A new arboreal species of Cyrtopodion (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Deh Akro-II Wetlands Complex, Sindh, Pakistan

摘要

A distinctive new thin-toed gecko, Cyrtopodion dehakroense sp. nov. is described from Deh Akro-II Wetlands Complex, Nawabshah, Sindh, bringing the number of species of this genus in Pakistan to nine. The major diagnostic characters of the new speciesinclude the presence of 7-9 very narrow, V-shaped, dark brown, transverse dorsal bands on the body from the nape to the level of the vent, four precloacal pores in males, absence of femoral pores, 21-25 rows of ventral scales across midbody, 92-102 scales along ventral midline of body, and presence of paired subcaudal scales under the post-pygal portion of the tail. The species is a desert form and has thus far been found only in sandy areas of this wetlands complex at mean elevations of about 10 m. Strictly nocturnal, it inhabits old-growth trees of Prosopis cineraria (Jand/Kandi) and feeds mainly on a variety of insects.