Hemiphyllodactylus laowozhenensis, Zhou & Wang & Cui & Zhang & Shen & Li & Liu & Rao, 2025

Hemiphyllodactylus laowozhenensis sp. nov.

Fig. 4 View Figure 4

Type material.

Holotype. • LW 2024 R 006 , adult male, collected by Hongxin Zhou, Xiuyan Li, Jiazhong Wang on August 2024 from Laowo Town , Lushui City, Yunnan, China (25.865°N, 99.038°E, at an elevation of 1511 m). GoogleMaps

Paratypes. • LW 2024 R 004 , LW 2024 R 005 , adult males, collected at the same locality as the holotype on August 2024 GoogleMaps .

Diagnosis.

Hemiphyllodactylus laowozhenensis sp. nov. can be distinguished from its congeners by the combination of the following characters: maximum SVL of 38.5 mm; 10 or 11 chin scales; enlarged postmentals; 6 circumnasal scales; 2 or 3 internasal scales; 8 or 9 supralabial scales; 8 or 9 infralabial scales; 15 or 16 dorsal scales; 9 ventral scales; a manual lamellar formula of 3-4 - 4 - 4 and a pedal lamellar formula of 3 (4) - 4-4 - 4; 26–28 precloacal and femoral pore-bearing scales contiguous in males; 1–3 cloacal spur on each side; a dark postorbital stripe extending to at least base of neck; dorsolateral light – colored spots on trunk present; dark ventrolateral stripe on trunk present; dark dorsal transverse blotches present; and a dark and brown postsacral mark bearing anteriorly projecting arms.

Description of holotype.

Adult male, one longitudinal incision on ventral surface used for liver tissue sampling, small – sized (SVL 38.30 mm), and somewhat flattened in body shape; head triangular, elongated (HL / SVL = 0.25); dorsum of head covered in granular scales, which are relatively small; six circumnasal scales, with the lower two being the rostral and the largest upper labial, while the other three are circular; two internasal scales; circular mental scale; ten chin scales touching the internal edges of the infralabials, extending from the juncture of the 2 nd and 3 rd infralabial scales on the left of the mental scale to the same juncture on the right (Chin); scales in the gular region are rounded, non – overlapping, becoming larger and more ovoid on the venter; snout short and narrow (SnW = 1.57 mm; SnW / HL = 0.16); small eyes (ED = 2.48 mm; ED / HL = 0.25); robust body shape (TrunkL / SVL = 0.54); granular scales on the dorsum, with 16 scales within one eye diameter; ventral scales are flattened, with 9 scales within one eye diameter; granular scales on the limbs; Finger I is vestigial, clawless, and with rectangular subdigital lamellae, while Fingers II – V are well – developed; the proximal subdigital lamellae are undivided and rectangular, while the distal subdigital lamellae are divided, angular, U – shaped, except for the terminal lamellae, which are rounded and undivided; subdigital lamellae count 3-4 - 4 - 4 (hand) and 4-4 - 4 - 4 (foot); femoral pores and precloacal pores continuous, with a total count 28; Tail long (TL / SVL = 0.90), with dorsal scales larger than those on the body and head, and smaller than the subcaudals; subcaudals are large and flat.

Coloration in ethanol.

The dorsal surface of head and body is dark-gray; dark stripes extend from the posterior corner of the eye socket to the neck; the back is covered with dark and light-colored dorsal transverse blotches; the dorsal surfaces of the limbs are dark; the dorsal surface of tail is brown-gray, with several dark-brown transverse stripes and its ventral surface is orange-red; the ventral surfaces of the head are gray with dark spots; the ventral surfaces of the body are dark.

Variation.

The primary variations observed in this species pertain to scale counts and morphometric data, which are comprehensively documented in Table 3 View Table 3 .

Distribution.

This species is currently known to be distributed at the type locality Laowo Town, Lushui City of Yunnan Province in China (Fig. 1 View Figure 1 ).

Natural history.

Hemiphyllodactylus laowozhenensis sp. nov. was discovered on the walls of houses situated alongside the streets of Laowo Town, where its population is scant. It coexists in the same region with the Hemidactylus aquilonius .

Etymology.

The scientific name “ laowozhenensis ” is derived from its type locality Laowo Town, Lushui City in Yunnan province. We suggest Laowo Town Slender Gecko in English and “ 老窝镇半叶趾虎 (Lǎo Wō Zhèn Bàn Yè Zhǐ Hǔ) ” in Chinese.

Comparisons.

We compared the morphology of Hemiphyllodactylus laowozhenensis against its closely related species, specifically species from clade 3, as inferred from the phylogeny we constructed (Table 4 View Table 4 ).

H. laowozhenensis sp. nov. differences from H. gengmaensis by shorter head (HL = 9.71–9.96 versus 10.80–11.24; HL / SVL = 0.25–0.26 versus 0.26–0.31); shorter SnEye distance (SnEye = 3.43–3.64 versus 3.88–4.52; SnEye / HL = 0.35–0.37 versus 0.36–0.41); thinner SnW distance (SnW = 1.60–1.57 versus 1.60–2.72); smaller eyes (ED / HL = 0.22–0.24 versus 0.24–0.25); more chin scales (10 or 11 versus 8 or 9); few supralabial scales (SL = 8 or 9 versus 9–11); few lamelar fomnlae hands and foot II-V (hands = 3-4 - 4 - 4 versus 5-5 (6) - 5-4; foot = 3 (4) - 4-4 - 4 versus 5-5 - 6 - 5); few SL 1 F (SL 1 F = 4 versus 5); few SL 1 T (SL 1 T = 4 versus 6); more femoroprecloacal pores (26–28 versus 10–25); dorsolateral light – colored spots on trunk present (versus absent); dark ventrolateral stripe on trunk present (versus absent); dark reticulate pattern on dorsum absent (versus Yes or Indistinct).

H. laowozhenensis sp. nov. differences from H. longlingensis by shorter head (HL / SVL = 0.25–0.26 versus 0.22–0.24); longer SnEye distance (SnEye / HL = 0.35–0.37 versus 0.42–0.45); smaller eyes (ED / HL = 0.22–0.24 versus 0.15–0.18); more chin scales (10 or 11 versus 7–9); more circumnasal scales ( CN = 6 versus 5); more ventral scales contained with one eye diameter (VS = 8 or 9 versus 6–7); more dorsal scales contained with one eye diameter (DS = 15 or 16 versus 10–14); dorsolateral light – colored spots on trunk present (versus absent); dark ventrolateral stripe on trunk present (versus absent).

H. laowozhenensis sp. nov. differences from H. zalonicus by longer head (HL = 9.71–9.96 versus 8.4–8.5; HL / SVL = 0.25–0.26 versus 0.22–0.23); wider head (HW = 6.66–7.41 versus 5.7–5.8; HW / SVL = 0.17–20 versus 0.15; HW / HL = 0.68–0.76 versus 0.68); longer NarEye distance (NarEye = 2.88–2.94 versus 2.4–2.7); wider SnW distance (SnW = 1.57–1.60 versus 1.20; SnW / HL = 0.16 versus 0.14; SnW / HW = 0.22–0.24 versus 0.21); more chin scales (10 or 11 versus 8–10); more circumnasal scales ( CN = 6 versus 5); few supralabial scales (SL = 8 or 9 versus 10); few dorsal scales contained with one eye diameter (DS = 15 or 16 versus 17–18); more SL 1 F (SL 1 F = 4 versus 3); more femoroprecloacal pores (26–28 versus 16–20); dorsolateral light – colored spots on trunk present (versus absent); dark ventrolateral stripe on trunk present (versus absent); dark dorsal transverse blotches present (absent).

H. laowozhenensis sp. nov. differences from H. changningensis by greater eyes (ED = 2.40–2.48 versus 1.7–2.3); wider SnW distance (SnW = 1.57–1.60 versus 1.10–1.40; SnW / HL = 0.16 versus 0.12–0.16); more chin scales (10 or 11 versus 7 or 8); more circumnasal scales ( CN = 6 versus 3 or 4); more femoroprecloacal pores (26–28 versus 19–22); dorsolateral light – colored spots on trunk present (versus absent); dark ventrolateral stripe on trunk present (versus absent); dark reticulate pattern on dorsum absent (versus present); postsacral marking anteriorly projecting arms present (versus absent).

H. laowozhenensis sp. nov. differences from H. zhutangxiangensis by longer head (HL = 9.71–9.96 versus 6.2–7.6; HL / SVL = 0.25–0.26 versus 0.17–0.20); more chin scales (10 or 11 versus 7–9); more circumnasal scales ( CN = 6 versus 5); more ventral scales contained with one eye diameter (VS = 8 or 9 versus 5–7); more dorsal scales contained with one eye diameter (DS = 15 or 16 versus 11–15); more femoroprecloacal pores (26–28 versus 20–23); dorsolateral light – colored spots on trunk present (versus absent); dark ventrolateral stripe on trunk present (versus absent).