Lygodactylus baptistai sp. nov.

(Tables 4–5; Fig. 1–4, 10–13)

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 321EE7E6-1CD1-486A-B68E-835324834867

The presence of Lygodactylus on Serra da Neve inselberg has not previously been recorded, despite its known occurrence in nearby areas of Namibe and Benguela provinces (Marques et al. 2018). The inselberg is known to harbor other endemic species of amphibians (Ceríaco et al. 2018a) and reptiles (Marques et al. 2019b). According to our molecular data, the Serra da Neve species is part of a lineage chiefly comprising East African montane taxa. Based on our molecular and morphological evidence, we herein describe this population as a new species, endemic to Serra da Neve inselberg.

Holotype. An adult male (CAS 263557, field number AMB 10328; Figs. 10–11) collected on a tree, at Mamué riparian area, Namibe Province, southwestern Angola [-13.80080º, 13.12350º, 715 m a.s.l.], collected by L. Ceríaco, S. Bandeira and I. Agarwal, on 22 November 2016.

Paratype. An adult female (CAS 263551, field number AMB 10329), same data as holotype.

Diagnosis. A medium sized Lygodactylus species. Lygodactylus baptistai sp. nov. can be distinguished from other member of its genus by the following combination of characteristics: 1) three scales (rostral, one supranasal and 1 st supralabial) entering the nostril; 2) nostril broadly in contact with the rostral; 3) mental followed by two postmentals; 4) first infralabial <25% overlap with postpostmental; 5) 15 to 16 rows of ventral scales at midbody; 6) 5 precloacal pores; 7) median subcaudals more than ¾ of the tail width arranged in a single broad row (Fig. 4C); 8) venter bright yellow; 9) black markings on a bright yellow background on the gular region on males.

Comparison with other South and Southwestern African Lygodactylus. As the molecular data provide evidence of the distinctiveness of Lygodactylus baptistai sp. from all other taxa, we here restrict our morphological comparisons to those named congeners occurring in Angola and surrounding countries. Lygodactylus baptistai sp. nov. differs from L. angolensis L. chobiensis, and L. lawrencei by having 5 precloacal pores (versus 7 – 10 in L. angolensi s; 7 – 11 in L. chobiensis; two in L. lawrencei) (Fig. 2). The new species can be distinguished from L. bradfieldi, L. capensis, L. nyaneka sp. nov. and L. tchokwe sp. nov. by having only three scales entering the nostril (versus four in L. bradfieldi and L. nyaneka sp. nov., five in L. capensis), and by having the nostril broadly in contact with the rostral (versus always separated in L. angolensis, L. chobiensis, L. lawrencei and L. nyaneka sp. nov.) (Fig. 3). It furthermore differs from all the comparator species, except L. chobiensis, by its bright yellow ventral and gular coloration (versus cream or white in L. angolensis, L. bradfieldi, L. capensis, L. nyaneka sp. nov. and L. lawrencei).

Description of holotype. SVL 34.2 mm; TrunkL: 16.4 mm; CrusL 5.7 mm; TL: 35.6 mm; TW: 3.8 mm; HL: 8.8 mm; HW: 6 mm; HH: 4.1 mm; EarL: 1.4 mm; ForeaL: 5.6 mm; ED: 1.8 mm; NE: 2.9 mm; SE: 4.5 mm; EE: 2.6 mm; IN: 1.7 mm; IO: 3.5 mm. Head broad and slightly distinct from neck; snout long than broad, the distance from its edge to the anterior border of the eye greater than the interorbital distance anteriorly, and slightly greater than the distance between the eye and ear opening; ear opening medium and roundish; snout covered with enlarged flattened granular scales, larger anteriorly on snout, medium-sized on crown, becoming smaller laterally above the eye; scales on the snout larger than those on the occiput; prominent canthus rostralis; rostral pentagonal, high than wider; three scales (rostral, one supranasal and 1 st supralabial) entering the nostril; nostrils pierced in the suture between rostral and first supralabial; nostril in contact with rostral; supranasals separated by a single internasal granular scale; mental pentagonal, broader than long, followed by two postmentals; enlarged scales behind postmentals, decreasing in size towards base of the throat and increasing on chest and belly; supralabials 6/7; infralabials 6/6; first infralabial with 25% contact with postpostmental; gulars smooth, enlarged and forming transverse rows posteriorly, 19 between posterior extent of the infralabials/jaws; 15 rows of ventral scales at midbody; rows across midbody; limbs short but well developed, pentadactyl extremities; 1 st digit of both manus and pes extremely reduced and lacking claw, distal portions of remaining digits expanded, bearing claw; 6 pairs of lamellae under 4 th of digit manus and 6 pairs of lamellae beneath 4 th digit of pes; dorsum with small, homogeneous, granular and keeled scales with a similar size to those on trunk, the scales on limbs are slightly larger and less keeled; venter with homogeneous smooth scales; scales on ventral surface of the forelimbs smaller, granular and imbricate, hindlimb scales are similar to those on venter, although the surface scales of thighs are smaller and imbricate, similar to those on the arm; precloacal pores 5; 35 to 40 generation glands – enlarged, glandular scales present along the ventral surface of each thigh; tail cylindrical; caudal scales dorsally enlarged, flattened and homogeneous; keeled, spinose and acuminate on the lateral surface of the tail; median subcaudal scales large, flattened and smooth, more than ¾ of width of tail, arranged in a single broad row, although at the base of the tail several subcaudals are subdivided.

Coloration in ethanol. The coloration of Lygodactylus baptistai sp. nov. is brown to smoke-grey above, with a posteriorly narrowing continuous cinnamon brown band on the flanks from the neck to the base of the tail. The upper limit of the band marked on each side by a series of white to cream, roughly evenly-spaced, tubercles from the neck to the midbody. The head lighter than body and limbs, bearing a speckled pattern with some lighter irregular dots. The venter is cream to white with no markings or speckling, lateral margins of the belly present a dark cinnamon-brown coloration. Chin and gular regions white to cream with a complex pattern of black markings consisting of a border medial to the mandibular margin extending between the level of the angles of the jaws, a posterior chevron with its apex directed anteriorly and confluent with a more anterior irregular marking, and two incomplete broken lines lateral and parallel to the chevron (Fig. 9). A more faded and irregular dark marking is present at the posterior extent of the gular region. Dorsal part of the tail brown with a lighter chevron-like pattern bordered by dark-brown on the tip, ventrally cream with brown speckles.

Coloration in life. Background coloration is smoke-grey to brown, with a brownish stripe from the insertion of the forelimb to the tail.A posteriorly narrowing continuous cinnamon brown to dark orange stripe on the flanks from the neck to the base of the tail. 3 (left) to 5 (right) yellowish to cream spots on the upper limit of these stripes. The head is lighter than the body, with the snout more cinnamon brown to dark orange. The limbs are also lighter than the body, approaching a greyish coloration speckled with some cinnamon brown to dark orange irregular dots. The dorsal surfaces of the autopodia near the digital insertions have a bold, irregular, cinnamon brown to dark orange pattern. The venter is bright yellow with no marking or speckling, lateral margins of the venter light grey with some cinnamon shades. The gular region is bright yellow, becoming paler behind the level of the angle of the jaws. There is a broad black line bordering the mandibular margin between the level of the angles of the jaws, a posterior black chevron with its apex directed anteriorly and confluent with a more anterior irregular marking, and two incomplete broken lines lateral and parallel to the chevron (Fig. 10). The tail is cinnamon brown to dark orange with a lighter chevron-like pattern with a dark brown border extending along the length of the tail, the venter is light yellow with an inconspicuous line formed by grey speckles.

Variation. Variation in scalation and body measurements of the type series is reported in Table 5. The female paratype agrees almost entirely with the holotype, although the markings on gular region are more faded and the color is whitish-cream, not yellow as the male holotype.

Distribution. The new species is known only from Mamué, at the base of the Serra de Neve Inselberg in Namibe Province, southwestern Angola (Fig. 12).

Habitat and Natural history notes. The species was found on the trunk of a tree in a riparian area, northeast of Mamué town (Fig. 13). It was active during midday, at approximately 11 h. The area had almost no human disturbance, and the tree cover was substantial. Lygodactylus nyaneka sp. nov. was collected sympatrically.

Etymology. The specific epithet “ baptistai ”, formed in the genitive singular and is masculine. It is given in honor of Álvaro “Varito” Baptista, from Omauha Lodge, Namibe Province, Angola. This recognition is due to the friendship of the Baptista family and their important role in the support of all our expeditions, especially to Serra da Neve. We suggest “Baptista’s Dwarf Gecko” and “Osga-Anã-de-Baptista” as the English and Portuguese common names, respectively, for this species.