatán, collected 18 November 2011 by McCranie. Appendices II and III list other specimens for this new species.

Geographic distribution. Sphaerodactylus leonardovaldesi is known to occur at low elevations on Isla de Roatán and several satellite islands in the Islas de la Bahía, Honduras ( Fig. 3 ).

Diagnosis. Sphaerodactylus leonardovaldesi can be distinguished from S. millepunctatus (sensu stricto), the species it was previously identified as, and from S. continentalis , herein removed from the synonymy of S. millepunctatus , in usually having a short pale longitudinal line located above each pelvic area that frequently curves slightly inward posteriorly, in having scattered dark dorsal spots that occupy single scales, and in having indistinct lines on the head and body (versus short pelvic lines absent, dark dorsal spots on body occupying more than one scale, and dark lines distinct on posterior end of head and anterior part of body in S. millepunctatus and S. continentalis ). Sphaerodactylus leonardovaldesi also differs from S. millepunctatus in having smaller and more numerous dorsal scales (58–66, x = 61.7 ± 2.7 dorsal scales between levels of axilla and groin in 13 S. leonardovaldesi versus 42–57, x = 51.7 ± 5.0 in 15 S. millepunctatus ) and also differs from S. continentalis in having fewer scales around the midbody (48–67, x = 59.8 ± 6.0 in 13 S. leonardovaldesi versus 64–80, x = 71.9 ± 4.8 in 20 S. continentalis ). Sphaerodactylus leonardovaldesi occurs sympatrically with one other species of Sphaerodactylus , S. rosaurae Parker of the S. copei species group ( Schwartz and Garrido 1981), but is most easily distinguished from that species in having all dorsal body scales of a similar size (versus middorsal row of granular scales that are sharply and distinctly differentiated from the much larger surrounding dorsal scales in S. rosaurae ). Sphaerodactylus leonardovaldesi differs from the second new species described herein in having more subdigital lamellae under the fourth toes and fourth fingers (9–12, x = 10.2 ± 0.8 and 8–10, x = 9.0 ± 0.4 on 26 sides, respectively, and 36–42, x = 38.5 ± 1.6 fourth digits combined versus 8–9, x = 8.6 ± 0.5 and 7–8, x = 7.6 ± 0.5 on 12 sides, respectively, and 31–34, x = 32.3 ± 1.5 fourth digits combined in the second new species) and in not having the pelvic stripes connected with its counterpart on the other side (versus pelvic lines usually connected [narrowly divided in one of seven] in the second new species). Sphaerodactylus leonardovaldesi also differs from S. millepunctatus , S. continentalis , and the second new species described herein, in an amount of cytochrome b DNA sequence divergence (7.7–10.1 %; Fig. 1 ) comparable to that seen among other species of lizards ( Johns & Avise 1998; Hedges & Conn 2012).

Description of holotype. A moderate-sized Sphaerodactylus with a snout-vent length (SVL) of 24.5 mm; snout-ear length (head length) 5.5 mm; head width 4.2 mm; head depth 2.0 mm; snout length 2.3 mm, snout length/ eye-ear length 1.21; tail length 22.4 mm, tail length/SVL 0.91.

Rostral with long median cleft and short posterior notch occupied by a single small scale; supranasals two, anterior one largest, rounded, dorsally confined, in contact with nasal opening, separated from first supralabial by posterior supranasal and two small postnasals, anterior supranasal contacting rostral above nasal opening; internasals three, occupying space wider than greatest width of anterior supranasal; snout scales swollen, keeled, juxtaposed, 14 along midline from orbits to rostral, five per interorbital width (IOW); scales between eyes narrower than snout scales; parietal surfaces and nape covered with swollen keeled granules, about 6–7 per IOW; superciliary spine short, located at level anterior to mideye; fourth supralabial lies below anterior half of eye, shorter fifth supralabial lies below center and posterior portion of eye; third infralabial lies below anterior half of eye, fourth infralabial lies below posterior half of eye, first infralabial largest, its length equals nearly 2.0 times IOW; mental large, about as long as wide, with oblique sutures between infralabials; postmentals two, polygonal, not elongated; gular scales smooth, granular, juxtaposed, five per IOW.

Dorsal scales of trunk oval, flattened, keeled, imbricate, about four per IOW, 60 along midline between levels of axilla and groin; lateral scales similar to dorsals; ventrals smooth, flat, about two per IOW, 33 along midline between levels of axilla and groin; scales around midbody 64; escutcheon somewhat bell-shaped, with lateral extension 14 scales wide on subfemoral surface, escutcheon also extending slightly onto groin region; supracaudal scales rhomboid, flat, imbricate, keeled at base of tail to about point reached by extended hind limb, smooth distal to that point, about two per IOW; subcaudal scales smooth, larger than supracaudals, scales of median series largest, slightly widened, enlarged median series extending about two-thirds length of tail; pair of distinctly swollen granules at each corner of vent; subdigital lamellae smooth, 10 present on each fourth toe, 9 present on each fourth finger, 38 total subdigital lamellae on combined fourth digits.

Color in life: dorsal ground color of body Mikado Brown (121C) with Vandyke Brown (121) small spots and scattered flecking; dorsal surface of head Ground Cinnamon (239) with Vandyke Brown stripes and reticulations; dorsal surfaces of limbs Mikado Brown with golden brown spot on knee and band on shank; dorsal surface of tail brownish yellow with Vandyke Brown mottling, Vandyke Brown band presently distally on tail followed by pinkish brown tail tip; venter of head and body cream with scattered brown flecking; subcaudal surface pink; iris yellow above and below pupil, golden brown anterior and posterior to pupil.

Color in alcohol: dorsal surfaces brown with scattered darker brown scales on body, giving impression of scattered dark flecks; snout medium brown with brown postnasal stripe extending nearly to orbit; supraocular scales dark brown, top of head posterior to that point medium brown with indistinct reticulated pattern of brown lines; medium brown postocular stripe bordered above and below by brown line extending posteriorly and upward on nape region to connect with stripe on other side to form inverted V-shape; dorsal surfaces of limbs and tail similar to that of dorsal surface of body, but with pale brown dorsal spot on knee and pale brown dorsal band on shank; supralabials pale brown with dark brown flecking; mental and infralabials pale brown with dark brown, interrupted, longitudinal lines on mental and infralabials 1–2 and incomplete vertical lines on infralabials 3–4; gular region cream with brown flecking; belly cream with brown flecking on scale edges; subcaudal surface cream with brown flecking on scale edges, forming incomplete lineate pattern; distinct ventrolateral cream stripe extending from base of tail onto posterior surface of thighs; pale pelvic line not evident.

Variation. The type series of the 13 adults have a SVL of 22.8–26.8 (25.3 ± 1.1) mm, 58–66 (61.7 ± 2.7) dorsal scales, 29–34 (31.8 ± 1.6, n = 12) ventral scales, 48–67 (59.8 ± 6.0) scales around midbody, 10–14 (11.5 ± 1.3) snout scales, 9–12 (10.2 ± 0.8) subdigital lamellae on the fourth toe, 8–10 (9.0 ± 0.4) subdigital lamellae on the fourth finger, 36–42 (38.5 ± 1.6) combined subdigital lamellae on the fourth digits, and 11 of the 13 have the pale lines above the pelvic region visible in preservative. None of the paratypes have the V-shaped pattern on the nape region as seen in the holotype, however all have the dorsal dark spots confined to one scale and the dark lines on the dorsal and lateral surfaces of the head are indistinct or absent.

Color in life of an adult female paratype (FMNH 282791): dorsal ground color Flesh Color (5) with indistinct, scattered brown flecking; top of head same as that for dorsum, except with one poorly indicated, interrupted pale brown dorsolateral stripe; posterior nape region cream; short cream pelvic line, line curving slightly inward distally, line bordered above by brown posteriorly and above inward curved portion; dorsal brown mark present between inward curved portions of pale lines; dorsal surfaces of limbs Flesh Color with poorly-indicated pinkish brown spot on knee and band on shank; dorsal surface of tail pinkish brown with small pink spots; subcaudal surface pink; iris yellowish pink above and below pupil, pinkish brown anterior and posterior to pupil. Color in life of a juvenile paratype (USNM 579987): dorsal surface of tail Sepia (119) with scattered pale brown dorsal flecks, Salmon Color (106) ring also present near tip; subcaudal surface otherwise reddish brown.

Habitat. Active individuals were in leaf litter during the morning and afternoon and the species was also found under leaf litter, palm fronds, rocks, brush piles, and other debris on the ground. One was also seen at night on the wall of a building feeding on insects attracted to an electric light.

Etymology. The specific name leonardovaldesi is a patronym honoring Leonardo Valdés Orellana, an enthusiastic Honduran biologist who was instrumental in collecting part of the type series of this new species as well as other populations of the Sphaerodactylus millepunctatus complex over the last three years.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Phylogenetic tree of four species of Middle American Sphaerodactylus from a maximum-likelihood analysis of DNA sequences of two mitochondrial genes (12 S rRNA and cytochrome b). A scale bar is indicated below. The numbers at nodes are bootstrap (left) and Bayesian (right) support values. The tree is rooted with the Middle American species S. dunni (not shown, for better visualization of ingroup).

FIGURE 2. Adult male (USNM 570186) of Sphaerodactylus leonardovaldesi sp. nov. from West End Point, Isla de Roatán (SVL 29.1 mm). Photograph by J. R. McCranie.

FIGURE 3. Map of Honduras showing localities for specimens examined of Sphaerodactylus continentalis (circles), S. guanajae (inverted triangles), S. leonardovaldesi (squares), and S. millepunctatus (triangles).