Phyllurus fimbriatus Hoskin 2023, sp. nov.

Phyllurus fimbriatus sp. nov. Scawfell Island Leaf-tailed Gecko (Figures 2, 3) Material examined. Holotype. QM J97578, adult female, original tail, Scawfell Island (20.8743°S, 149.6102°E; 200 m a.s.l.), 18 November 2021, C. J. Hoskin, E. Carmichael & E. Evans; Figure 2. Paratypes. QM J97576, subadult female, original tail; QM J97577 adult male, regenerated tail; QM J97579, adult female, regenerated tail; collection details same as holotype. Diagnosis. Distinguished from congeners by the following characters: large size (SVL to 113 mm); obviously flared original and regenerated tail; rostral scale partially divided by a single groove; body and tail surfaces with small tubercles, with larger spinose tubercles largely restricted to margins of original tail; anterior-most white band on original tail V-shaped or notched, and spanning full width of tail; ventral surfaces immaculate. Etymology. The species name fimbriatus is Latin for ‘fringed’, referring to the restriction of spines on the original tail to a fringe along the outer edge. Measurements and scale counts. All measurements and scale counts for the holotype and paratypes are presented in Table 1. Description of type series. SVL = average 101.7 mm (90.7–110.7). Proportions (average, followed by range in brackets): AG/SVL = 0.47 (0.45–0.48), FL/SVL = 0.20 (0.19–0.20), LHL/SVL = 0.23 (0.22–0.24), L1/SVL = 0.46 (0.44–0.48), L2/SVL = 0.53 (0.51–0.54), NL/SVL = 0.19 (0.19–0.20), NW/SVL = 0.11 (0.10–0.12), HL/SVL = 0.27 (0.27–0.28), HW/SVL = 0.22 (0.22–0.23), HD/SVL = 0.110 (0.107 –0.115), SL/SVL = 0.124 (0.118 –0.131), ED/ SVL = 0.061 (0.057 –0.064), TL/SVL (original) = 0.77 (0.76–0.78), TT/SVL (original) = 0.41 (0.41–0.42), TW/SVL (original) = 0.20 (0.18–0.21), TD/SVL (original) = 0.066 (0.059 –0.073), TL/SVL (regenerated) = 0.49 (0.47–0.50), TT/SVL (regenerated) = 0.24 (0.22–0.25), TW/SVL (regenerated) = 0.23 (0.21–0.25), TD/SVL (regenerated) = 0.079 (0.077 –0.082). Scale counts (average, followed by range in brackets): internasals = 6.8 (6–7), supralabials = 15.0 (14–16), infralabials = 14.5 (13–16), subdigital lamellae under 4 th finger = 16.3 (15–18), subdigital lamellae under 4 th toe = 19.0 (18–20). Head. Large, depressed, triangular; covered in very small granules with scattered larger, pale, conical tubercles on sides of head; top of snout and canthul region have fine granular scales and no enlarged tubercles; canthul region moderately steep, with a moderately defined bony ridge extending forward from upper anterior margin of each eye towards naris; skin of head co-ossified with skull; deep, vertical groove partially (20–50%) dividing rostral scale (Table 1); rostral not in contact with nostril; 6–7 scales along the upper margin of rostral shield (i.e., internasals); first supralabial scale taller than wide, remaining supralabials broad and steadily decreasing in size; first infralabial scale taller than wide, remaining infralabials broad and steadily decreasing in size; granular scales of chin and throat homogenously minute granules, with the exception of larger scales along the edge of the mental and infralabials (particularly abutting infralabials 1–3); ear opening conspicuous, vertical, much less than half as large as eye. Neck. Fairly broad; covered in small granules that are intermixed with evenly scattered larger pale conical tubercles the sides and top. Body. Depressed, covered in small granules; flanks and back evenly covered in scattered, small, conical tubercles; those on the back and side evenly small and scattered (as for neck); all ventral surfaces (even under limbs) covered in even, smooth, fine granules, with no enlarged tubercles; single male has a large post-cloacal bulge, with conspicuous cloacal ‘spurs’, consisting of a cluster of white triangular scales, on the anterior-lateral margin; no pre-cloacal pores on any individuals; axilla deeply invaginated. Limbs. Long and very slender, covered in small granular scales and with scattered, small, pointed tubercles dorsally; lacking tubercles on ventral surface; digits strongly compressed distally; dorsal surface of hands, feet and digits without enlarged conical tubercles. Original tail (Fig. 2). Anterior half flared and leaf-shaped, then tapers abruptly into a long attenuated tip (tip 54% of total tail length for both specimens; Table 1); flared section strongly flattened; distal section rounded, terminating with a minute, rounded, white ‘knob’; dorsal surface covered in minute granules, with sparsely scattered enlarged spinose tubercles; margin of flared portion of tail undulating, with the ‘peaks’ each having several obvious, large spinose tubercles, making the tail distinctly spiny on the edge but smooth on the top; ventral surface smooth with a mosaic of small rounded to square or hexagonal scales. Regenerated tail. Disc-like, rounded shape, with thin, tapering distal portion (tip 47% and 50% of total tail length in the two specimens; Table 1); dorsal and lateral surfaces of disc and attenuated portion covered in fine, pointed granules; small, rounded knob on the end; ventral surface covered in mosaic of block like scales. Colour pattern in spirit (e.g., Fig. 2). Dorsal base colour grey to tan, with irregular large dark brown blotches on neck and body, and smaller, dark brown blotches on head and limbs; dark blotches on neck and back connected to be arranged as irregular, dark, transverse bars; dark, longitudinal markings extend from above hips to base of tail; top of head and snout has less pattern but W-shaped mark across top of snout, connecting the anterior margin of the eyes; diffuse pale band from lower anterior margin of eye diagonally to midway along jaw, and more obvious similar pale band from lower posterior margin of eye diagonally to just behind jaw; white ‘spot’ (from cluster of minute tubercles) above the ear; all dorsal and lateral surface of neck, body and limbs covered in fine white flecks (that are generally the small conical tubercles); ventral surfaces of chin, throat, chest, abdomen and limbs fairly even cream colour, except for dark smudging under the knees, feet and hands; original tail has pale grey-brown background with extensive dark brown-black mottling, and white bands; the white bands consist of a band at the base of the flared portion that is distinctly V-shaped, and unbroken across the width of the tail, then a very thin white band three-quarters of the way along the flared portion, then a thick white band at the start of the attenuated section, then two white bands along the attenuated section, and a white tip at the end of the tail; underside of flared portion of original tail has a pale background, with heavy, dark brown flecked and scattered white spots; ventral surface of attenuated portion of original tail starting with V-shaped white marking, then dark brown and white corresponding to stripes on dorsal surface; dorsal surface of regenerated tail dark brown with a few irregular pale markings (QM J97579) or light brown background with fairly even dark mottling (QM J97577); ventral surfaces have a pale background that is heavily (QM J97579) or moderately covered in dark brown mottling (QM J97577). Colour pattern of type series in life. As above but base colour of body generally lighter (whitish grey), white and black markings (e.g., particularly on original tail) more contrasting, and ventral surfaces immaculate white. Field data. Body size and maturity. SVL and tail data were collected from 23 individuals in the field, and these individuals were photographed to assess consistency in colour pattern traits. The majority of individuals observed were subadults of approximately 65 mm SVL. The smallest male with a pronounced post-cloacal bulge was 96 mm SVL. Individuals deemed male below that SVL (up to 85 mm) did not have a pronounced post-cloacal bulge. Male sexual maturity was therefore taken to be 96 mm SVL for the field data and, for the eight males that were this size and above, the average SVL was 102 mm (with a range between 96–105 mm; Table 1). The smallest female with eggs visible through the body wall of the abdomen was 103 mm SVL. None of the females inspected below that size (up to 96 mm SVL) had visible eggs, whereas six of the eight females inspected above 103 mm SVL had visible eggs. Female sexual maturity was therefore taken to be 103 mm SVL for the field data and, for the eight females that were this size and above, the average SVL was 109 mm (with a range between 103–113 mm; Table 1). Original tail (e.g., Figs 2, 3A, 3B). Of the 23 individuals for which tail status was recorded in the field, 8 (i.e., 35%) had an original tail. However, there was a clear relationship with body size: all 7 individuals