A new, recently extinct subspecies of the Kuroiwa’s Leopard Gecko, Goniurosaurus kuroiwae (Squamata: Eublepharidae), from Yoronjima Island of the Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan

Abstract

A new subspecies of the eublepharid gecko, Goniurosaurus kuroiwae , is described on the basis of fragmentary bones recovered from a midden on Yoronjima Island, Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan. It differs from the other conspecific subspecies in having a unique combination of osteological character states: in particular, the maxilla contains a posteriorly extended maxillary shelf and a scarcely inclined lateral wall above the posterior tooth row, and the frontal contains a widened anterior section and a laterally overhanging anterior part of lateral prefrontal facet, both of which differentiate this new subspecies from the morphologically most similar G . k . kuroiwae . The new subspecies, endemic to Yoronjima Island, may have gone extinct, together with several other amphibians and reptiles on the island — most likely due to human-related deforestation and increased predation pressure from introduced weasels.