André KOCH and Sebastian SCHULZ.First Record of the Gekkonid Genus Cnemaspis Strauch, 1887 from Gunung Mulu National Park, Northern Sarawak, East Malaysia may Represent an Undescribed Species[J].Asian Herpetological Research(AHR),2014,5(3):209-212.[doi:10.3724/SP.J.1245.2014.00209]

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First Record of the Gekkonid Genus Cnemaspis Strauch, 1887 from Gunung Mulu National Park, Northern Sarawak, East Malaysia may Represent an Undescribed Species

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Asian Herpetological Research[ISSN:2095-0357/CN:51-1735/Q]

Issue:

2014 VoI.5 No.3

Page:

209-212

Research Field:

Short Notes

Publishing date:

2014-09-25

Info

Title:

First Record of the Gekkonid Genus Cnemaspis Strauch, 1887 from Gunung Mulu National Park, Northern Sarawak, East Malaysia may Represent an Undescribed Species

Author(s):

André KOCH^* and Sebastian SCHULZ

Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig (ZFMK), Leibniz-Institute for terrestrial Biodiversity, Adenauerallee 160, 53113 Bonn, Germany

Keywords:

Southeast Asia;  Borneo;  Gekkonidae;  herpetofaunal diversity;  new record

PACS:

-

DOI:

10.3724/SP.J.1245.2014.00209

Abstract:

We provide confirmed photographic evidence for the previously overlooked occurrence of the polyphyletic Asian gecko genus Cnemaspis from Gunung Mulu National Park,the world-renowned UNESCO natural heritage site in northern Sarawak, East Malaysia. This new record from Sarawak province represents a remarkable range extension for Cnemaspis cf. kendallii by 550 km to the northeast and denotes the most northern occurrence of the genus in Borneo. Our new finding makes it very likely that these gekkonid lizards also inhabit appropriate limestone karst habitats in adjacent Sabah, Brunei, and Kalimantan. Given the visible differences in the Mulu specimen compared to those from the remaining distribution range on Borneo and the Malaysian Peninsula together with the fact that numerous Cnemaspis species are restricted to small areas, it seems plausible that another undescribed, rather cryptic and possibly locally endemic Bornean species is involved. Lastly, the new record contributes to the importance of the Mulu National Park as a major conservation area in East Malaysia of international concerns.

References:

Das I., Bauer A. M. 1998. Systematics and biogeography of Bornean geckos of the genus Cnemaspis Strauch, 1887 (Sauria: Gekkonidae), with the description of a new species. Raffles Bull Zool, 46: 11–28
Das I., Clark B., Clark S., McArthur E. 2008. An inventory of the reptiles of Gunung Mulu National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo). Sarawak Mus J, 63: 127–167
Grismer L. L., Chan K. O. 2009. A new species of karst dwelling Cnemaspis Strauch 1887 (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Sarawak, Borneo. Zootaxa, 2246: 21–31
Malkmus R. 2002. Die Amphibien des Mulu-Nationalparkes in Sarawak/Malaysia. Natur und Museum, 132: 93–105

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