Köhler, J., M. Vences, M.D. Scherz & F. Glaw

A new species of nocturnal gecko, genus Paroedura, from the karstic Tsingy de Bemaraha formation in western Madagascar. pp. 73-81.

Abstract. We describe the new gecko species Paroedura neglecta sp. n. from the Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park in western Madagascar, belonging to the P. bastardi/tanjaka clade. The species in this clade are characterized by three light dorsal crossbands on the dorsum of juveniles and subadults whereas all other Paroedura species have four such bands. The new species differs from all species in the P. bastardi complex in having the nostril in contact with the rostral scale. It is most similar to the sympatric P. tanjaka, from which it differs by the presence of prominent dorsal tubercles arranged in regular longitudinal rows (versus rather irregular rows of dorsal tubercles), smaller size, details of the dorsal colour pattern and strong genetic divergence.

Key words. Squamata, Gekkonidae, Paroedura neglecta sp. n., systematics, taxonomy, morphology, molecular genetics.