Lygodactylus andavambato VENCES, HERRMANN, MULTZSCH, GIPPNER, RAZAFIMANAFO, NY ANDO RAHAGALALA, SANDRATRA RAKOTOMANGA, CROTTINI, GEHRING, RAKOTOARISON, GLAW & MIRALLES, 2025
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Lygodactylus andavambato
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| Higher Taxa | Gekkonidae, Gekkota, Sauria, Squamata (lizards: geckos) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | |
| Synonym | Lygodactylus andavambato VENCES, HERRMANN, MULTZSCH, GIPPNER, RAZAFIMANAFO, RAHAGALALA, RAKOTOMANGA, RAKOTOARISON, GLAW & MIRALLES 2025: 312 |
| Distribution | NW Madagascar (Tsingy de Namoroka National Park) Type locality: Tsingy de Namoroka National Park, Petit Tsingy (east of the massif), 16.43541°S, 45.36837°E, ca. 125 m a.s.l., northwestern Madagascar |
| Reproduction | |
| Types | Holotype. ZSM 74/2023 (field number zCMV 15818), female, collected between 7:00 am and 9:00 am, on 8 october 2023, by A. Miralles, N. A. rahagalala, A. rakotoarison, D. razafimanafo and A. razafimanantsoa. Paratypes (n=6). uADBA-zCMV 15817 (MIrzC 1275), tsingy de Namoroka, same data as holotype. zSM 75/2023 (zCMV 15851), collected in forested savannah with baobab trees at the eastern border of tsingy de Namoroka National Park, approximately 20 min by walking to the east of a large temporary lake (no exact locality, lake coordinates: 16.43104°S 45.36611°E, ca. 120 m a.s.l.), between 08:00 and 09:30 pm, on 9 october 2023, by A. Miralles, N. A. rahagalala, A. rakotoarison, D. razafimanafo, and A. razafimanantsoa. uADBA-zCMV 15878, zSM 76/2023 (zCMV 15886), uADBA-zCMV 15887, all three collected from tsingy de Namoroka National Park, Campsite 2, near grand tsingy (south of the tsingy massif), 16.46933°S, 45.34853°E, ca. 145 m a.s.l., around 02:00 pm and between 07:00 and 10:00 pm, on 11th of october 2023, by A. Miralles, N. A. rahagalala, A. rakotoarison, D. razafimanafo and A. razafimanantsoa. zSM 297/2018, tsingy de Namoroka National Park, without further information, donated by H.-P. Berghof, collected in 2018 by local collectors. |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: Lygodactylus andavambato sp. nov. is characterized as member of the L. tolampyae complex (and thereby distinguishable from all other Malagasy Lygodactylus not belonging to the complex) by combination of a mental scale semi-divided by a suture, broad contact of the posterior projection of the mental scale with the first infralabial scale, and three postmental scales; and absence of whorls on the tail. From all other species in the L. tolampyae complex, the new species is distinguished by its uniquely slender appearance (vs. more robust appearance), combined with regular dark–light alternating crossbands of similar width on tail (vs. absence of regular crossbands on tail or a few dark crossbands much narrower than intervening light areas); as well as presence of 3 internasal scales (2 in one specimen) vs. 1–2 internasals in all or almost all individuals of the other species; and a smaller relative eye diameter (ratio ED/SVl 0.05 in three of four specimens, vs. 0.06–0.08 in most specimens of all other species, which only very few individuals having a ratio of 0.05). Further differences, although usually with overlap of values, are as follows: distinguished from L. herilalai by a higher longitudinal count of ventral scales (lCVS 110–115 vs. 98–106); from L. morii by a lower longitudinal count of dorsal scales (lCDS 222–240 vs. 225–269) and a smaller posterior contact between mental and first infralabial scale (relative PMS 15.1–29.4 vs. 28.5–49.5); from L. schwitzeri by a lower longitudinal count of dorsal scales (lCDS 222–240 vs. 240–271); and from L. tolampyae, by a relatively longer hindlimbs (ratio HIl/SVl 0.49–0.63 vs. 0.45–0.52). From a molecular perspective, the new species is characterized by numerous diagnostic nucleotide positions in the mitochondrial 16S rrNA gene (see table 2). (Vences et al. 2025) Unfortunately we had to temporarily remove additional information as this was scraped by multiple AI companies who sell that data to their customers. These details, e.g. detailed descriptions or comparisons (about 3146 characters) are available for collaborators and contributors. Please contact us for details. |
| Comment | |
| Etymology | Named after the Malagasy word “lavabato,” which refers to caves formed in the limestone karstic rock formations. the term “an-davambato” means “living in a cave,” indicating that the species was discovered in these unique geological formations. the name is used as a noun in apposition. |
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