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Type: Article
Published: 2014-04-10
Page range: 359–381
Abstract views: 29
PDF downloaded: 2

The phylogenetic relationships of three new species of the Cyrtodactylus pulchellus complex (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from poorly explored regions in northeastern Peninsular Malaysia

Department of Biology, La Sierra University, 4500 Riverwalk Parkway, Riverside, California 92515 USA.
Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, 150 East Bulldog Boulevard, Provo, Utah 84602 USA.
School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM, Pulau Pinang, Penang, Malaysia.
School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM, Pulau Pinang, Penang, Malaysia.
School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM, Pulau Pinang, Penang, Malaysia.
Centre for Drug Research, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Minden, Pulau Pinang, Penang, Malaysia.
Malaysian Nature Society, JKR 641, Jalan Kelantan, Bukit Persekutuan, 50480, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Department of Biology, La Sierra University, 4500 Riverwalk Parkway, Riverside, California 92515 USA.
Department of Biology, La Sierra University, 4500 Riverwalk Parkway, Riverside, California 92515 USA.
Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, 92182 USA.
Conservation Integrative taxonomy Molecular systematics Southeast Asia Sundaland

Abstract

An integrative taxonomic analysis of three newly discovered populations of the gekkonid genus Cyrtodactylus Gray from Merapoh, Pahang; Gunung Stong, Kelantan; and Gunung Tebu, Terengganu indicate they are part of the C. pulchellus complex and each is a new species and thusly named Cyrtodactylus sharkari sp. nov., C. jelawangensis sp. nov., and C. timur sp. nov., respectively. Each species bears a unique suite of morphological and color pattern characters separating them from each other and all other nominal species in the C. pulchellus complex. Their phylogenetic relationships to each other and other species in the C. pulchellus complex were unexpected in that they are not in accordance with the general distribution of the species in this complex, underscoring the intricate historical biogeography of the Thai-Malay Peninsula. These descriptions highlight our current lack of knowledge concerning the herpetological diversity and distribution of species in northeastern Peninsular Malaysia.