Gekko carusadensis Linkem, Siler, Diesmos, Sy & Brown 2010

Gekko carusadensis is one of ten currently recognized, endemic species of Gekko in the Philippines. This species was only recently discovered in a small fragment of karst (limestone) forest in central Luzon Island in the Philippines (Linkem et al., 2010). This species has been found on karst outcrops and cave systems at low elevation. The discovery of this species emphasizes the need for focused surveys throughout limestone forests in the Philippines, as multiple limestone microhabitat specialist geckos have now been discovered (including Gekko ernstkelleri and Gekko gigante). Gekko carusadensis is known only from the small karst forest in the Municipality of Biak na Bato in Central Luzon Island, Philippines.

Recent studies and increased survey efforts throughout the Philippines have resulted in a dramatic increase in the diversity of gekkonid lizards in the country. The archipelago is now known to support ten genera and at least 48 described species in the genera Cyrtodactylus (9 species), Gekko (12–13), Gehyra (1), Hemidactylus (5; including platyurus, a species formerly assigned to Cosymbotus), Hemiphyllodactylus (2), Lepidodactylus (6), Luperosaurus (8), Pseudogekko (4), and Ptychozoon (1) (Taylor, 1922a,b; Brown and Alcala, 1978; Brown and Diesmos, 2000; Brown et al., 1997, 1999, 2007, 2008, 2009, in press; Gaulke et al., 2007; Linkem et al., 2010; Welton et al., 2009, 2010a, b; Zug, 2010).

Ten species of Gekko are considered endemic to the archipelago (Brown et al., 2009; Linkem et al., 2010) and two additional species with broad geographic distributions (G. gecko, G. monarchus) are also known from the country (Taylor, 1922a, b; Brown and Alcala, 1978; Ota et al., 1989). The ten endemic Philippine species are G. athymus, G. carusadensis, G. crombota, G. ernstkelleri, G. gigante, G. mindorensis, G. palawanensis, G. porosus, G. romblon, and G. rossi. These species represent a considerable range in body size, general appearance, and ecological attributes, but all possess the following combination of morphological traits: (1) body size moderate, with relatively long, slender limbs; (2) near complete absence of interdigital webbing or cutaneous body expansions; (3) dorsal tubercles arranged in longitudinal rows on the dorsum (except for G. athymus, in which dorsal tuberculation is absent); (4) scales of dorsum between tubercle rows minute, non-imbricate; (5) scales of venter enlarged, imbricate, flat; (6) differentiated postmentals elongate; and (7) subcaudals enlarged, plate-like (Brown and Alcala, 1978; Brown et al., 2007, 2008, 2009).

Coloration of holotype in preservative. Dorsal ground coloration of head, body, tail and dorsal surfaces of limbs light gray with scattered, irregular, dark gray mottling. The mottling of dark gray is without pattern, slightly increased in concentration around the vertebral, nuchal, scapular, and sacral regions. Dark bands on original portion of tail just prior to autonomy scar Dorsal and lateral surfaces of head similar to dorsal ground color; supraocular region dark black from eyes; rostral and supralabial regions light gray; infralabials very light gray; infra-auricular region light gray, slightly lighter than medium gray supra-auricular region. Limbs colored as torso, lacking transverse banding; dorsal surfaces of hands and feet light gray with heavy dark gray mottling; digits medium gray with cream spots; tail medium gray with dark gray bands on distal portion of original tail, no bands for proximal 1/3 of tail; regenerated portion dark gray. Ventral head, neck, and torso white; ventral surfaces of limbs slightly darker with black flecks; ventral surfaces of digits (scansors) dark gray; palmar and plantar surfaces medium gray; precloacofemoal region white with light orange pores; ventral surfaces of tail medium gray, not banded.

Gekko carusadensis differs from non-Philippine G. kikuchii Oshima, G. shibatai Toda, Sengoku, Hikida & Ota, G. tawaensis Okada, G. vertebralis Toda, Sengoku, Hikida & Ota, and G. vittatus Houttuyn by the presence of precloacal pores in males; from G. badenii Szczerbak & Nekrasova, G. grossmanni Günther, G. petricolus Taylor, G. russelltraini Van Tri, Bauer, Wood, & Grismer, and G. taylori Ota & Nabhitabhata by the presence of femoral pores in males; from G. melli Vogt, G. scientiadventura Rösler, Yiegler, Vu, Herrmann & Böhme, G. subpalmatus Günther, and G. tawaensis by the presence of dorsal tubercles; from G. albofasciolatus Günther, G. nutaphandi Bauer, Sumontha & Pauwels, G. siamensis Grossmann & Ulber, G. smithii Gray, and G. verreauxi Tytler by having a smaller adult SVL (< 98 mm vs. > 110 mm); from G. auriverrucosus Zhao & Liu, G. liboensis Zhao & Li, G. japonicus (Schlegel), G. scabridus Liu & Zhou, G. swinhonis Günther, G. taibaiensis Song, and G. wenxianensis Zhou & Wang by a larger number of digit IV lamellae (18–20 vs. 9 or fewer); from G. chinensis Gray, G. hokouensis, and G. yakuensis Matsui & Okada by lacking any interdigital webbing; from G. similignum Smith by the presence of more dorsal tubercle rows and from G. palmatus Boulenger and G. ulikovskii Darevsky & Orlov by the presence of more precloacofemoral pores. Gekko carusadensis differs from all other species of Philippine Gekko (i.e., G. athymus, G. crombota, G. ernstkelleri, G. gecko, G. gigante, G. mindorensis, G. monarchus, G. palawanensis, G. porosus, G. romblon and G. rossi) by the following characters (1) moderately large body size (SVL 83.4–97.2 mm for adult males; 79.9–87.5 for females); (2) dorsum gray, with little to no dark gray mottling or transverse bars; (3) moderate number of precloacofemoral pores (46–50) arranged in a continuous, uninterrupted series (pore bearing in males; lacking pores in females); (4) moderate number of mildly conical dorsal body tubercle rows (16–18 midbody; 25–28 paravertebrally). Gekko carusadensis differs from its phenotypically most similar congener, G. mindorensis, by the presence of fewer precloacofemoral pores (46–50 vs 52–66); by having 18–20 scansors beneath toe IV (vs. 12–14); by having on average fewer midbody tubercle rows (14–17 vs. 16–20); and by G. carusadensis females being larger than G. mindorensis females (79.9–87.5 mm vs. 68.2–70.9). It can be further diagnosed from G. mindorensis by the difference in coloration (light gray with small dark gray mottling versus gray with dark thin transverse bands). The presence of 46–50 precloacofemoral pores distinguishes Gekko carusadensis from all Philippine congeners, including G. rossi (77–88), G. crombota (58–74), G. porosus (74–80), G. monarchus (31–40), G. mindorensis (52–66), G. romblon (71–84), G. gigante (52–66), G. ernstkelleri (36–42), G. palawanensis (64– 70), G. athymus (20–24), and G. gecko (12–20). A high number of toe IV subdigital scansors (18–20) distinguish G. carusadensis from G. rossi (10–16), G. crombota (15–18), G. porosus (14–16), G. monarchus (13–15), G. mindorensis (12–14), and G. romblon (12, 13). Moderately large body size in males and females distinguishes Gekko carusadensis from the smaller species G. monarchus (male 56.2–80.7 mm; female 40.6– 69.7 mm), G. mindorensis (male 55–88.2 mm; female 68.2–70.9 mm), and G. palawanensis (male 57.2–65.7 mm; female 44.5–61.8 mm) and from the larger species G. athymus (male 99.2–119.9 mm; female 88.2–117.1 mm), G. gecko (male 120.1–166.1 mm; female 119.2–144.1 mm) and female G. porosus (91–96.7 mm). Gekko carusadensis is further distinguished from Gekko porosus by the absence of a modified distal femoral porebearing patch (vs. present, composed of a short series of 2 or 3 rows of pore-bearing scales). The new species differs from G. crombota (Brown et al., 2008) by small dark mottling on light gray dorsum (vs. presence of trilobed cream bars) on the body trunk; by fewer (16–18) midbody dorsal tubercle rows (vs. 18–22); and precloacofemorals arranged in a continuous series (vs. 1 or 2 scale separation between preacloacals and femorals; Brown et al., 2008:fig 4B). Finally, dorsal coloration (light gray with small dark gray mottling) distinguishes G. carusadensis from the highly variable range of patterns exhibited by other Philippine Gekko.

Gekko carusadensis is known only from Barangay Biak na Bato, Municipality of San Miguel and Doña Remedios, Trinidad, Bulacan Province, Luzon Island, Philippines.

We observed the new species to be very common in karst habitat within the Biak na Bato park. Lizards were only found on the karst rock, never on vegetation. They were common within the caves and crevices that make up the park habitat and could be found on the outside surfaces of the caves at night. Sympatric gekkonid species include Cyrtodactylus philippinicus (Steindachner), Gekko gecko (Linnaeus), Gehyra mutilata (Wiegmann), Hemidactylus frenatus Schlegel, and Hemidactylus platyurus (Schneider). None of the sympatric species occupied the karst habitat, but were found in abundance in the more disturbed areas of the park near or on buildings. Cyrtodactylus philippinicus could be found on trees near the karst rocks.

Gekko carusadensis is derived from the word “Carusadus” which refers to a region in Slovenia with extensive Karst topography (Kranjc, 2001). This region is considered the origin of the term “Karst” (Kranjc, 1998), the current term for the type of topography in which the new species occurs. Suggested common name, Luzon Karst Gecko.

Gekko carusadensis is recognized to occur in the Luzon Pleistocene Aggregate Island Complex.

This species appears to prefer karst forest outcrops.

SVL 83.4–97.2 mm for adult males; 79.9–87.5 for females

Barangay Biak na Bato, Municipality of San Miguel and Doña Remedios
Trinidad, Bulacan Province, Luzon Island, Philippines.

Continent: Asia
Distribution: Philippine Islands (Luzon)
Type locality: inside a cave in secondary-growth forest (19:30) in Barangay Biak na Bato, Municipality of San Miguel and Doña Remedios Trinidad, Bulacan Province, Luzon Island, Philippines, N 15.1084°, E 121.0724°.

The Luzon karst gecko (Gekko carusadensis) is a species of gecko endemic to the Philippines. It was described in 2010 using samples collected in 2009 on the Luzon island. Its length is ca. 8.3–10.0 cm for males and 8.0–8.8 cm for females. Its name carusadensis refers to Carusadus, a region in Slovenia rich in karst topography, which is favored by this species.

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Gekko carusadensis Gekko generoko animalia da. Narrastien barruko Gekkonidae familian sailkatuta dago.

Gekko carusadensis est une espèce de geckos de la famille des Gekkonidae.

Gekko carusadensis là một loài thằn lằn trong họ Gekkonidae. Loài này được Linkem, Siler, Diesmos, Sy & Brown mô tả khoa học đầu tiên năm 2010.