Taxonomic revision of the Tropiocolotes nattereri (Squamata, Gekkonidae) species complex, with the description of a new species from Israel, Jordan and Saudi Arabia

Abstract

We examined the taxonomy of the minute desert geckos of the Tropiocolotes nattereri species complex using the largest morphological sampling, and the first molecular assessment of intraspecific diversity within this complex. We examined variation in mitochondrial and nuclear markers (12S, ND2, c‐mos and MC1R) of 30 samples and analyzed the external morphology of 202 specimens, from across the entire distribution range of the complex from Egypt, Israel, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. We recognize two species under the name T. nattereri. We thus hereby describe a new species, T. yomtovi sp. n., and we redefine and redescribe T. nattereri, for which we designate a neotype. The species diversity in the genus Tropiocolotes increases to 15.

Population estimate, natural history and conservation of the melanistic Iguana Iguana population on Saba, Caribbean Netherlands

“…Given the ongoing biodiversity crisis (Ceballos et al 2017), biologists are attempting to understand global species diversity and intraspecific variation within known species complexes (e.g., Chapple et al 2008; Ribeiro-Júnior et al 2022). Indeed, for reptile species, descriptions have exponentially increased during the last two decades (Uetz et al 2022).…”