Geographic structure of genetic variation in the Parachute Gecko Ptychozoon lionotum Annandale, 1905 across Indochina and Sundaland with descriptions of three new species
Author
Grismer, L. Lee
Author
Wood Jr, Perry L.
Author
Grismer, Jesse L.
Author
Quah, Evan S. H.
Author
Thy, Neang
Author
Phimmachak, Somphouthone
Author
Sivongxay, Niane
Author
Seateun, Sengvilay
Author
Stuart, Bryan L.
Author
Siler, Cameron B.
Author
Mulcahy, Daniel G.
Author
Anamza, Tashitso
Author
Brown, Rafe M.
text
Zootaxa
2019
2019-07-16
4638
2
151
198
journal article
26200
10.11646/zootaxa.4638.2.1
008c2ce6-d9ae-424c-9e2b-0d16d9da40e7
1175-5326
3337640
FF159163-7F48-4FB3-B4DF-57527860EA36
Ptychozoon kabkaebin
sp. nov.
Lao Parachute Gecko
Fig. 10
Ptychozoon lionotum
Teynié
et al.,
2014:35
(in part);
Manthey & Manthey, 2017:42
Holotype
.
NCSM 80585
adult female collected by
Sengvilay Seateun
and
Misan Keooudone
on
16 June 2012
from
Houay Ta Ang Stream
,
Pakkading District
,
Bolikhamxay Province
,
Laos
(
18.32997°N
,
103.99140°E
,
163 m
above sea level
).
Paratypes
.
FMNH
271140
adult female collected by
Bryan L. Stuart
,
Somphouthone Phimmachak
, and
Niane Sivongxay
on
28 May 2007
from
Nakai-Nam Theun National Protected Area
,
Phou Ack Mountain
,
Boualapha District
,
Khammouan Province
,
Laos
(
17.64433°N
,
105.73667°E
,
980 m
above sea level
); and
NUOL 00036
adult female collected by
Bryan L. Stuart
,
Somphouthone Phimmachak
, and
Jennifer A. Sheridan
on
17 May 2013
from
Nakai-Nam Theun National Protected Area
,
Phou Ack Mountain
,
Boualapha District
,
Khammouan Province
,
Laos
(
17.64256 °N
,
105.73608 °E
,
992 m
above sea level
)
.
Diagnosis.
Ptychozoon kabkaebin
sp. nov.
differs from all other species of
Ptychozoon
by having the following unique combination of characters: a maximum SVL of
95.4 mm
; supranasals not in contact; 8–10 supralabials; 10–12 infralabials; infra-auricular cutaneous flap; weak, supra-auricular ridge present; no dorsal or caudal tubercles; imbricate parachute support scales on dorsal surface of patagia; no prominently raised ridges on ventral surface of patagia; 78–82 midbody dorsal scales; 33–38 ventral scales; an emargination between the pre-antebrachial flap and digit I; no enlarged femoral scales; 22 or 23 enlarged precloacal scales; 5–7 rows of enlarged post-precloacal scales; 13–17 transverse subdigital lamellae on fourth toe; no enlarged dorsal caudal scales forming whorls; approximately 27–30 scales across widest portion of caudal flap; distal lobes fusing to form a short, narrow caudal flap; edges of caudal flap weakly crenulated; caudal lobes angled posteriorly; caudal lobes decrease posteriorly in size; thick, dark, postorbital stripe; four dark body bands between limb insertions; irregularly shaped, white, vertebral markings variably present; and subcaudal region banded in adults (
Tables 4
,
5
).
Description of
holotype
.
Adult female SVL
85.1 mm
; head moderate (HL/SVL 0.27), wide (HW/HL 0.79), depressed (HD/HL 0.41), distinct from neck; snout rounded at tip in dorsal profile; prefrontal region weakly concave; lores rounded; rostral scale large, rectangular, in contact posteriorly with two supranasals and two small postnasals, dorsolaterally with nostrils, and laterally with first supralabials; supralabials (10R,L) to mid-orbital position; infralabials (12R,L); nostrils elliptical with long axes oriented obliquely, occupying anterior portion of nasal scale, bordered anteriorly by rostral, dorsally by supranasal, posteriorly by six postnasals of varying sizes (upper largest), and ventrally by first supralabial; scales on rostrum granular slightly larger than granular scales on top of head and occiput; eyes large (ED/HL 0.21), less than snout length; pupil vertically elliptical, crenelated; supraciliaries elongate, posteriormost weakly pointed; auricular opening rounded, bearing a weak, supra-auricular ridge; tympanum deeply sunk; infra-auricular flap broad, rounded, extending from below corner of mouth to lateral margin of neck midway between posterior margin of ear opening and forelimb insertion, measuring
5.6 mm
at its widest point; dorsal scales of infra-auricular flap large, subimbricate proximally, small juxtaposed distally, ventral flap scales minute and granular; mental triangular, as wide as deep, bordered laterally by first infralabials and posteriorly by paired, rectangular postmentals contacting medially for 100% of their length; one row of enlarged sublabials bordering infralabials, anteriormost largest; gular scales small, rounded, grading into larger imbricating throat and subimbricate pectoral and ventral scales.
Body dorsoventrally depressed, relatively stout (AXG/SVL 0.47); patagia
7.4 mm
at midpoint of body bearing enlarged, subimbricate, rectangular scales dorsally, minute, juxtaposed, subrectangular scales ventrally; ventral surface not bearing raised ridges of granular scales; 81 minute, flat, round, juxtaposed midbody dorsal scales, largest mid-dorsally; no large flat dorsal scales immediately anterior to the hind limb insertions; 35 transverse rows of large, smooth, flat, subimbricate ventral scales much larger than dorsal scales, decreasing in size laterally into granular scales at the base of the flap; 22 enlarged, precloacal scales; seven rows of enlarged, post-precloacal scales; and scales immediately anterior to vent granular.
Limbs short, robust (FL/SVL 0.12; TBL/SVL 0.16); dorsal scales of forelimbs, flat, juxtaposed, larger than dorsal body scales; ventral forelimb scales subimbricate; anterior and posterior margins of forelimbs, and posterior margins of hind limbs bearing wide, cutaneous flaps; that of anterior margin of forearm (
i.e.
pre-antebrachial flap) emarginated distally and terminates low on the base of digit I, that of the foreleg does not reach the base of digit I; scales of forelimb flaps large, elongate, subimbricate; those of hind limb flaps much smaller, rounded, subimbricate; palmar scales smooth, rounded; digits fully webbed, relatively short, dorsoventrally compressed; undivided transverse subdigital lamellae number 15 (I), 14 (II), 13 (III), 15 (IV), 14 (V), distalmost lamellae V-shaped; claws arise from within the dorsal surface of digital pads; claw of digit I replaced by an enlarged, flat scale; dorsal scales of hind limbs, flat, juxtaposed, larger than dorsal body scales; ventral scales of hind limbs flat, subimbricate, smaller than ventral scales of belly; flat; scales of anterior margin of thigh subimbricate; plantar scales smooth, subimbricate; digits fully webbed; transverse subdigital lamellae number 10 (I), 13 (II), 13 (III), 14 (IV), 11 (V), distalmost lamellae V-shaped; claws arise from within the dorsal surface of digital pads, and claw of digit I replaced by an enlarged, flat scale.
Tail original, flattened, same length as SVL (TaL/SVL 1.00); two median rows of transversely widened, smooth subcaudals anteriorly becoming less regular and broken up posteriorly; postcloacal scales large, flat, imbricate; dorsal caudals flat, juxtaposed, larger than dorsal body scales and not bearing transversely aligned whorls of enlarged scales; tail width and caudal lobes decrease posteriorly; 23 caudal lobes on each side slightly angled posteriorly; and tail terminates in a short flap (
11.9 mm
) bearing weakly crenulated edges.
TABLE 7.
Meristic, mensural (in mm), and diagnostic characters of
Ptychozoon kabkaebin
sp. nov.
See Materials and methods for character abbreviations. / = data unobtainable. Numbers in parentheses refer to numbered localities in Figure
NCSM 80585 (33) |
NUOL 00036 (32) |
FMNH 271140 (31) |
Pakkading, Laos |
Phou Ack, Laos |
Phou Ack, Laos |
holotype |
paratype |
paratype |
sex |
f |
f |
f |
supralabials to middle of eyeball (SU) |
10 |
8 |
8 |
infralabials (IL) |
12 |
10 |
10 |
supra-auricular lobe |
small ridge |
small ridge |
small ridge |
midbody dorsal scales (MB) |
81 |
82 |
78 |
midbody ventral scales (VS) |
35 |
38 |
33 |
enlarged pore-bearing precloacals in males (PP) |
/ |
/ |
/ |
enlarged precloacal scales (PS) |
/ |
/ |
/ |
enlarged post-precloacal scale rows (PPS) |
7 |
6 |
5 |
transversely expanded 4th toe lamellae (TL4) |
14 |
17 |
13 |
enlarged dorsal caudal scales forming whorls |
absent |
absent |
absent |
scales across widest portion of caudal flap (CF) |
28 |
30 |
27 |
edges of caudal flap smooth or crenulated |
weakly crenulated |
weakly crenulated |
weakly crenulated |
thick postorbital stripe |
yes |
yes |
yes |
irregularly shaped, white vertebral markings |
no |
no |
yes |
SVL |
85.1 |
89.1 |
95.4 |
TL |
85.2 |
83.1 |
94.8 |
TW |
7.5 |
8.5 |
9.4 |
HL |
22.7 |
23.5 |
25.6 |
HW |
18.0 |
17.6 |
18.8 |
HD |
9.4 |
9.5 |
10.4 |
SNL |
9.7 |
9.7 |
10.5 |
ED |
4.7 |
4.9 |
5.2 |
TD |
2.2 |
3.3 |
2.2 |
IN |
2.9 |
3.3 |
3.3 |
IO |
1.8 |
2.6 |
1.9 |
AXG |
39.8 |
39.1 |
45.1 |
FL |
10.0 |
10.5 |
10.6 |
TBL |
13.7 |
14.1 |
15.9 |
FIGURE 10.
Ptychozoon kabkaebin
sp. nov.
A. Paratype NUOL 00036 from Nakai-Nam Theun National Protected Area, Phou Ack Mountain, Boualapha District, Khammouan Province, Laos. Photograph by B. L. Stuart. B. Paratype FMNH 271140 from Nakai-Nam Theun National Protected Area, Phou Ak Mountain, Boualapha District, Khammouan Province, Laos. Photograph by B. L. Stuart. C. Holotype NCSM 80585 from Houay Ta Ang Stream, Pakkading District, Bolikhamxay Province, Laos. Photograph by L. L. Grismer.
FIGURE 11.
Habitat of
Ptychozoon kabkaebin
sp, nov.
at Nakai-Nam Theun National Protected Area, Phou Ack Mountain, Boualapha District, Khammouan Province, Laos. Photograph by B. L. Stuart.
Light phase coloration and pattern in preservative (
Fig. 10
).
Dorsal ground color of head, body, and tail light-brown; top of head essentially unicolor; labial scales much lighter than body, demarkated by thin, dark lines at their junctures; infra-auricular flap same lighter color as labial scales and gular region; four, thin, sinuous dorsal bands between limb insertion eventually transitioning into approximately two dark-brown caudal bands towards the end of the tail; terminus of caudal flap white; subcaudal region mottled anteriorly and banded; pectoral region, belly, and ventral surfaces of limbs dull-white with no stippling.
Variation.
Variation in coloration and pattern varies due to this species’ having dark and light phases and its ability to substrate match. Color pattern variation in the
paratypes
described here is based on preserved material. The
paratypes
closely approximate the
holotype
in coloration and pattern. Caudal banding is distinct in all specimens. The wide white band on the caudal flap extends all the way to the tip in the
holotype
whereas in the
paratypes
a black band encompasses the tip.
Paratype
FMNH
271140
has irregularly shaped, white vertebral markings that are absent in the
paratype
NUOL 00036 and the
holotype
. Variation in meristic characters is presented in
Table 7
.
Comparisons (
Tables 4
,
5
;
Figs. 3
,
5
,
6
).
Differences between
Ptychozoon kabkaebin
sp. nov.
and
P. cicakterbang
sp. nov.
are listed above in the comparisons section of
P. cicakterbang
sp. nov.
Ptychozoon kabkaebin
sp. nov.
differs from
P. intermedium
,
P. kuhli
,
and
P. trinotaterra
in lacking, as opposed to having, caudal tubercles. From
P. intermedium
,
P. nicobarense
,
P. rhacophorus
,
P. trinotaterra
,
and
P. kaengkrachanense
it differs in having four body bands as opposed to 0–3.
Ptychozoon kabkaebin
sp. nov.
differs from
P. bannaense
,
P. horsfieldii
,
P. intermedium
,
P. kuhli
,
P. nicobarense
,
P. rhacophorus
,
P. trinotaterra
,
and
P. kaengkrachanense
in having an emarginated preantebrachial flap as opposed to lacking an emargination. From
P. popaense
it differs by having a maximum SVL of
95.4 mm
versus
86.2 mm
.
Ptychozoon kabkaebin
sp. nov.
differs from
P. lionotum
,
and
P. tokehos
sp. nov.
by having a significantly higher mean number of infralabials.
Ptychozoon kabkaebin
sp. nov.
differs from
P. tokehos
sp. nov.
in having a significantly wider head. Even though
Ptychozoon kabkaebin
sp. nov.
and
P. tokehos
sp. nov.
have nearly discrete differences in their numbers of midbody scales (78–82 and 80–95, respectively), their mean differences (80.3 versus 89.0) were not significantly different in the ANOVA (
p=
0.09) although they were significantly different in a two-sample Student
t-
test (
t=
5.585;
p=
0.002).
Ptychozoon kabkaebin
sp. nov.
is the sister species of
P. lionotum
but differs further from it by having a significantly shorter snout.
Ptychozoon kabkaebin
sp. nov.
is well-separated from
P. cicakterbang
sp. nov.
and
P. lionotum
in the PCA and from all species in the DAPC where their 95% confidence ellipses do not overlap.
Ptychozoon kabkaebin
sp. nov.
occupies a significantly different position along PC1 from that of
P. cicakterbang
sp. nov.
and along PC2, it occupies a significantly different positon from that of
P. tokehos
sp. nov.
From all species of the
lionotum
group it differs by having an uncorrected pairwise sequence divergence of 4.1–14.4%. Combinations of other characters differentiating
P. kabkaebin
sp. nov.
from the other more distantly related species are presented in
Table 5
.
Distribution (
Fig. 1
).
Ptychozoon kabkaebin
sp. nov.
is endemic to the eastern parts of northern and central
Laos
although it will likely be found in adjacent areas of central
Vietnam
.
Etymology.
The specific epithet
kabkaebin
is the Lao word used for
Ptychozoon
.
Natural history.
NCSM 80585 was collected during the day from beneath a house on stilts that was located along a stream in degraded semi-evergreen forest at
160 m
in elevation. FMNH
271140
was collected during the day (1115 h) at
980 m
in elevation and NUOL 00036 was collected during the night (2130 h) at
992 m
in elevation, both on large boulders in a mosaic of evergreen, deciduous, and pine forest with grassy understory at the edge of a high cliff on a steep escarpment. (
Fig. 11
).