Phyllurus ossa COUPER, COVACEVICH & MORITZ, 1993
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Phyllurus ossa
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| Higher Taxa | Carphodactylidae, Gekkota, Sauria, Squamata (lizards: geckos) |
| Subspecies | Phyllurus ossa ossa COUPER, COVACEVICH & MORITZ 1993 Phyllurus ossa hobsoni COUPER & HOSKIN 2013 Phyllurus ossa tamoya COUPER & HOSKIN 2013 |
| Common Names | |
| Synonym | Phyllurus ossa COUPER, COVACEVICH & MORITZ 1993 Phyllurus ossa — COGGER 2000: 742 Phyllurus ossa — PIANKA & VITT 2003: 178 Phyllurus ossa — WILSON & SWAN 2010 Phyllurus ossa — COGGER 2014: 276 Phyllurus ossa — CHAPPLE et al. 2019: 112 Phyllurus ossa hobsoni COUPER & HOSKIN 2013 Phyllurus ossa tamoya COUPER & HOSKIN 2013 |
| Distribution | Australia (Queensland) ossa: Narrowly restricted to the Mirani area of the central Queensland coast (Fig. 10), with populations occurring in disjunct patches of habitat at Mt Pelion (20°57’S, 148°48’E; Stuart-Fox et al., 2001), Mt Ossa (20°58’S, 148°19’E), St Helen’s Gap (21°00’S, 148°42’E) and Mt Charlton (Mt Charlton (21°00’S, 148°43’E). Phyllurus ossa populations recently found to the north of these sites, at Mt Macartney (Cathu SF) and Mt Hector, appear to conform to P. ossa ossa but these need to be assessed in more detail. Type locality: Mt Ossa/Ossa Ck, via Mirani (20°56', 148°49') MEQ. hobsoni: Proserpine area of the mid eastern Queensland coast (Fig. 10), with disjunct populations on Mt Dryander (20°15’S, 148°33’E) and in the Conway Range (20°21’S, 148°48’E). Type locality: near Little Conway Mtn, Conway SF (20°27 ́S, 148°44 ́E) tamoya: Whitsunday Island (20° 15 ́S, 148° 57 ́E) in the Cumberland Group on the mid-eastern Queensland coast; Type locality: Sawmill Bay, Whitsunday Island (20° 15 ́30 ̋S, 148° 57 ́12 ̋E). |
| Reproduction | oviparous |
| Types | Holotype: QM J53444, Queensland Museum, female. Holotype: QM J89139, 20 October, 2010. Paratypes. QM J89129–89131, QMJ89154. Details as for holotype, except QM J89154 was collected 21 October, 2010 [tamoya] Holotype: QM J56773, P. Couper & B. Heinrich, 24 October 1992. Paratypes. QM J56775, QM J56791–92, Vine Ck, Mt Dryander (20°15 ́S, 148°33 ́E); QM J57898 Mt Dryander (20°15 ́S, 148°36 ́E); QM J90611–12 Deep Ck, Mt Dryander State Forest (20°16 ́30 ̋S, 148°33 ́45 ̋E); QM J56766–71, Brandy Ck, Conway Ra. (20°21 ́S, 148°41 ́E); QM J78761, Conway SF (20°21 ́04 ̋S, 148°43 ́38 ̋E); QM J90609, Mt Wilson, Conway NP (20°26 ́50 ̋S, 148°43 ́14 ̋E); QM J90610, Mt Wilson, Conway NP (20°26 ́48 ̋S, 148°43 ́16 ̋E); QM J56772, QMJ56774, near Little Conway Mtn, Conway SF (20°27 ́S,148°44 ́E); QM J83727, Conway, SF (20°23 ́44 ̋S, 148°43 ́53 ̋E) [hobsoni] |
| Diagnosis | DIAGNOSIS P. ossa is a moderately-spinose, medium-sized Phyllurus (maximum SVL 89mm). P. ossa may be distinguished from P. caudiannulatus by its rostral shield (rostral partially divided, Fig. 7f-h vs rostral totally divided, Fig. 7a); from P. isis, P. nepthys, and P. platurus by its rostral grooves (usually 3 grooves, sometimes 2, rarely 1, partially dividing the rostral, Fig. 7f-h vs a single groove partially dividing the rostral, Fig. 7e,ij). It can be distinguished further from P. nepthys by Its venter (immaculate vs heavily 'peppered' brown); from P. platurus by its original tail (with distinct white bands vs lacking white bands); and from P. isis by the size of its flank tubercules (moderate vs small). [from COUPER et al. 1993]. |
| Comment | Distribution: See map in Hoskin 2023: 234 (Fig. 1) |
| Etymology | Named for Mt Ossa, the type locality. The epithet is to be treated as a noun in apposition. Etymology (tamoya). The subspecific name recognises the contribution of Marine Parks staff in facilitating the field surveys undertaken on Whitsunday Island. Tamoya is the name of the Marine Parks vessel based at Airlie Beach that services the islands of the Cumberland Group. Etymology (hobsoni). Named for Rod Hobson of the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service for his many and varied contributions to the documentation and conservation of Queensland’s reptiles. Rod first notified us of the occurrence of a leaf-tailed gecko on Whitsunday Island and assisted with the collection of the type series. |
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