Review and phylogeny of the New Caledoniandiplodactylid gekkotan genus Eurydactylodes Wermuth, 1965,with the description of a new species

摘要

The diplodactylid gecko genus Eurydactylodes is endemic to New Caledonia and is characterized by an array of highly derived mor-phological features. The three previously described members of the genus are reviewed and rediagnosed and many new localitiesare reported. A new species, presently known only from sclerophyll forests of the west coast of the Province Sud, is also described.A molecular phylogeny of the genus reveals that the new species is highly genetically divergent from its congeners and that E. agri-colae and E. vieillardi are each others closest relatives. Eurydactylodes species are largely parapatric in their distribution, although E.vieillardi and E. symmetricus are sympatric in some areas. All species of Eurydactylodes share a very similar morphology and lifestyle.They are strikingly convergent with certain other lizards, including the Australian diplodactylid genus Strophurus, gekkonid geckosin general, and twig anoles, with respect to several autapomorphic features relating to crypsis, defense, and reproduction.