Skip to main content

Alpine gecko (Gekko alpinus), the highest species at elevation 2400-2542 meters in Jinsha River Basin

Alpine gecko (Gekko alpinus), the highest species at elevation 2400-2542 meters in Jinsha River Basin

NEWS - Alpine gecko (Gekko alpinus sp. nov.), subgenus Japonigekko (Gekkonidae), is described from the Jinsha River Basin in Sichuan Province, southwest China, based on integrative taxonomy combining molecular data and morphological characters obtained from a type series of 11 specimens.

G. alpinus has SVL 56.44-74.16 mm in adults; narrow head, HW/HL 0.51-0.79; midbody scale rows 92-114, 98-114 in males and 92-106 in females; interorbital scales between anterior angles of eyes 22-28; ventral scale rows 32-39; tubercles present on dorsal body, forelimbs, hindlimbs and tail; precloacal pores 4-7 in males and absent in females.

Subdigital lamellae of first finger 8-11, fourth finger 12-14, first toe 8-11, fourth toe 12-15, no webbing between fingers and toes; ventral scales between mental cleft and cloaca 158-189; nostrils in contact with rostral; postcloacal tubercles one or two; dorsal surface of body with 6-7 large dark gray bands between nape and sacrum.

Currently known only from the Jinsha River Basin between the border of Mangkang County, Xizang Autonomous Region and Batang County, Sichuan Province, China, at an elevation of 2400-2542 meters. Active at night and inhabits scrub or dry rocky cliffs in arid river valleys and building walls. Ants were found in the gut of one specimen.

The specific epithet alpinus is from Latin meaning from Alpēs ("Alps") + -īnus, of or pertaining to the Alps, alpine. This refers not only to the distribution range in the high Hengduan Mountains, but also the highest distribution elevation for all Japonigekko species. The Chinese name is "高山壁虎" (Gāo Shān Bì Hŭ).

The discovery of G. alpinus increased the total number to 89 species, the subgenus Japonigekko to 34 species and the subgenus in China to 21 species, including 6 species distributed in Sichuan Province (G. alpinus, G. chinensis, G. cib, G. japonicus, G. jinjiangensis and G. scabridus).

The elevation range of G. jinjiangensis is 2000-2476 m. However, the type series of G. jinjiangensis was only found at 2045-2114 m. The record of G. jinjiangensis with a length of 2476 m was originally a Gekko population in Batang District which was actually G. alpinus.

Therefore, this study revised the range of G. jinjiangensis to 2045-2114 m, while G. alpinus was distributed 2400-2542 m. The discovery of this new species marks the highest range recorded for the subgenus Japonigekko and is also a new provincial record for the genus in Xizang Autonomous Region.

The hot-dry valley of the Jinsha River in Hengduan Mountain has diverse habitat heterogeneity and topographic complexity that supports a variety of reptile species and promotes rapid evolutionary changes of species. The discovery of G. alpinus also highlights the previously underestimated reptile diversity in this area.

G. alpinus population on each side of the Jinsha River showed no genetic differentiation (16S/ND2: 0-0.2%/0-0.2%), similar to Diploderma batangense (ND2: 0-0.4%), which implies that the Jinsha River in Hengduan Mountain in Batang and Mangkang did not pose a significant geographical isolation barrier for local reptiles.

G. alpinus forms a well-supported sister lineage (SH 100/UFB 100/BI 100) with G. jinjiangensis (SH 98/UFB 100/BI 100) with great evolutionary differentiation. Uncorrected pairwise divergence of mitochondrial 16S/ND2 genes ranged from 2.2% (G. chinensis vs G. similignum), 5.4% (G. chinensis vs G. similignum), 18.4% (G. chinensis vs G. swinhonis and G. similignum vs G. swinhonis), 26.5% (G. melli vs G. similignum).

While genetic distances between G. alpinus and its relatives ranged from 3.6% (vs G. jinjiangensis) to 14.0% (vs G. swinhonis) for 16S and 7.1% (vs G. jinjiangensis) to 24.1% (vs G. similignum) for ND2 indicating genetic differentiation between species and supporting the representation of a new taxon.

Original research

Ma S, Shi S-C, Shen C, Chang L-M, Jiang J-P (2024). Discovery of a new species of the subgenus Japonigekko (Squamata, Gekkonidae, Gekko) from the Hengduan Mountains, southwestern China: the best Japonigekko mountaineer. ZooKeys 1215: 289-309, DOI:10.3897/zookeys.1215.125043

Dlium theDlium

Popular Posts

Sandbox tree (Hura crepitans)

Sandbox tree ( Hura crepitans ) is species in Euphorbiaceae, a tropical tree, growing up to 60 meters tall and with a trunk circumference of up to 13.2 meters, the trunk is covered with long and sharp thorns and exudes a poisonous sap. H. crepitans has large, oval leaves, 15 cm wide and 20 cm long. The petioles are 22 cm long. The flowers are red and lack petals. Male flowers grow on long stalks, while female flowers grow singly in leaf axils. The fruit is a large, flask-shaped capsule, up to 10 cm in diameter, with 12-16 radially arranged carpels. The seeds are flat and about 2 cm in diameter. The capsule bursts when ripe, dividing into segments and ejecting the seeds at a speed of 70 m/s, a distance of 30-100 meters. This tree prefers moist soil and partial shade or partial to full sun, a warm, humid environment. It is often cultivated for shade. The wood is light and used to make canoes. The sap is used to poison fish. Kingdom: Plantae Phylum: Tracheophyta Subphylum: Angiosperma...

Fivefingers (Syngonium angustatum)

Donglimo or fivefingers ( Syngonium angustatum ) is species in Araceae, epiphytes, grow to climb large trees up to 20 meters high, produce milky sap, dark green, internodes up to 50 cm long, petioles up to 35 cm long, green and live in areas tropical. S. angustatum has roots in the soil to absorb nutrients and air roots that grow in each segment to attach themselves to a support. Wild plants that live in forests often cause trees to be uprooted by heavy loads. The main stem produces a row of stems, up to 60 cm with the ends of a group of leaves with 3-7 separate leaflets, but connected by horizontal stems. The middle leaf has a length of up to 25 cm and a width of up to 12 cm. The flower has a veil, round in shape and a pointed tip, green and facing up with a stalk up to 15 cm long. The head of the pistil is tubular, stands 3-5 cm long and is white. The fruit is in a veil, rounded with a pointed tip and green when young to turn bright red when ripe and grow on the tip of the ...

Bitter melon (Momordica charantia)

Pare or bitter melon ( Momordica charantia ) is a plant species in Cucurbitaceae, grows climbing or spreads with spiral-shaped tendrils, many branches, long fruit and jagged surface, grows well in tropical regions and is usually cultivated for vegetables and medicinal ingredients. M. charantia has green stems with white hairs. Single leaf stemmed and arranged alternately, length 3.5-8.5 cm, width 4 cm, divided into 5-7 fins with many bones, heart-shaped base, green, wrinkled surface and jagged margins. A single flower has a stalk, male and female flowers in the tree, the crown has five fins and is yellow. The fruit is long oval shaped, has 8-10 linear ribs, irregular nodules, 6-30 cm long depending on subspecies and varieties, bitter taste, young green, ripe to orange and broken with three parts. Bitter melon has several subpsecies including Momordica charantia macroloba , Momordica charantia charantia and Momordica charantia abbreviata . Some varieties include Momordica charantia ...