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Issue: Vol. 3505 No. 1: 3 Oct. 2012
Type: Articles
Published: 2012-10-03
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3505.1.5
Page range: 67–74
Abstract views: 47
PDF downloaded: 1

Genetic and morphological evidence on the species validity of Gekko melli Vogt, 1922 with notes on its diagnosis and range extension (Squamata: Gekkonidae)

State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol/The Museum of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 135 Xingangxi Road, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China
State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol/The Museum of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 135 Xingangxi Road, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China
State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol/The Museum of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 135 Xingangxi Road, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China
Shenzhen Park Service, Shenzhen 518040, P. R. China
State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Source Management and Technology/Academy of Shenzhen environmental science, Shenzhen 518001, P. R. China
Reptilia Gekko melli Gekko subpalmatus species validity 16S rRNA taxonomy China

Abstract

Mell’s gecko Gekko melli Vogt, 1922, a poorly known gecko species in China, had been previously treated as synonym ofGekko subpalmatus for a rather long time. It was recently resurrected as a valid species on the basis of morphological com-parisons of type specimens with the latter species. In this study, we confirmed the specific validity of G. melli based on aset of specimens we collected from China, as well as on the basis of molecular genetic analysis. We also provide a more complete morphological description and diagnosis of G. melli.

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