Homonota marthae, Cacciali, Pier, Morando, Mariana, Avila, Luciano J. & Koehler, Gunther, 2018

Cacciali, Pier, Morando, Mariana, Avila, Luciano J. & Koehler, Gunther, 2018, Description of a new species of Homonota (Reptilia, Squamata, Phyllodactylidae) from the central region of northern Paraguay, Zoosystematics and Evolution 94 (1), pp. 147-161 : 151-155

Homonota marthae sp. n.

Holotype.

SMF 101441 (field number GK-3783) (Fig. 4), adult female, collected on February 17th 2012 by Gunther Köhler in Dry Chaco, near the main house of Estancia Amistad (22.406°S, 60.728°W, elevation ca. 190 masl), Boquerón Department, Paraguay (Fig. 5).

Paratypes.

Paraguay: Boquerón Department: Comunidad Ayoreo Jesudi (MNHNP 10744); Comunidad Ayoreo Tunucojai (MNHNP 10534); Estancia Amistad (SMF 101437); Estancia Jabalí (MNHNP 7832); Filadelfia (MNHNP 2795, 2798, 2810, 11790, 11791, 11793, SMF 101436, 101438-40, 101442); 31.5 km S Filadelfia (MNHNP 9726).

Diagnosis.

A species of Homonota assigned to the horrida group given its relationship (based on molecular evidence) with H. horrida , and by the color pattern composed of a vertebral and five to seven transversal clear lines appearing as a banded Homonota smilar to H. horrida and H. septentrionalis . Homonota marthae has a robust body, and prominently keeled tubercles disposed in four to eight longitudinal rows on the dorsum.

Homonota marthae can be differentiated from all species in the genus, except H. fasciata , H. horrida , H. darwinii , and H. septentrionalis by the color pattern of transversal bands on the dorsum (reticulated pattern in the remaining species). Homonota marthae is further differ entiated from H. andicola , H. whitii , H. darwinii , and H. underwoodi by the keeled scales along the whole dorsum (vs. smooth dorsal scales in H. andicola , H. whitii , and H. underwoodi , and keeled scales restricted to the posterior part of the dorsum in H. darwinii ). It differs from H. fasciata by having a serrated edge of the auditory meatus (vs. smooth anterior margin in H. fasciata ); presence of one or two enlarged tubercles on the upper edge of the auditory meatus (vs. no enlarged tubercles in H. fasciata ); and a smaller size of the postmental scales (vs. postmentals of the size of the first infralabials in H. fasciata ). Homonota marthae differs from H. horrida by the higher position of the ear opening in relation to the level of the mouth (vs. lower positioned in H. horrida ); from H. septentrionalis by more developed keeled tubercles on the sides of the neck (Fig. 6) (vs. less developed tubercles in H. septentrionalis ). Finally, adults of H. marthae differ from these both species by the lack of a white band (usually crescent-shaped) on the occipital area (vs. white occipital crescent-shaped band present in H. horrida and H. septentrionalis ) (Fig. 7). An artificial key for identification of the species of the genus is presented at the end of the work.

Description of the holotype.

Adult female, SVL 56 mm (4.1 times the HL), TrL 26 mm, tail length 70 mm, FL 11.0 mm, TL 9.6 mm, AL 13.3 mm, HL 13.6 mm, HW 10.8 mm, HH 8.3 mm, END 4.2 mm, ESD 5.9 mm, EMD 4.7 mm, ID 4.6 mm, IND 2.0 mm; rostral wider (2.7 mm) than high (1.5 mm) with a median groove covering the upper two thirds of the scale; nares surrounded by rostral, supranasal, and postnasal; SL 8/8; one elongated tubercular scale on the mouth commissure; muzzle slightly convex, covered by large homogeneous juxtaposed scales; head covered with big homogeneous juxtaposed scales on the dorsal area, intermixed with small granules; superciliary scales imbricated, associated to spiny-like scales on the posterior half of the orbit; scales on lateral surface of the head heterogeneously covered with strongly conical tubercles intermixed with small granules; auditory meatus oblique and with serrated edge, and one large elongated scale on the upper border; IL 6/6, the last less than half the size of the others; mental bell-shaped; two postmentals less than twice the size of the following posterior scales, contacting the mental, the first IL, and four posterior scales; scales under the head gradually reducing in size posteriorly; dorsal and lateral parts of the neck with granular juxtaposed scales mixed with tubercles; ventral side of the head covered by imbricate cycloid scales; body dorsally covered with 14-16 rows of strongly keeled scales, separated by one to two small granules in the pleural areas, and three to four granules in the vertebral area; ventral scales cycloid and imbricate arranged in 16 longitudinal rows at midbody; suprascapular, axillary, inguinal regions, and cloacal opening surrounded by small imbricate granules; anterior and dorsal surfaces of limbs covered by large imbricate scales, keeled on the dorsal surface; posterior region of limbs covered by small juxtaposed granules; ventral surface of forelimbs with juxtaposed granules, and ventral surface of hind limbs with large imbricate scales; subdigital lamellae of hands starting from pollex were recorded as follows: 8/8 - 10/12 - 15/13 - 16/16 - 11/11; subdigital lamellae of feet starting from hallux were recorded as follow: 15/13 - 19/17 - 15/16 - 12/12 - 9/9; tail with large imbricated and mucronate scales, 10-12 per caudal whorl.

Coloration of the holotype (in preservative).

After five years in preservative, the coloration was recorded as follows: Head Mikado Brown (42) with Warm Sepia (40) speckling on the dorsal surface; Warm Sepia (40) on the sides, with a Light Buff (2) line from nares to orbit, and continuing behind the orbit above the temporal region; supralabials and infralabials Medium Neutral Gray (298) with suffusions of Smoky White (261); and Fawn Color (258) ventrally. Dorsal background color of the body Beige (254) with Vandyke Brown (282) splotches, and poorly defined Chamois (84) transversal lines; Drab (19) laterally, with Dusky Brown (285) and Pale Buff (1) splotches; and Ground Cinnamon (270) ventrally, with Smoky White (261) suffusions. Tail with Grayish Horn Color (268), Sepia (286), and Cream White (52) transversal bands dorsally; Drab (19) laterally; and Smoky White (261) ventrally. Limbs dorsally covered with a reticulation of Drab (19), Chamois (84), and Dusky Brown (285), ventrally grading to Fawn Color (258) in forelimbs, and Ground Cinnamon (270) with suffusions of Smoky White (261) in hind limbs.

Coloration in life.

Coloration in life of a young male (SMF 101438) was recorded as follows: Dorsum Mars Brown (223A) with a Tawny Olive (223D) vertebral stripe and transverse lines; dorsum of head Tawny Olive (223D) with a Verona Brown (223B) nuchal band that contains a central Tawny Olive (223D) line; iris Clay Color (123B) with a suffusion of Verona Brown (223B) centrally; dorsal surface of limbs Beige (219D) with Sepia (219) spots; ventral surfaces of head, body and limbs dirty white; dorsal surface of (regenerated) tail light Drab (119C) with scattered Sepia (119) spots; ventral surface of tail Light Drab (119C) with a suffusion of Sepia (119) medially.

Coloration in life of a juvenile female (SMF 101436) was recorded as follows: Dorsal ground color Raw Umber (123) with Raw Umber (223) transverse lines, edged with Pale Horn Color (92) posteriorly. Postocular stripe Ground Cinnamon (239); iris Yellow Ocher (123C) with a suffusion of Dark Drab (119B); dorsal surface of tail Cinnamon Drab (219C) with Sepia (119) bands, borders posteriorly by Chamois (123C); ventral surface of head, body and limbs dirty white, palmar and plantar surfaces Light Drab (119C); anterior portion of ventral tail Beige (219D), with Sepia (119) band on distal portion.

Color variation.

One juvenile (SMF 101439, 36 mm SVL) and two young adults (MNHNP 11793, 45 mm SVL; SMF 101438, 45 mm SVL) out of the 17 examined specimens of Homonota marthae have a trace of white crescent-shaped band on the occipital area (more visible in the SMF 101439, Fig. 7G), typical of H. horrida and H. septentrionalis . Nevertheless, many juveniles (such as SMF 101436) show the same coloration as adults (Fig. 7). The specimen MNHNP 7832 has a narrow occipital white band, joined to the postocular lines (Fig. 7C). Some specimens have a darkish coloration (MNHNP 2810, 10744, 11791, 11793) dorsally, and ventrally most of the specimens have a clearer color than the holotype, except for MNHNP 2798, 2810, and 10744. In some specimens (MNHNP 2795, 2798, 2810, 10744) the dorsal color is diffused and the transversal bands are little visible.

Morphological variation.

SVL 36-59 mm; TrL 16-27 mm (43.8-48.2% of SVL in females, 40.7-46.7% in males); FL 9-11 mm (x̅ 10 ± 0.36) in females, 7-11 mm (x̅ 8.7 ± 0.52) in males; TL 8.7-10.1 mm (x̅ 9.5 ± 0.2) in females, 8-10.2 mm (x̅ 9.1 ± 0.31) in males; AL 9.3-13.7 mm (x̅ 12.8 ± 0.28) in females, 11.2-14 mm (x̅ 12.4 ± 0.38) in males; HL 9.3-13.8 mm (x̅ 13.2 ± 0.19) in females, 11.1-13.5 mm (x̅ 12.2 ± 0.31) in males; HW 7.1-11.2 mm (79.4-88% of HL in females, 78.9-85.9% in males); HH 5.5-8.3 mm (52.6-61% of HL in females, 52.6-60.5% in males); END 2.8-5.1 mm (30.8-35.1% of HL in females, 31.4-38.9% in males); ESD 3.9-6.1 mm (40.3-45% of HL in females, 40.5-46.5% in males); EMD 3.1-5 mm (31.3-34.7% of HL in females, 33.8-37% in males); ID 3.8-5.8 mm (33.8-40% of HL in females, 37.1-44.7% in males); IND 1.4-2.1 mm (12.2-16% of HL in females, 11.8-14% in males); SL 5-8; one or two elongated tubercular scales on the mouth commissure; auditory meatus with one large scale on the upper border; IL 5-7; 14-20 longitudinal rows of ventral scales at mid-body; 34-49 transversal rows of ventral scales.

Etymology.

This species is named in honor of our indefatigable colleague Martha Motte, who is not only dedicated to safekeeping the herpetological collection of the "Museo Nacional de Historia Natural del Paraguay", but also does a great job in providing selfless support to scientists that are striving to improve the knowledge of the Paraguayan herpetofauna.

Habitat and distribution.

Homonota marthae is known from the central area of the Paraguayan Dry Chaco in the Department of Boquerón (Fig. 5). The environment is a xeric forest with abundance of thorny vegetation and almost absence of a herbaceous stratum. Nevertheless, a more detailed analysis of museum collections is advisable for a better knowledge of the distribution of this species.

This species is a dry forest inhabitant, but it is also frequently found in human dwellings. Talbot (1978) recorded the use of logs of Drunken tree ( Chorisia speciosa : Malvaceae ) as shelter by Homonota in the Dry Chaco, since the wood of this tree keeps high water levels. Additionally, Cacciali et al. (2007a) demonstrated the use of subterranean caves (usually armadillo burrows) by Homonota in several areas of the Paraguayan Chaco.