<b>Appearances are deceptive: molecular phylogeny recovers the Scaly Gecko <I>Hemidactylus scabriceps</I> (Reptilia: Squamata: Gekkonidae) as a member of a scansorial and rupicolous clade</b>

Abstract

We reassess the systematics of Hemidactylus scabriceps, a recently rediscovered and poorly known gecko, and elucidate its phylogenetic position using molecular data for the first time. Contrary to previous speculations prompted by its morphological resemblance to other terrestrial Hemidactylus, our phylogenetic analyses recovered H. scabriceps to be a part of a clade consisting of the large-bodied, rock-dwelling Hemidactylus – the H. prashadi group. Hemidactylus scabriceps also shows high levels of intraspecific genetic divergence, indicative of cryptic diversity. We also confirm the synonymy of the monotypic genus Lophopholis (erected for H. scabriceps) with Hemidactylus. We elaborate on the morphology of the type specimen and other recent voucher specimens, and compare it with sister species and other ground-dwelling Hemidactylus in peninsular India. Species distribution of this ‘outlier’ clade member has been modeled using MaxEnt. These exercises confirm that it is primarily a smooth-scaled, plain-dwelling, terrestrial species unlike other members in its clade. This unexpected pattern of genetic alliance and contrasting body form plus habitat associations further underscores the unstudied complexity of peninsular India’s geological history. Historical denudation of rock formations could have driven evolution of some of these otherwise rupicolous, scansorial gekkonids into smaller terrestrial lizards.

Revealing two centuries of confusion: new insights on nomenclature and systematic position of Argyrogena fasciolata (Shaw, 1802) (auctt.), with description of a new species from India (Reptilia: Squamata: Colubridae)

“…nov. is so far recorded only from Tamil Nadu state and all except two records (Salem and Auroville, Villupuram district) are south of the Cauvery River. The Nilgiri Mountains, the Moyar gorge and Cauvery River have been proposed to be a biogeographic barrier for fan-throated lizards (Deepak and Karanth 2018) and similar observations were also made in ground dwelling Hemidactylus geckos (H. scabriceps, Srikanthan et al 2018). The northwestern distribution limit of Platyceps josephi sp.…”

Natural history observations of the Scaly Gecko, Hemidactylus scabriceps (Annandale 1906), in India

“…WWW.IRCF.ORG/REPTILESANDAMPHIBIANSJOURNAL T he Scaly Gecko (Hemidactylus scabriceps) is a rare and elusive terrestrial nocturnal gecko distributed in southeastern India and northern Sri Lanka (Smith 1935;Murthy 1985). Until recently, almost nothing was known about this species (e.g., Wickramasinghe and Somaweera 2008;Somaweera and Somaweera 2009), until a series of findings were published, including its rediscovery (Ganesh and Chandramouli 2010), range extensions and expanded descriptions (Ganesh et al 2017), and molecular affinities (Srikanthan et al 2018). Herein, we present the first observations of ovipositioning, hatchlings, and predation in Nagalapuram, Vilathikulam Thaluk, Thoothukudi District, Tamil Nadu, India (9.230°N, 78.120°E; elev.…”