Cnemaspis tanintharyi LEE, MILLER, ZUG & MULCAHY, 2019
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Cnemaspis tanintharyi
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| Higher Taxa | Gekkonidae, Gekkota, Sauria, Squamata (lizards: geckos) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | E: Tanintharyi Rock Gecko |
| Synonym | Cnemaspis tanintharyi LEE, MILLER, ZUG & MULCAHY 2019 |
| Distribution | Myanmar (Tanintharyi Region) Type locality: near Payarhtan Cave, 28 km from Bokpyin town, proposed Lenya National Park, Tanintharyi Region, Myanmar (11.22945°N, 99.17611°E; 55 m elevation). |
| Reproduction | |
| Types | Holotype: USNM 587514 (GenBank accession no. MN104944), adult male collected by Daniel G. Mulcahy, Myint Kyaw Thura and Thaw Zin on 17 May 2015, between 0830–1000 h. Paratypes. Adult males: USNM 594371 (GenBank accession no. MN104946), collected by Daniel G. Mul- cahy, Myint Kyaw Thura, and Thaw Zin on 19 May 2016, 0845–1045 h, near Nint Tenku village, proposed Le- nya National Park extension, Tanintharyi Region, Myanmar (11.45189°N, 99.22590°E; 54 m elevation); USNM 594372–594374 (GenBank accession nos. MN104947–49 respectively), collected by Grant Connette and Katherine J. LaJeunesse Connette on 22 May 2016, 1620–2200 h, same location as the holotype. One of these specimens, USNM 594373, is immature and was only included in the molecular analysis. |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: Cnemaspis tanintharyi sp. nov. is a diminutive member of the C. kandiana group distinguished from all other members of the group by the combination of the following morphological characters: 1) a maximum SVL of 29.6 mm; 2) each postmental bordered by 2–4 scales; 3) four spine-like ventrolateral tubercles on flank; 4) gular scales smooth; 5) pectoral scales keeled, abdominal scales smooth; 6) ventral scales smooth; 7) 2–4 precloacal pores; 8) 4–5 femoral pores on each leg; 9) subcaudal scales smooth, scales on median row enlarged and smooth; 10) coloration of the gular region beige, dark gray-brown with dark blue hueing towards throat; 11) 6–7 supralabi- als; 12) 5–7 infralabials; 13) 15–18 subdigital lamellae on the 4th toe; 14) 21–23 ventral scales at midbody. Comparisons. We compare the species Cnemaspis tanintharyi sp. nov. to all other members of the Cnemaspis kandiana group from southern Thailand, Sumatra and islands off its western coast and the Bay of Bengal. Further comparisons can be found in Table 3. C. tanintharyi sp. nov. is distinguished from Cnemaspis phuketensis Das & Leong, 2004 by having an enlarged medial subcaudal row (versus subequal), presence of both precloacal and femo- ral pores in males (versus both absent) and smooth gular scales (versus keeled). From the adjacent species C. thay- awthadangyi sp. nov., C. tanintharyi sp. nov. is distinguished by 21–23 ventral scales at midbody (versus 18–20), ventral scales on pectoral, abdominal, subcaudal and thigh regions smooth (versus all keeled), HeadD 26.1–32.5% of HeadL (versus 34.4–36.5%) and a gular coloration that is beige, dark gray-brown with dark-blue hueing towards throat (versus gular coloration with irregularly-shaped dark-gray streaks). From species of Cnemaspis in the Bay of Bengal, C. tanintharyi sp. nov. can be distinguished from C. andersonii by the presence of smooth gular scales (versus weakly keeled), keeled pectoral scales (versus smooth), the presence of enlarged medial subcaudals (versus subcaudals equal sized) and a blotched coloration with dark-edged blotches sometimes present (versus coloration plain brown, rather immaculate) and from C. wicksi by having 6–7 supralabials (versus 5 supralabials), 15–18 sub- digital lamellae on the 4th toe (versus 14), the presence of smooth gular scales (versus keeled) and a blotched color pattern (versus no prominent features on color pattern). The presence of smooth gular scales distinguishes C. tanintharyi sp. nov. from all members of the C. kandi- ana species group found in Sumatra and adjacent islands (versus keeled in Cnemaspis aceh Iskandar, McGuire & Amarasinghe, 2017, Cnemaspis dezwaani Das, 2005, Cnemaspis jacobsoni Das, 2005, Cnemaspis minang Iskandar, McGuire & Amarasinghe, 2017, Cnemaspis modiglianii Das, 2005, Cnemaspis pagai Iskandar, McGuire & Amar- asinghe, 2017, Cnemaspi tapanuli Iskandar, McGuire & Amarasinghe, 2017 and Cnemaspis whittenorum Das, 2005 except for C. andalas Iskandar, McGuire & Amarasinghe, 2017. C. tanintharyi sp. nov. is distinguished from C. andalas by having 2–4 precloacal pores (versus six), 15–18 subdigital lamellae on the 4th toe (versus 18–20) and by four spine-like tubercles on the flank (versus six). |
| Comment | Habitat: Both localities are situated near karst outcrops, with the surrounding habitat consisting of lowland tropical rainforest dominated by dipterocarp trees. Specimens were col- lected on karst outcrops and low down on the tree buttress of large dipterocarps. The immature specimen was found at dusk on a karst formation (G. Connette, pers. comm.). The type specimen was collected inside the margins of a cave during the day and the Nint Tenku specimen was collected during the morning from the buttress of a large dipterocarp tree, while running up the buttress after raking leaf litter. Like other species of the Cnemaspis kandiana group, this species probably uses caves, crevices, or leaf-litter as shelter. Sympatry: C. siamensis (at Nint Tenku). |
| Etymology | The specific epithet refers to the type locality of this species situated in the Tanintharyi Region, Myanmar. |
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