Abstract
The Paroedura bastardi clade, a subgroup of the Madagascan gecko genus Paroedura, currently comprises four nominal species: P. bastardi, supposedly widely distributed in southern and western Madagascar, P. ibityensis, a montane endemic, and P. tanjaka and P. neglecta, both restricted to the central west region of the island. Previous work has shown that Paroedura bastardi is a species complex with several strongly divergent mitochondrial lineages. Based on one mitochondrial and two nuclear markers, plus detailed morphological data, we undertake an integrative revision of this species complex. Using a representative sampling for seven nuclear and five mitochondrial genes we furthermore propose a phylogenetic hypothesis of relationships among the species in this clade. Our analyses reveal at least three distinct and independent evolutionary lineages currently referred to P. bastardi. Conclusive evidence for the species status of these lineages comes from multiple cases of syntopic occurrence without genetic admixture or morphological intermediates, suggesting reproductive isolation. We discuss the relevance of this line of evidence and the conditions under which concordant differentiation in unlinked loci under sympatry provides a powerful approach to species delimitation, and taxonomically implement our findings by (1) designating a lectotype for Paroedura bastardi, now restricted to the extreme South-East of Madagascar, (2) resurrecting of the binomen Paroedura guibeae Dixon & Kroll, 1974, which is applied to the species predominantly distributed in the South-West, and (3) describing a third species, Paroedura rennerae sp. nov., which has the northernmost distribution within the species complex.
Highlights
The gekkonid genus Paroedura is endemic to Madagascar and the Comoro islands (Glaw and Vences 2007, Hawlitschek and Glaw 2013)
We discuss the relevance of this line of evidence and the conditions under which concordant differentiation in unlinked loci under sympatry provides a powerful approach to species delimitation, and taxonomically implement our findings by (1) designating a lectotype for Paroedura bastardi, restricted to the extreme South-East of Madagascar, (2) resurrecting of the binomen Paroedura guibeae Dixon & Kroll, 1974, which is applied to the species predominantly distributed in the South-West, and (3) describing a third species, Paroedura rennerae sp. nov., which has the northernmost distribution within the species complex
From a nomenclatural point of view, two taxon names unambiguously referring to populations of the Paroedura bastardi complex are available: (1) Phyllodactylus bastardi Mocquard, 1900, whose type series is composed of five syntypes: three females collected by Grandidier (MNHN 1899.0337, “environs de Tuléar” (= vicinity of Toliara) and MNHN 1899.0338 and 1899.0339, both from “Fort-Dauphin” (= Tolagnaro), and two specimens collected by M
Summary
The gekkonid genus Paroedura is endemic to Madagascar and the Comoro islands (Glaw and Vences 2007, Hawlitschek and Glaw 2013). The application of molecular genetics has revealed the existence of deep phylogenetic lineages within the genus, many of them apparently qualifying as undescribed candidate species (Jackman et al 2008, Nagy et al 2012, Glaw et al 2014, 2018), indicating that the species diversity within the genus is still insufficiently documented. Integrative taxonomic approaches already helped to revise species diversity within the P. oviceps clade, a group of largely limestone-adapted species occurring on karstic outcrops, resulting in the description of four new species (Glaw et al 2014, 2018) Another major clade, the P. stumpffi clade, has been revised by Hawlitschek and Glaw (2013) and has resulted in the discovery and description of a new species from the Comoran Island of Mayotte
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