Gonatodes ligiae Donoso-Barros, 1967

Sturaro, Marcelo José & Avila-Pires, Teresa C. S., 2011, Taxonomic revision of the geckos of the Gonatodes concinnatus complex (Squamata: Sphaerodactylidae), with description of two new species, Zootaxa 2869, pp. 1-36 : 14-18

Gonatodes ligiae Donoso-Barros, 1967

( Figs. 1 B, 7, 8)

Gonatodes ligiae Donoso-Barros, 1967 (holotype V 126, according to Rivero-Blanco, 1979 in the Museo de Zoología de la Universidad de Concepción, Chile; type-locality: Bosque de la Carabela, near Barinitas, Barinas, Venezuela), Donoso- Barros, 1968: 108

Gonatodes concinnatus ; Rivero-Blanco, 1968: 104 (part); Peters & Donoso-Barros, 1970: 132 (part). Gonatodes concinnatus ligiae ; Rivero-Blanco, 1979: 92; Rivero-Blanco & Barrio-Amorós, 2002: 67; Esqueda, 2004b: 162.

Material examined (numbers in bold between parentheses refer to Fig. 3 ): VENEZUELA. BARINAS. 8 km SW Santa Barbara, on San Cristobal Highway (41): TCWC 60231, female, leg. R. H. Dean. Barinitas (44): TCWC 57236–44, 2 juveniles, 3 males and 4 females, leg. C. Rivero-Blanco.

Diagnosis. A medium-sized Gonatodes , with maximum SLV of 40.7 mm. Scales around midbody 109–128. Ventral scales in a longitudinal row 45–52. Proximal subdigital lamellae as wide as digits, in total 15–17 under fourth finger, 18–21 under fourth toe. Two, occasionally three, lateral rows of scales on distal portion of fingers and toes. Tail with midventral scales distinctly wider than long, forming a repetitive sequence of two single midventrals (one after the other), each in contact laterodistally with one scale per side, followed by a single midventral in contact laterodistally with two scales per side (1’1’1”). A white suprahumeral bar, bordered by black, present both in males and females, although more conspicuous in males; it extends dorsally to approximately the dorsolateral region. Males with head and trunk dorsally without vermiculations; no dark streaks on gular region.

Description. Maximum SVL in males of 40.7 mm (TCWC 57242), in females of 40.2 mm (TCWC 57240). Tail round in cross section, tapering toward tip, 0.8–1.2 (1.01 ± 0.18, N =4) times SLV. Head length 0.22–0.27 (0.24 ± 0.02, N =10) times SLV, 1.4–1.6 (1.48 ± 0.07, N =136) times as long as wide, 1.2–1.4 (1.31 ± 0.06, N =10) times as wide as high. Snout round, moderately elongate ( Fig 7 A), gently sloping toward top of head. Neck slightly narrower than head and anterior portion of body. Body cylindrical. Limbs well developed, lower arm 0.11–0.14 (x= 0.13 ± 0.01, N =10) times SVL, lower leg 0.13–0.15 (0.14 ± 0.01, N =10) times SVL.

Rostral convex, 1.8–2.4 (2.00 ± 0.20, N =10) times as wide as high; posterior margin with a shallow depression medially and slightly indented by zero or one medial postrostral, with a median cleft extending anteriorly. Postrostrals 2 (10%) or 3 (90%), laterals ones (supranasals) distinctly larger than medial one when this is present (N =10) ( Fig 7 A). Nasal bordered by rostral, first supralabial, three postnasals (N =10), and supranasal; internostril distance 0.23–0.30 (0.25 ± 0.03, N =10) times head width. Supranasal roughly oval, 1.0–1.3 (1.14 ± 0.08; N =10) times as wide as long. Postnasals slightly larger than, or similar in size to, adjacent loreals. Scales on snout convex, hexagonal to round, juxtaposed, relatively uniform in size. Canthus rostralis rounded. Loreal region with scales slightly more elongate than those on snout, largest on row adjacent to supralabials, 7–8 (7.8 ± 0.42, N =10) loreals on a line between postnasals and anterior corner of eye. Top and posterior portion of head, as well as supraorbital region, with granular scales. A short supraciliary flap present, anteriorly with 6–8 (6.6 ± 0.84, N =10) enlarged and flattened scales, among which 0–2 (1.2 ± 0.79; N =10) small, conical spines. Pupil round, eye diameter 0.21–0.27 (0.23 ± 0.02, N =10) times head length. Scales on temporal region similar to those on top of head. Ear-opening much smaller than eye, oval, posterior to, and at same level of, commissure of mouth. Supralabials 4–6 (5.5 ± 0.71; N =10), distinctly enlarged anteriorly and decreasing in size posteriorly, one or two of them posterior to centre of eye, followed to corner of mouth by small scales.

Mental large, distinctly wider anteriorly than posteriorly, with posterior margin forming a wide angle, 1.2–1.4 (1.31 ± 0.06; N =10) times as wide as long; 2 (70%) or 3 (30%) postmentals ( Fig. 7 B). Scales on chin flat, smooth, polygonal, juxtaposted, larger anteriorly, decreasing in size posteriorly. Infralabials 5–6 (5.1 ± 0.32; N =10), distinctly enlarged anteriorly and decreasing in size posteriorly; 1–3 of them posterior to centre of eye, followed to corner of mouth by small scales.

Scales on nape small and granular, becoming slightly larger on sides of neck. Scales on throat anteriorly granular, posteriorly flat, smooth, hexagonal or round, increasing in size toward the posterior region, with a short transitional zone between the anterior and posterior parts.

Dorsals granular, increasing in size toward the flanks. Ventrals larger than dorsals, roughly hexagonal, flat, smooth, imbricate, in oblique rows; 45–52 (48.6 ± 2.3; N =9) scales along the midventral line between anterior margin of forelimbs and vent; 17–19 (17.8 ± 1.0; N =9) scales in a transverse line at midbody, with a short transitional zone between ventrals and scales on flanks. Scales around midbody 92–107 (101.5 ± 5.5; N =9). Scales on preanal plate similar to ventrals, except for those bordering vent, which are very small. Escutcheon present in males on posterior portion of belly and on 3–4 (mostly three) rows (body-knee direction) on ventral surface of thighs.

Scales on anterodorsal surface of forelimbs flat, smooth, roundish or rhomboidal, imbricate, largest close to the wrist; on posterodorsal and ventral surface of forelimbs convex, smooth, rhomboidal, juxtaposed, relatively small. Scales on anterodorsal surface of thighs and ventral surface of hind limbs flat, smooth, roundish or rhomboidal, imbricate and relatively larger; on posterodorsal surface of thighs and dorsal surface of lower legs smaller, convex, smooth, rhomboidal, juxtaposed.

Lamellae under second (II) through fourth (IV) fingers (proximal lamellae in parentheses): II: 10–14 (4–5), III: 13–17 (4–6), and IV: 15–17 (5–6) (fig 7C). Lamellae under second through fourth toes (proximal lamellae in parentheses): II: 12–16 (4–6), III: 15–18 (5–6), and IV: 18–21 (8–10) ( Fig. 7 D). Claws exposed, non-retractile, between two basal scales. Fingers and toes with two, occasionally three, lateral scales distally, between the fourth (counted from the claw towards the hand) subdigital lamella, and the dorsal scale.

Scales on tail dorsally and laterally relatively small, rhomboidal, flat, smooth, imbricate. On ventral surface of tail scales smooth, flat, imbricate, increasing in size toward midventral line; midventral scales, except close to the base of the tail, distinctly wider than long, forming a repetitive sequence of two single midventrals (one after the other), each in contact laterodistally with one scale per side, followed by a slightly larger single midventral scale in contact laterodistally with two scales per side – 1’1’1” in the codification of Avila-Pires (1995: Figure 2 ) ( Fig. 7 E).

Color in preservative. In males ( Fig. 1 B), dorsal surface of head light brown, spotless. Back and flanks, base of tail and hind limbs light-brown. A large, conspicuous, white suprahumeral bar, bordered by black, extending dorsally to approximately the dorsolateral region. Ventral surface of head, gular region and chest beige or lightbrown, without oblique streaks; belly gray; underside of limbs beige. Tail brown dorsally, beige or light-brown ventrally. Escutcheon area (belly and thighs) light gray.

In females, dorsal surface of head and limbs with brown and black irregular spots; back gray with dorsolateral pairs of black spots and, in one specimen (TCWC 57243), a beige middorsal line and pairs of dark-brown spots on base of tail; flanks gray with black and brown spots. Suprahumeral bar conspicuous, white with black margins, thinner than that of males, extending dorsally to approximately the dorsolateral region. Ventral surface of head and gular region white with dark oblique streaks, in contact or not at midventral line; belly and underside of limbs light gray. Tail brown with black spots dorsally, white or light-brown ventrally; original tail distally with white bands that form complete rings around the tail.

Color in life. Descriptions were based on photos of specimens from Parque Moromoy, Barinitas, Barinas, Venezuela, sent to us by Carlos Rivero-Blanco, and description of coloration in Rivero-Blanco (1979). In males ( Fig. 8 A), head dorsally brownish yellow, laterally and neck greenish yellow. Back greenish yellow with a brownish yellow vertebral band, flanks slate gray, occasionally with one or two minute white spot(s), with an irregular black margin. Suprahumeral bar white with black margins (in one of the specimens photographed by C. Rivero-Blanco, there is a small white spot in the black margin above the white bar). Head ventrally and gular region dusty yellow, in some specimens with orange spots; remaining ventral region gray, lighter on escutcheon areas. Tail dark brown dorsally, lighter below; original tail may present a banding pattern, seen also in juveniles.

In females ( Fig. 8 B), dorsal region mottled with several hues of gray and brownish-gray. At each side a dorsolateral series of dark brown spots may be present. Suprahumeral bar white with dark brown, irregular margins. Ventral region light creamy gray with a pattern of brown chevrons on gular region; underside of tail cream, occasionally with dark and light rings present.

Distribution. Northwestern Venezuela, on the region of Cordillera de Mérida ( Fig. 3 A).

Remarks. Rivero-Blanco (1968) recorded this species as G. concinnatus from Reserva Florestal Ticoporo, Socopós, Barinas, Venezuela (number 42 in Fig. 3 A). Rivero-Blanco and Barrio-Amorós (2002) reported G. c. ligiae from distrito Páez, 7 km NE of La Victoria, Apure, Venezuela (number 40 in Fig. 3 A). Esqueda (2004b) recorded G. c. ligiae from Calderas, Barinas, Venezuela (number 43 in Fig. 3 A), not far from the type-locality.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Dorsal and ventral color patterns in preservative in the Gonatodes concinnatus complex. (A) pattern A (MZUSP 54655); (B) pattern B (TCWC 57237); (C) pattern C (MZUSP 53674, holotype); (D) pattern D (MPEG 25596, holotype); and (E) pattern E (MZUSP 49153, holotype). Scale bar = 5 mm.

FIGURE 2. Bivariate scattergrams from stepwise discriminant function analysis using scale counts and measurements. Red = Pattern A. Cyan-green = Pattern B. Lime-green = Pattern C. Yellow = Pattern D. Blue = Pattern E.

FIGURE 3. (A) Geographic distribution of Gonatodes concinnatus complex. (B) Detailed geographic distribution of Gonatodes concinnatus. Red = Gonatodes concinnatus (Pattern A). Cyan-green = Gonatodes ligiae (Pattern B). Lime-green = Gonatodes tapajonicus (Pattern C). Yellow = Gonatodes nascimentoi sp. nov. (Pattern D). Blue = Gonatodes riveroi sp. nov. (Pattern E). Open symbols = type-localities; half-black symbol = literature record; question mark = Pallatanga, Ecuador, probably in error; triangle = locality referred to only as ‘ Rio Napo’. Numbers refer to localities cited under each species. One number may represent more than one locality.

FIGURE 7. Gonatodes ligiae (TCWC 57237). (A) Dorsal and (B) ventral views of head; ventral views of (C) right hand and

FIGURE 8. Gonatodes ligiae from Parque Moromoy, Barinitas, Barinas, Venezuela. (A) Adult male and (B) adult female (Photos by Carlos Rivero-Blanco).