Resolution of the systematic status of Eublepharis macularius fuscus Boerner, 1981 (Eublepharidae: Sauria: Squamata)

• Main Author: Das, I.
• Format: E-Article
• Language: English
• Published: Centre for Herpetology, Madras Crocodile Bank Trust 1997
• Subjects: Q Science (General); QL Zoology
• Online Access: http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/11951/1/Resolution%20of%20the%20systematic%20%28abstract%29.pdf; http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/11951/; https://www.zenscientist.com/index.php/pdflibrary2/Open-Access-Journals/Hamadryad-1976-2008/1997-Hamadryad-22(1)-Das-1/

The disjunct population of leopard geckos, genus Eublepharis from western India (Gujarat, Maharashtra and Karnataka) is shown to be non conspecific with E. macularius. Originally described as a subspecies of E. macularius by Borner (1981), E. fuscus is demonstrated to be both diagnosable and allopatric with congeners, and therefore elevated to species status and a neotype designated. Eublepharis fuscus differs from known congeners in possessing the following combination of characters: six postnasals contacting nasals; eight supralabials to a point below pupil; mental small, hexagonal, longer than wide and about twice as long as the first pair of postmentals; prefrontal region with smooth, flat scales,; large granular and non-spinose tubercles on the dorsum.