Gekko melli (VOGT, 1922)
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Gekko melli
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| Higher Taxa | Gekkonidae, Gekkota, Sauria, Squamata (lizards: geckos) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | E: Mell’s gecko Chinese: 梅氏壁虎 |
| Synonym | Gecko melli VOGT 1922 Gekko melli — RÖSLER et al. 2004 Gekko melli — RÖSLER & TIEDEMANN 2007 Gekko melli — YANG et al. 2012 Gekko (Japonigekko) melli — WOOD et al. 2019 Gekko (Japonicgekko) melli — LYU et al. 2021: 247 (in error) Gekko (Japonigekko) melli — WOOD et al. 2020 |
| Distribution | S China (NE Guangdong, S Jiangxi, Fujian) Type locality: none given in original description. Restricted to northeastern Kuangtung (= Guangdong) by a lectotype designation, but the exact type locality is still unknown (Bauer & Günther 1991; Rösler & Tiedemann 2007). Elevation 130–640 m. |
| Reproduction | oviparous |
| Types | Holotype: ZMB 27659a, adult male; Paralectotype. ZMB 27659 B, juvenile |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis. Based on the types and the additional specimens, we here present the diagnostic characters of G. melli. Gekko melli can be distinguished from all other species of Gekko by the following combination of characters: a medium-sized species of the genus Gekko (SVL 59.7–84.6 mm); supralabials 10–13; infralabials 9–12; nares contacting the rostral; internasal single; nasals 3; interorbitals 34–40; dorsal tubercles absent; dorsal scale rows at mid-body 147–160; ventral scales between the ventrolateral folds at midbody 43–49; scansors under the first toe 10–12, under the fourth toe 11–14; fingers and toes webbed; precloacal pores 9–11; postcloacal tubercles one; dorsal scale of the middle of the third caudal whorl in 9 rows; subcaudals enlarged. Of the currently recognized 48 species of the genus Gekko, only five species share with G. melli a lack of dorsal tubercles: G. athymus Brown & Alcala, G. scientiadventura Rösler, Ziegler, Vu, Herrmann & Böhme, G. subpalmatus, G. tawaensis Okada and G. truongi Phung & Ziegler. For the comparison of G. melli with other five species without dorsal tubercles see Table 3. Comparative data were obtained from the literature (Zhao et al. 1999; Rösler et al. 2005; Rösler & Tiedemann 2007; Rösler et al. 2011; Phung & Ziegler 2011) [YANG et al. 2012]. Revised diagnosis. (1) medium-sized gecko species, SVL 64.5–80.3 in adults; (2) tubercles on dorsal body, limbs and tail absent; (3) eye moderate, ED/HL ratio 0.21–0.24; (4) rostral moderate, RW/HW ratio 0.20–0.22, RW/RH ratio 1.83–2.13; (5) mental elongate transversely, MW/HW ratio 0.14–0.18, MW/ML ratio 1.11–1.56; (6) nares bordered with rostral, internasals 1–2; (7) interorbital scales between anterior corners of the eyes 34–40; (8) midbody scale rows 148–160; (9) ventral scale rows at midbody 44–46; (10) scales between mental and cloacal slit 171–192; (11) subdigital lamellae on first fingers 9–11, on fourth fingers 9–14, on first toes 10–12, on fourth toes 11–14; (12) fingers and toes with distinct webbing; (13) 9–11 precloacal pores in a continuous row in males; (14) a single postcloacal tubercle on both sides; (14) dorsum greyish white to dark brown, with iregular large dark patches between nape and sacrum; (15) top of head with an small incomplete W-shaped marking, and posteriorly followed by a large inverted W-shaped marking on dorsal neck. (Fig. 6B) (from Lyu et al. 2021). |
| Comment | Variation: the color pattern of this species is quite variable (YANG et al. 2005). Synonymy: Gekko melli has been previously synonymized with G. subpalmatus but revalidated by RÖSLER et al. 2005 and RÖSLER & TIEDEMANN 2007. These authors also synonymized G. subpalmatus with G. chinensis. |
| Etymology | Named after the collector Rudolf Emil Mell (1878–1970), who was the director of the German-Chinese Middle School at Canton [= Guangzhou City] and collected many animal specimens in Guangdong. |
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