Post by Ceratodromeus on Feb 29, 2016 3:34:10 GMT 5
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Lacertilia
Family: Gekkonidae
Subfamily: Gekkoninae
Genus: Cyrtodactylus
Species: C.rex
Description
The bent toed geckos(members of the Cyrtodactylus genus) are a very sucessful group of geckos with a widespread geographic radiation with multiple species have been described within the last year. The largest of which, New Guinea bow-fingered gecko(C.novaeguinae), is widespread in its own right -- being found throughout most of New Guinea. Morphological analysis on this species conducted on museum specimens this year have shown that there are mitochondrial DNA divergences, as well as differences in morphology, have split the C.novaeguinae complex into multiple species{1}. C.rex is distinguishable from other members of this complex by size(maximum snout-vent length is 172mm(6.7in); longer then other species by as much as 33mm(1.2in) )a typically higher number of ventral scales(49-60), higher numbers of dorsal tubercle rows, and patterning, as well as having a proportionately wider head.
There doesn't appear to be any real sexual dimorphism; both sexes are around the same length, with females being slightly longer. Females ranged from 128-172mm(5.0-6.7in) in snout-vent length, with an average of 154.3mm(6.0in). Males ranged from 127-165mm(5-6.4in) with an average of 153mm(6.02in). The snout vent length being longer than other Cyrtodactylus species gives this animal it's species name of "rex"(king in latin).
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{1}The Knight and the King: two new species of giant bent-toed gecko (Cyrtodactylus, Gekkonidae, Squamata) from northern New Guinea, with comments on endemism in the North Papuan Mountains
Abstract
The diverse biota of New Guinea includes many nominally widespread species that actually comprise multiple deeply divergent lineages with more localised histories of evolution. Here we investigate the systematics of the very large geckos of the Cyrtodactylus novaeguineae complex using molecular and morphological data. These data reveal two widespread and divergent lineages that can be distinguished from each other, and from type material of Cyrtodactylus novaeguineae, by aspects of size, build, coloration and male scalation. On the basis of these differences we describe two new species. Both have wide distributions that overlap extensively in the foothill forests of the North Papuan Mountains, however one is seemingly restricted to hill and lower montane forests on the ranges themselves, while the other is more widespread throughout the surrounding lowlands. The taxon endemic to the North Papuan Mountains is related to an apparently lowland form currently known only from Waigeo and Batanta Island far to the west – hinting at a history on island arcs that accreted to form the North Papuan Mountains.
link to paper
