Microgecko varaviensis GHOLAMIFARD, RASTEGAR-POUYANI & RASTEGAR-POUYANI, 2019
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Microgecko varaviensis
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| Higher Taxa | Gekkonidae, Gekkota, Sauria, Squamata (lizards: geckos) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | |
| Synonym | Microgecko varaviensis GHOLAMIFARD, RASTEGAR-POUYANI & RASTEGAR-POUYANI 2019: 440 Microgecko helenae helenae — GHOLAMIFARD & RASTEGAR-POUYANI 2015 |
| Distribution | Iran (S Zagros mountains) Type locality: Varavi Mountain, 27°30’27.4’’ N, 53°07’10.8’’ E and 1340 m a.s.l., Varavi District, Mohr County, southwest Fars Province, southern Iran |
| Reproduction | |
| Types | Holotype. RUZM GT.11.57, collected on 3 September 2013 at about 03h10 by A. Gholamifard. Paratypes. RUZM GT.11.58–63, GT.11.111–112 (n=8), collected at the same locality as the holotype on 3 September 2013 from about 03h10 to 07h00 by A. Gholamifard and local field assistants. |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: Microgecko varaviensis sp. nov. (Figs. 2–4) is a small gecko with a maximum known snout-vent length (SVL) of 28.3 mm. The species possesses all diagnostic characters of the genus Microgecko (sensu Bauer et al. 2013). Microgecko varaviensis sp. nov. has a dorsum without any distinct or indistinct crossbars, with light white spots (Figs. 2–3); and the regenerated portion of tail in M. varaviensis sp. nov. is yellow to brownish-yellow (Fig. 2). In the new species four scales border the nostril (SBN) instead of five (Fig. 9); the number of ventral scales from behind the postmentals to a level of vent (GVA) is 101–114; the range of dorsal scales in midline between axilla to groin (AGS) is 56–71; and the supranasals (internasals) are separated by two granular scales (Fig. 10a). Microgecko varaviensis sp. nov. has 6–7 (mean 6.27) supraliabial and 5–6 (mean 5.73) infralabial scales. |
| Comment | Distribution: for a map see GHOLAMIFARD et al 2019: 436 (Fig. 1). Habitat. The type locality of M. varaviensis sp. nov. is in a mountainous area (Varavi Mountain) in the southern parts of the Zagros Mountains, about 45 km from the Persian Gulf (Figs. 1, 5 in GHOLAMIFARD et al 2019). Varavi Mountain is a long massif with a length of 124 km and width of 4–8 km and extends from the western border of the Mohr Township to the eastern border of Lamerd Township, both in the southwest of Fars Province. It is parallel with the southern limit of the Zagros Mountains in Bushehr and Hormozgan Provinces (Fig. 5a). The vegetation of the type locality consists of different species of thorny bushes (Astragalus), seasonal herbaceous cover, thin growth of wild Ziziphus trees, and sparse wild almond trees Amygdalus scoparia Spach, wild pistachio (common name in Persian is Baneh) Pistacia atlantica Desfontaines, and wild fig Ficus sp. (Fig. 5b). Woody elements of the vegetation are more abundant at higher elevations and in intact areas of Varavi Mountain. |
| Etymology | The species is named after the region where the type material was collected (Varavi Mountain, Varavi District, Fars Province, southern Iran). |
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