Blaesodactylus ganzhorni VENCES, MIRALLES, INEICH, RAKOTOARISON, GLASENAPP, SCHERZ, KÖHLER, GLAW & RASELIMANANA, 2025
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Blaesodactylus ganzhorni
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| Higher Taxa | Gekkonidae, Gekkota, Sauria, Squamata (lizards: geckos) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | |
| Synonym | Blaesodactylus ganzhorni VENCES, MIRALLES, INEICH, RAKOTOARISON, GLASENAPP, SCHERZ, KÖHLER, GLAW & RASELIMANANA 2025: 241 |
| Distribution | Madagascar Type locality: Bendrao Forest ("Camp 3", geographical coordinates 18.7844° S, 44.8603° E, 427 m a.s.l.), Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park, Madagascar. |
| Reproduction | |
| Types | Holotype. ZSM 106/2006 (field number FGZC 885), adult male with everted hemipenes, collected by F. Glaw, J. Köhler, P. Bora and H. Enting on 26 March 2006. Paratypes. A total of ten specimens, all from western Madagascar. ZSM 825/2010 (ZCMV 12766), collected by A. Miralles and A. Rakotoarison on 4 December 2010 in the Kirindy reserve CNCEREF (base camp; 20.0674° S, 44.6569° E, 55 m a.s.l.); ZSM 232/2018 (FGZC 5729), adult male with everted hemipenes, collected by F. Glaw, D. Prötzel, N.A. Raharinoro, R.N. Ravelojaona, A. Razafimanantsoa, J. Forster, K. Glaw, T. Glaw & C. Zanotelli on 31 March 2018 in Katsepy, garden of hotel "Madame Chabaud" (15.7624° S, 46.2436° E, 9 m a.s.l.); ZSM 62/2023 (ZCMV 15810), collected at Tsingy de Namoroka, by A. Miralles, N. A. Rahagalala, A. Rakotoarison, D. Razafimanafo & A. Razafimanantsoa on 7 October 2023 at Tsingy de Namoroka (Campsite 1, east of Tsingy massif, near a small temporary lake, 16.4310° S 45.3661° E, 120 m a.a.l.); ZSM 86/2023 (ZCMV 15835), collected by A. Miralles, N. A. Rahagalala, A. Rakotoarison, D. Razafimanafo & A. Razafimanantsoa between 17:00 and 19:00 on 8 October 2023 at Namoroka (Petit Tsingy, east of Tsingy massif, 16.4354° S, 45.3684° E, 124 m a.s.l.); UADBA- ZCMV 15888, collected by A. Miralles, N. A. Rahagalala, A. Rakotoarison, D. Razafimanafo & A. Razafimanantsoa between 19:00 and 22:00 on 11 October 2023 at Namoroka (Vicinity of Camp 2: Grand Tsingy, south of the Tsingy massif, 16.4697° S, 45.3467° E, 135 m a.sl.); MNHN-RA 2013.1033 (I1764), collected by I. Ineich on 3 September 2012 at the Tsingy de Namoroka (16.4706° S, 45.4087° E, 139 m a.s.l.); MNHN-RA 2013.1034 (I1793b), collected by I. Ineich on 3 September 2012 at the Tsingy de Namoroka (16.4657 °S, 45.3531° E, 124 m a.s.l.); MNHN-RA 2013.1035 (I1793w), collected by I. Ineich on 8 September 2012 at the Tsingy de Namoroka (ca. 16.470° S, 45.336° E, ca. 125 m a.s.l.); MNHN-RA 2013.1036 (I1796), collected by I. Ineich on 3 September 2012 at the Tsingy de Namoroka (ca. 16.45° S, 45.35° E, ca. 145 m a.s.l.); MNHN-RA 2013.1037 (I1835), collected by I. Ineich on 10 September 2012 at the Tsingy de Namoroka (16.4675° S, 45.3594° E, 129 m a.s.l.). Additional material. Four additional voucher specimens are assigned to the new species but not included in the paratype series due to the lack of molecular identification: MNHN-RA 2016.0053 (I1261), collected by I. Ineich on 23 October 2016 at the Tsingy de Namoroka (16.40° S, 45.30° E, ca. 122 m a.s.l.); MNHN-RA 2016.0051 and MNHN-RA 2016.0052 (respectively I1406 and I1420), collected by I. Ineich on 29 October 2016 at the Tsingy de Namoroka (no GPS readings available); UABDA-ZCMV 12712 collected by A. Miralles & A. Rakotoarison on 29 November 2010 in the Kirindy reserve CNCEREF (no exact locality); ZSM 826/2010 (ZCMV 12750), collected by A. Miralles & A. Rakotoarison on 3 December 2010 in the Kirindy reserve CNCEREF (Sentier des Pandanus; 20.0763° S, 44.6748° E, 57 m a.s.l.). |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis. Assigned to the genus Blaesodactylus based on large body size (SVL up to 113 mm; MNHN- RA 2013.1035), undivided lamellae under fingers and toes, dorsal skin made up of small granular scales with intermittent, regularly spaced enlarged conical tubercles, and molecular phylogenetic relationships. Within the genus, B. ganzhorni sp. nov. is distinguished from B. ambonihazo by mostly having a grayish dorsal coloration in life, with poorly contrasted dark gray markings (vs. more contrasted, often brownish dorsal color, with dark brown color especially on tail crossbands); from B. antongilensis by grayish dorsal coloration with poorly contrasted dark gray markings (vs. more contrasted, often brownish dorsal color, with dark brown color especially on tail crossbands); from B. boivini by smaller body size (maximum recorded SVL 113 mm vs. 144 mm), less strongly expressed tubercles especially on the sides of the head and above the ear (vs. usually distinct tubercles present on side of the head and above ear), weakly expressed whorls of tubercles over full length of original tail (vs. pairs of tubercles on proximal third of tail) and a nostril usually not colored black inside (vs. nostrils black); from B. microtuberculatus by presence of prominent and at least partially and weakly keeled enlarged dorsal tubercles (vs. flattened, unkeeled and very inconspicuous), presence of caudal tubercles (vs. absence), uniformly pale gular region (vs. mottled), and a nostril not colored black (vs. nostrils black); and from B. victori by presence of prominent and at least partially and weakly keeled enlarged dorsal tubercles (vs. flattened and unkeeled), presence of caudal tubercles (vs. absence), absence of dorsal whitish circular spots (vs. presence), and a nostril not colored black (vs. nostrils black). [note that in rare cases the color of nostrils refers to the inner skin/mucosa surrounding the nostril opening and differences may not be obvious in preserved specimens, perhaps depending on the state of fixation]. The new species is most similar to its sister species, B. sakalava, but differs from it morphologically by a relatively longer head (HW/SED 0.65–0.84 vs. 0.87–0.95; Table 2), relatively longer postmentals scales relative to width of mental scale (ratio mental width vs. postmental length 0.61–0.67 vs. 0.78–0.90), less expressed tubercles on the dorsum and especially laterally on head, with no or only small tubercles visible above the ear in most specimens (vs. more distinct tubercles, usually several distinct tubercles visible above ear, see Fig.6), and probably larger longitudinal counts of dorsal and ventral scales, despite overlap in these values (LCDS 428–452 vs. 394–430; LCVS 185–213 vs. 173–189; Table 2). Additional details (6823 characters) are available for collaborators and contributors. Please contact us for details. |
| Comment | Distribution: see map in Vences et al. 2025: 237 (Fig. 3) for localities. |
| Etymology | Named after Jörg Ganzhorn, Hamburg University, in recognition of his enormous contributions to the research and conservation of Madagascar's biodiversity. |
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