Saurodactylus splendidus Javanmardi & Vogler & Joger 2019, sp. nov.

Saurodactylus splendidus sp. nov. Javanmardi, Vogler & Joger, 2019 (Southeastern clade)

Distribution. Known only from the type locality and a second place about 120 km to the SW, in the Draa Valley.

Derivatio nominis. The name refers to the contrasting pattern of these beautiful geckos.

Diagnosis. Very peculiar pattern of dark brown or blackish ground color, a V-shaped whitish-yellow mark on the head, terminating at the neck. 4 pairs of large whitish-yellow spots, each pair forming a band: one between the shoulders, two on the back and one between the hind legs.Un-regenerated tail dark brown with 5-6 transverse pale yellow to white bands. Legs sometimes much lighter than back. Contrary to other members of the S. brosseti species complex, dorsal color pattern of juveniles does not differ from that of adult animals; tail rings in juveniles are usually intensely yellow or orange (juveniles from the North, South and Anti-Atlas have a completely dark background, mostly devoid of spots, and a bright reddish tail; pers. observation; Bons & Pasteur 1957).

Internasals large, touching each other only in a limited area of contact; proximally and distally they are separated by two small granules. Only one narrow postnasal shield separates nasals from 1 st labial. This configuration (Fig. 13) is unique to this species.

Holotype. SNMB-N 60080; collected by Sven Vogler on 30 May 2017 from Icht (N 29°03’, W 08°51’), in Djebel Bani, Morocco (Fig. 13).

Description of holotype. Adult female; SVL = 29 mm, HL = 8.3 mm, HW = 5.5 mm, HD = 3.4 mm, ED = 1.5 mm; FL = 7.8 mm; HdL = 11.6 mm; TL = 14 mm (regenerated).

Mental shield large, pointed behind. Two pairs of postmentals, first pair larger, in contact; 6 supralabials on the right side, 5 on the left; 6 infralabials on each side. Rostral large, with a deep posterior notch. Two large internasals in contact with one another; nostril in contact with four scales: internasal, first supralabial, postnasal and rostral. Dorsal head scales smooth, homogenous, small and granular; 23 interorbital and 11 loreal scales. Ventral scales of head small, more or less flat; 41 scales at the broadest width of head; 45 scales [in an imaginary line between mental shield and gular line]. Ventral scales of body large, plate like and sub-imbricate; 16 longitudinal rows of ventrals at midbody; 37 ventrals from level of axilla to level of groin; 13 precloacal scales. Dorsal scales juxtaposed, smooth, small and granular at middorsal, while slightly larger and pointed backwardly at dorsolateral region; 68 dorsals between axilla and groin; 48 longitudinal rows of dorsals at midbody. Digits minute and short, slightly bent, without any ornamentation; 17 subdigital lamellae under the fourth toe.

Color pattern. In holotype dorsum black, with four pairs of large pale yellow spots lying between shoulder and sacral region with equal interspaces; first and fourth pairs round to oval, second and third forming transverse bars which extend to flank at least on the left side (Fig 14); regenerated tail burnt brown to black. Dorsal surface of the head black; a pale yellow stripe extending dorsolaterally from internasal up to the nape at each side, passing through supraocular region. The preocular fragment of dorsal stripes about 2-3 and the rest about 4-5 scales wide. A fine vertical midrostral line fused to the meeting point of stripes, making it looks like a “Y” when viewed from above. A few supraocular granules with a brownish spot in center. Lower margins of supralabials whitish, dusted with brown. Ventral surface of the head beige, uniformly spotted with brown. Infralabials grayish with several dark spots. Venter beige; posterior margins of ventral scales with small brown dots. Ground color of forelimbs beige with a few scattered dark spots on the ventral side; dorsal surface mostly shaded with dark brown. Hindlimbs with intense dark shades on both ventral and dorsal surfaces.

Paratypes. Two further specimens of S. splendidus sp. nov. were also collected by S. Vogler on 30 May 2017 from Icht (N 29°03’, W 08°51’) and are now deposited at the State Natural History Museum of Braunschweig as follows:

SNMB-61534: Adult, sex unknown; SVL = 27.11 mm; HL = 7.06 mm; HW = 4.5 mm; HD = 2.82 mm; ED = 1.24 mm; FL = 6.9 mm; HdL = 10.28 mm; tail missing. Mental shield large, triangular. Two pairs of postmentals, first pair larger, in contact; 6 supralabials and 5 infralabials on each side. Rostral large, with a deep posterior notch. Two large internasals in contact with one another; nostril in contact with four scales: internasal, first supralabial, postnasal and rostral. Color pattern the same as holotype, except that the first and second pairs of dorsal spots meet on the vertebral line (Fig. 15).

SNMB-61535: Adult, sex unknown; SVL = 31.5 mm; HL = 8.02 mm; HW = 4.62 mm; HD = 2.88 mm; ED = 1.48 mm; FL = 8.64 mm; HdL = 12.51 mm; tail missing. Mental shield large, triangular. Two pairs of postmentals, first pair larger, in contact; 6 supralabials and 5 infralabials on each side. Rostral large, with a deep posterior notch. Two large internasals in contact with one another; nostril in contact with four scales: internasal, first supralabial, postnasal and rostral. Color pattern the same as holotype. This specimen was found dead under a rock.