Five new species of lizards from the Kimberley, Pilbara, and Northern Territory were recently described by a scientific team led by Western Australian Museum curator of herpetology Dr Paul Doughty.

Dr Doughty said the descriptions include three new gecko species of the genus Gehyra, from the north-west Kimberley region: the Southern Spotted Gecko (Gehyra pseudopunctata); the Kimberley Granular-toed Gecko (Gehyra granulum); the Northern Kimberley Gecko (Gehyra pluraporosa).

The fourth new gecko species, also from the genus Gehyra, was found in the Northern Territory and is called the Litchfield Spotted Gecko (Gehyra paranana). The fifth description is a new species of skink from the Pilbara, called the Rusty Skink (Eremiascincus rubiginosus).

“The new gecko species were part of a larger complex of what was a variable widespread species called Gehyra nana. However, through detailed examination of gecko specimens the museum and university-based studies found evidence for the four new species,” Dr Doughty said.

“Most of the new species of geckos have large distributions with exception of the Northern Kimberley Geckos, Gehyra pluraporosa. This species is known only from two different places at the extreme north of the region in the rugged, high rainfall area. It was great to find three in the north-west of the Kimberley as this is one of the most species-dense areas in Australia for reptiles and frogs.”

Dr Doughty attributes the surprising find in the Kimberley to the recent increase of survey effort in the ancient region, resulting in improved documentation of the many endemic animals and plants harboured in the area.

“We knew there were unknown gecko species lurking under the single name of Gehyra nana which needed to be explored. These nocturnal animals are very fast rock-climbers and incredibly hard to catch, so a concerted team effort was made throughout the nights in the hope of encountering these speedy, little animals.”

Dr Doughty said the Eremiascincus rubiginosus or Rusty Skink from the Pilbara is found only in the deep gorges of the Hamersley Range.

“Rusty Skinks are unusual compared to other members of the genus. They are reddish like the colour of the Pilbara rocks, unlike the yellowy-browns of species that live in the arid zone,” Dr Doughty said.

“This new species likely evolved from a sand dune-dwelling species, but got trapped within the rocky Pilbara gorges long ago and adapted itself to the hard surfaces and new background colouration.

“The enormous number of reptile and frog species in the Kimberley and Pilbara is what makes them two of my favourite places on the planet. They are very special areas and have amazing species, with so many new ones to come.”

The study was possible through collaboration between the WA Museum, Australian National University and the University of Marburg in Germany. The paper on the four new species of gecko was published in Zootaxa and can be viewed on this link http://www.mapress.com/j/zt/article/view/zootaxa.4403.2.1

The paper on the new species of skink was published in Vertebrate Zoology and can be viewed on this link http://www.senckenberg.de/root/index.php?page_id=8042&PHPSESSID=aaoef365kgoolvaj86vd1qiql7

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Ends

Media contact
Flora Perrella
Media and Communications Officer
Western Australian Museum
flora.perrella@museum.wa.gov.au