Exploration into the hidden world of Mozambique's sky island forests: new discoveries of reptiles and amphibians
Author
Conradie, Werner
Port Elizabeth Museum (Bayworld), P. O. Box 13147, Humewood 6013, South Africa & South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity, P / Bag 1015, Grahamstown, 6140, South Africa
werner@bayworld.co.za
Author
Bittencourt-Silva, Gabriela B.
University of Basel, Biogeography Research Group, Department of Environmental Sciences, Basel 4056, Switzerland
Author
Engelbrecht, Hanlie M.
South African National Biodiversity Institute, Private Bag X 7, Claremont, 7735, South Africa & Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Matieland 7602, Stellenbosch, South Africa
Author
Loader, Simon P.
University of Roehampton, Department of Life Sciences, London, SW 15 4 JD, United Kingdom
Author
Menegon, Michele
MUSE, Museo delle Scienze, Viale del Lavoro e delle Scienza, 3 Trento 38122, Italy
Author
Nanvonamuquitxo, Cristovao
Faculty of Natural Sciences, Lurio University, Pemba, 958, Mozambique
Author
Scott, Michael
Khangela Safaris, www. khangelasafaris. com, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
Author
Tolley, Krystal A.
South African National Biodiversity Institute, Private Bag X 7, Claremont, 7735, South Africa & Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Matieland 7602, Stellenbosch, South Africa
text
Zoosystematics and Evolution
2016
2016-09-26
92
2
163
180
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zse.92.9948
journal article
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zse.92.9948
1860-0743-2-163
9DA068DAB881409199FE252D31DDC7D1
FFCC824A3E5F060CFFF2FF83B964FFD2
155320
Lygodactylus cf. rex Broadley, 1963
Material
Mt. Mabu
(PEM
R21147
, male,
48.1 mm
SVL; PEM
R21148
, male,
42.1 mm
SVL)
.
Comments
Specimens were collected from tree trunks in transitional miombo at lower slopes (Fig.
4D
). These large geckos are morphologically similar to
Lygodactylus rex
from Mt. Mulanje in that they share the large size of typical
Lygodactylus rex
(up to 55 SVL:
Portik et al. 2013b
), the mental scale is very shallow with lateral slits, and the conspicuous ocellus (spot) above the shoulder. Given the high level of genetic diversity in montane species of this genus (
Portik et al. 2013b
,
Travers et al. 2014
) this could either represent an extension of its distribution or a new species. For that reason, we tentatively assign it to
Lygodactylus rex
.