Strophurus congoo VANDERDUYS, 2016
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Strophurus congoo
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| Higher Taxa | Diplodactylidae, Gekkota, Sauria, Squamata (lizards: geckos) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | E: Congoo gecko |
| Synonym | Strophurus congoo VANDERDUYS 2016 |
| Distribution | Australia (N Queensland) Type locality: 17 km southeast of Petford, north Queensland, Australia (145°0'00 E, 17°30'00" S) |
| Reproduction | |
| Types | Holotype: QM J93409, female, collected by E. Vanderduys and A. Reside, 1 November 2013. Paratypes: Collection locations as above. QMJ88502, female collected by E. Vanderduys, 4 May 2009; QMJ93406, male; QMJ93407, male; QMJ93408, female; QMJ93411, male; all collected by E. Vanderduys and A. Reside, 1 November 2013. |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: The new species belongs to the family Diplodactylidae (as defined by Han et al. 2004), and conforms to the genus Strophurus as defined by Greer (1989) in having caudal glands and a conspicuous mouth colour. The new species also conforms in all respects to diagnostic features presented in comprehensive identification guides to Australian reptiles (Wilson & Swan 2013; Cogger 2014) and its antipredator strategies conform with those presented in Melville et al. (2004 as subgenus Strophurus). There is also strong support for Strophurus congoo sp. nov. falling within Strophurus based on genetic data (Oliver, pers. comm.). The presence of precloacal pores in males and the same genetic data suggest Strophurus congoo sp. nov. is a member of the S. ciliaris group (S. krisalys, S. ciliaris, S. wellingtonae (Storr), S. taenicauda (De Vis), S. williamsi, S. intermedius, S. rankini, S. spinigerus (Gray)). Strophurus congoo sp. nov. is a small (maximum SVL 49.1 mm), short-tailed (TL/SVL 0.45–0.56), faintly patterned or immaculate gecko from northeast Queensland, Australia. Strophurus congoo sp. nov. is readily distinguished from all other Strophurus by the combination of the following characters: its lack of enlarged tubercles, its generally dull pattern, with a scattering of dark grey spots, each occupying a single scale at most, and sometimes a very faint indication of slightly darker brown dorsal reticulations, and often faint longitudinal stripes along the tail. Ventral surface is demarcated from dorsal surface along the lower sides, the ventral surface being paler than the dorsal, usually with scattered darker spots, each occupying a single scale. The colour of the ventral surface of the tail is more strongly demarcated from the dorsal tail surface colour than on the body. Eye colour is cream with a pale brown to orange reticulum through the iris. The mouth lining is pale blue–purple. |
| Comment | Habitat: Strophurus congoo sp. nov. is known from a limited area of infertile granitic and rhyolite country in the Einasleigh Uplands bioregion within the northern Great Dividing Range, Queensland, Australia (Figure 1). The area is in the seasonally dry tropics, a region characterised by marked seasonal differences with a distinct wet season usually from December–April, and mostly dry for the remainder of the year. All individuals of Strophurus congoo sp. nov. were located within open Eucalyptus spp. woodland with Triodia bitextura hummocks, with or without other grass species and the shrub Jacksonia thesioides and sedge Schoenus sparteus ground cover (Figures 10 and 11). Abundance: only known from its original description (Meiri et al. 2017). |
| Etymology | Strophurus congoo sp. nov. is named in honour of Mr Tom Congoo, Bar-Barrum elder, and his family, who hold native title claim over the area where Strophurus congoo sp. nov. was first discovered. The specific epithet is used as a noun in apposition. Mr Congoo readily allowed our original survey team (EV plus former CSIRO staff members Nick Colman and Genevieve Perkins) to survey the area. |
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