Phyllopezus selmae DUBEUX, GONÇALVES, PALMEIRA, NUNES, CASSIMIRO, GAMBLE, WERNECK, RODRIGUES & MOTT, 2022
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Phyllopezus selmae
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| Higher Taxa | Phyllodactylidae, Gekkota, Sauria, Squamata (lizards: geckos) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | |
| Synonym | Phyllopezus selmae DUBEUX, GONÇALVES, PALMEIRA, NUNES, CASSIMIRO, GAMBLE, WERNECK, RODRIGUES & MOTT 2022 |
| Distribution | Brazil (Alagoas), elevation 68 m (municipality of Coruripe) to 780 m a.s.l. (top of the rock formation of Pedra Talhada, municipality of Quebrangulo) Type locality: Cariri da Prensa Farm (9°41’41”S, 36°12’16”W; 83 m a.s.l.), municipality of Boca da Mata, Alagoas state, Brazil |
| Reproduction | |
| Types | Holotype: MHNUFAL 13481, adult female, from Cariri da Prensa Farm (9°41’41”S, 36°12’16”W; 83 m a.s.l.), municipality of Boca da Mata, Alagoas state, Brazil, collected by U. Gonçalves and C. Palmeira on 15 January 2014. Paratypes: MHNUFAL 13482, adult female, collected on 3 January 2017, from the same locality of holotype (topotypes); MHNUFAL 12169, CHUFPE-R 1002, 1003, adult females and MHNUFAL 12168, 12172, CHUFPE-R 1004, adult males, collected on 9 July 2015; MZUSP 106766, 106767, adult females and CHUFPE-R 1005, MZUSP 106768, adult males, collected on 20 January 2015, and MHNUFAL 12396, 12397, 12399, 12400, MZUSP 106769; adult males, collected on 16 November 2015, from municipality of Limoeiro de Anadia, Alagoas state, Brazil (9°47’05”S, 36°28’04”W; 117 m a.s.l.); MHNUFAL 12449, adult female, and MHNUFAL 12128, adult male, collected on 7 July 2015, from municipality of Coruripe, Alagoas state, Brazil (10°03’17”S, 36°16’32”W; 68 m a.s.l.); MHNUFAL 10200, adult female collected on 23 January 2015, from municipality of Igaci, Alagoas state, Brazil (9°32’00”S, 36°36’43”W; 269 m a.s.l.), all paratypes above were collected by U. Gonçalves and C.N.S. Palmeira; MHNUFAL 12401, adult male, collected by Selma Torquat on 13 June 1999, MHNUFAL 16198, adult male and MHNUFAL 16199, juvenile unsexed, collected by M.J.M. Dubeux on 21 April 2019, from municipality of Quebrangulo, Alagoas state, Brazil (9°15’22”S, 36°25’43”W; 780 m a.s.l.). |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: Phyllopezus selmae is characterized by the following combination of characters: (1) Mental scales in bell shaped, with concave margins and a slight central constriction, similar length and width and posterior margin not exceeding the second infralabial; (2) postmental scales enlarged, hexagonal, twice as long as wide, with broad contact each other and previously separated by about 1/5 of its length by the mental scale; (3) up to two scales in contact with the ventral margin of first infralabial; (4) enlarged scales surrounding and separating postmental scales from granules of the gular region; (5) six to seven infralabial scales; (6) cycloid and imbricated scales of similar size in distal region of mandible; (7) enlarged dorsal tubercles, corresponding to about six granular scales, elongated and slightly keeled; (8) developed pollex; (9) cycloid or triangular scales around the auditory meatus, appears somewhat bristly; (10) homogeneous scales of the same size in the region of the labial commissure; (11) up to two tubercles or tubercles absents in the angular region between the upper and lower edges of the opening of the auditory meatus and eyes; (12) postcloacal pores not always present; and (13) large sized, SVL 89.2–100.24 mm in males, and 83.5–99.47 mm in females. (DUBEUX et al. 2022) |
| Comment | Behavior: Phyllopezus selmae is a nocturnal. When specimens were captured, they twisted their body by turning quickly to the side, and when attempting to bite would produce an agonistic “squeaking” sound (not recorded). (Dubeux et al. 2022) Sympatry: The species was also found sharing bromeliads with P. lutzae. |
| Etymology | The name of species is in honor of Selma Torquato, curator of Coleção Herpetológica do Museu de História Natural da Universidade Federal de Alagoas who has generously provided many opportunities for herpetologists to study the amphibian and reptile specimens under her care. |
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