Gonatodes naufragus RIVAS, UGUETO, SCHARGEL, BARROS, VELOZO & SÁNCHEZ, 2013
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Higher Taxa | Sphaerodactylidae, Gekkota, Sauria, Squamata (lizards: geckos) |
Subspecies | |
Common Names | E: La Blanquilla Clawed Gecko |
Synonym | Gonatodes naufragus RIVAS, UGUETO, SCHARGEL, BARROS, VELOZO & SÁNCHEZ 2013 |
Distribution | Venezuela (Isla La Blanquilla) Type locality: Playa Juan Gerardo (11°52’34.92”N, 64°37’36.68”W), 3 m elevation), La Blanquilla, Dependencias Federales, Venezuela |
Reproduction | oviparous (not imputed, fide Zimin et al. 2022) |
Types | Holotype: EBRG 5224 (Figs. 1, 4E), an adult female, collected on 20 October 2010, by Gilson A. Rivas, José J. Rodríguez and Ronnis Guevara. Paratypes. MBLUZ 1010, an adult male, with same data as holotype. MBLUZ 1011, female, between Playa Juan Gerardo and Playa El Barco, La Blanquilla (11°53’22.84”N–64°37’10.62”W) by Gilson A. Rivas, José J. Rodríguez and Ronnis Guevara. MBLUZ 1012, female, and MBLUZ 1013, hatchling, from Playa Piedra Ahogada, La Blanquilla (11°49’23.87”N–64°38’09.15”W), 10 m asl, obtained on 21 October 2010 by Gilson A. Rivas, José J. Rodríguez and Ronnis Guevara. MBLUZ 1147, male, on 1 February 2012 by Gilson A. Rivas, Angel Fernández, Jose J. Rodríguez and Jackeline Reid. MBLUZ 1146, ju- venile, lomas de granito, La Blanquilla (11°51’53.42”N– 64°37’25.41”W), 15 m asl on 25 January 2012, 5 m asl. by Gilson A. Rivas, Angel Fernandez, Jose J. Rodriguez and Jackeline Reid. MBLUZ 1148, female, La Blanquilla (11°51’32.24”N–64°37’27.17”W), 20 m asl. on 2 February 2012, by Gilson A. Rivas, Angel Fernandez, Jose J. Rodri- guez and Jackeline Reid. |
Diagnosis | Diagnosis: The new species can be distinguished from all congeners by the following unique combination of characters: (1) small body size, with adults ranging from 23.3–27.2 mm SVL, (2) rostral distinctly acumi- nate and elongated, (3) pupil vertically elliptical, (4) ab- sence of a clearly differentiated elongate supraciliary spine, (5) dorsal scales bulky and relatively small but not granular, (6) absence of clusters of distinctly enlarged conical scales on sides, (7) 52–53 scales around mid- body, (8) 35–38 ventral scales counted in a longitudinal row, (9) escutcheon scales on posterior belly and ventral surfaces of thighs in males evident, (10) one to two lateral rows of scales on distal part of finger and toes (Fig. 2), (11) midventral scales distinctly wider than long, forming a repetitive sequence (only in the original tail) of a single midventral scale in contact laterodistally with one scale per side followed by a single midventral scale in contact with two scales per side (1’1”sensu Avila-Pires, 1995; sub- caudal pattern type C sensu Rivero-Blanco and Schargel, 2012, Fig. 3), (12) adults (both sexes) with uniform red- dish brown dorsal coloration and hatchlings with striped pattern, conspicuously different from that of adults. |
Comment | |
Etymology | The specific epithet naufragus is a Latin masculine adjective, meaning “shipwrecked” or “cast-away”, alluding to how a putative ancestor of this species could have colonized Isla La Blanquilla, remaining stranded on this small island and evolving in isolation from its congeners. |
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