Cyrtodactylus cf. consobrinus (Peters, 1871)

Figueroa, Alex, Low, Martyn E. Y. & Lim, Kelvin K. P., 2023, Singapore’s herpetofauna: updated and annotated checklist, history, conservation, and distribution, Zootaxa 5287 (1), pp. 1-378 : 100

Cyrtodactylus cf. consobrinus (Peters, 1871) — Native.

Gymnodactylus consubrinus W.C.H. Peters, 1871: 569 . Holotype: MSNG 9377 , by original designation. Type locality: “Sarawak”, East Malaysia.

Peter’s Bent-toed Gecko

( Figure 11H )

Singapore records.

Gonydactylus (formerly Cyrtodactylus ) aff. consobrinus —K.K.P. Lim, 1993a: 4 (Bukit Timah Nature Reserve).

Cyrtodactylus cf. consobrinus —K.K.P. Lim, 1993b: 3 (Cave Path [BTNR]).—R. Subaraj, 1994: 11 (Cave Path [BTNR]).—R.C.H. Teo & Rajathurai, 1997: 390 (Taban & Lasia Valleys [BTNR]).

Gonydactylus (formerly Cyrtodactylus ) consobrinus —R. Subaraj et al., 1995: 5 (“cave at BTNR”).

Gonydactylus consobrinus —K.K.P. Lim, 1996: 51.

Cyrtodactylus pulchellus —R. Subaraj, 1996: 101.

Cyrtodactylus consobrinus —K.P. Lim & F.L.K. Lim, 2002: 150.—N. Baker & K.P. Lim, 2008: 79, 159.— K.K.P. Lim et al., 2008: 170, 265.—L.L. Grismer, 2011b: 386, 390.—T.M. Leong & J.W.M. Gan, 2011: 29.—N. Baker & K.P. Lim, 2012: 79, 160.—L.K. Wang et al., 2012: 246 (picture shows Cyrtodactylus majulah ).—N. Baker, 2014f: 332.—E.K. Chua, 2015: 69.—I.S. Law, I.T. Law & Serin, 2016: 117.—R.C.H. Teo & Thomas, 2019: 156, 180 (Bukit Timah Nature Reserve; Dairy Farm Nature Park).—Figueroa & I.S. Law, 2021: 1.—L.L. Grismer et al., 2021: 129.— Janssen & Sy, 2022: 66, 154.

“ Cyrtodactylus ” —P.K.L. Ng et al., 2011: 323.

Remarks. Despite being somewhat easily detectable in BTNR (Teo & Rajathurai 1997; A. Figueroa pers. obs.), C. consobrinus was only first discovered in Singapore on 14 May 1993 ( Lim 1993a) when the WWII Japanesemade tunnels were opened to the public (Teo & Rajathurai 1997). Teo & Rajathurai (1997) mentioned that C. consobrinus was seen at BTNR prior to this record, but that it could not be identified to species level. The latency in discovery is surprising given C. consobrinus large size and that it overlaps in habitat use with Cnemaspis peninsularis , which was known in Singapore since Flower (1896). After Teo & Rajathurai (1997), only one additional record of C. consobrinus was published (Teo & Thomas 2019). These authors found C. consobrinus less common than Teo & Rajathurai (1997) did and they also found four individuals at a new locality, at DFNP. Grismer (2021) indicated that C. consobrinus is a species complex that is split between a Malayan clade and a Philippine clade. Thus, it is likely the species designation of C. consobrinus in Singapore is likely to change.

Occurrence. Restricted to BTNR and DFNP. Uncommon.

Singapore conservation status. Critically Endangered.

Conservation priority. Highest.

IUCN conservation status. Least Concern [2021].

LKCNHM & NHMUK Museum specimens. Bukit Timah Nature Reserve : ZRC.2.5380 (20-Jan-2002) .

Additional Singapore museum specimens. No specimens.

Singapore localities. Bukit Timah Nature Reserve; Dairy Farm Nature Park.

Figures

FIGURE 11. A) Draco melanopogon, B) Draco quinquefasciatus, C) Draco sumatranus, D) Anolis sagrei, E) Aeluroscalabotes felinus, F) Aeluroscalabotes felinus, G) Cnemaspis peninsularis, and H) Cyrtodactylus consobrinus. Photographs by: Jensen G.H. Seah [A–B], Kelvin K.P. Lim [C, E], Thio Hui Bing [D], Mary-Ruth Low [F], and Alex Figueroa [G–H].