Gehyra fenestrula DOUGHTY, BAUER, PEPPER & KEOGH, 2018
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Higher Taxa | Gekkonidae, Gekkota, Sauria, Squamata (lizards: geckos) |
Subspecies | |
Common Names | E: Hamersley Range Spotted Gehyra |
Synonym | Gehyra fenestrula DOUGHTY, BAUER, PEPPER & KEOGH 2018: 24 |
Distribution | Australia (Western Australia: SE Pilbara) Type locality: Wheelarra Hill (PBS site BDRS03; 23.3586°S, 120.4590°E) |
Reproduction | oviparous (not imputed, fide Zimin et al. 2022) |
Types | Holotype: WAM R111769, male collected by Pearson, D., Morris, K. and Pepper, M. on 2 October 2005. Paratypes: WAM R71633 (male), 21 km west-south-west Marillana homestead (22.67°S, 119.22°E); WAM R114337 (male), 35 km southeast of Prarie Downs (23.7166°S, 119.4333°E); WAM R125083, (female), 15 km east of Newman (23.37°S, 119.90°E); WAM R127475 (female), 32 km south of Newman (23.65°S, 119.72°E); WAM R129925 (female), West Angelas, 100 km west-north-west from Newman (23.25°S, 118.67°E); WAM R135018 (female), Mt Whaleback (23.3347°S; 119.6694°E), all from Western Australia. |
Diagnosis | DIAGNOSIS: Differs from non-Australian Gehyra by lack of extensive webbing between toes III and IV and a cutaneous fold along the posterior margin of the hindlimb, and the presence of transversely widened subcaudal scales. Distinguished from other Australian Gehyra by moderately small body size (to 48.0 mm SVL), depressed body and head, moderately long and narrow snout with swollen nostril region, gabled rostral, upper postnasal slightly smaller than lower, 0–2 internasals, 8–10 supralabials, first supralabial narrower and taller than second, inner chin shields usually in contact with second infralabial, or if not, narrowly excluded, first parinfralabial encroaching on second or rarely third infralabial, fourth finger lamellae 5–6, fourth toe lamellae 6–7, lamellae divided and lacking wedge of granules at base of toe, pre-cloacal pores in adult males 9–12; in preservative, light to dark brown background colour, dorsal pattern with small widely scattered spots, spots formed by dark (anterior) and pale (posterior) elements in contact, spots sometimes forming irregular transverse rows; loreal and temporal head stripes moderately developed, canthal stripe weak, post- orbital stripes absent or reduced to a spot; white patch above and below loreal and occasionally temporal stripe. Further distinguished from other Gehyra from the region with reddish-brown colouration as follows: from G. punctata, G. macra sp. nov., G. punctulata sp. nov. and G. polka sp. nov. by smaller body size and fewer subdigital lamellae; further distinguished from G. macra sp. nov. by adult males possessing fewer pre-cloacal pores (9–12 vs. 14–21); from G. media sp. nov., G. micra sp. nov. and G. peninsularis sp. nov. by more numerous supralabials; from G. pilbara by longer and more depressed head, longer inner chin shields in contact with second infralabial and spots on dorsum more clearly demarcated from background colour; and from G. montium by fewer subdigital lamellae and lacking short bars (vs spots) or network of irregular dark lines. |
Comment | Habitat: ironstone outcrops, under granite, caprock, edge of river gorge and shrubland and spinifex steppe on Mt Whaleback. Distribution: see map in Doughty et al. 2018: 8 (Fig. 3). |
Etymology | Fenestrula is the diminutive of fenestra and refers to the fact that this species is the smallest member of the large-bodied G. punctata complex lineage, to which the junior synonym G. fenestra Mitchell belongs. The name thereby acknowledges Mitchell’s contributions to Pilbara Gehyra systematics despite having his name of fenestra being a junior synonym of punctata owing to the inability of WAM staff to locate Fry’s punctata type in the 1960s. |
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