Reevaluation of the Taxonomic Status of TwoLepidodactylusSpecies (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from the Lesser Sunda Archipelago, Indonesia

Abstract

Lepidodactylus lombocensis and Lepidodactylus intermedius, both from the Lesser Sunda Archipelago, Indonesia, are usually considered synonyms or subspecies of the broadly distributed Lepidodactylus lugubris. However, reexamination of the type specimens of these taxa revealed that they are actually distinct from L. lugubris in having characteristics of Brown and Parker's (1977) Group II, such as undivided terminal scansors on all digits and subcylindrical tails without distinct lateral edges or serrations. The two species also differ from other Group II species in several meristic characters. Furthermore, L. lombocensis and L. intermedius differ from each other in a few characters, such as the number of scale rows at midbody and dorsal color pattern. We thus consider both of these species as valid. A revised key is provided to the Group II species of Lepidodactylus.