A new species of Cyrtodactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from western Papua New Guinea

Abstract

I describe a new gecko, Cyrtodactylus serratus, from the Star Mts. of the western extreme of Papua New Guinea. The new species differs from all Papuan congeners in having a row of enlarged, dentate tubercles extending the length of each lateral skin fold. Further differences with the other species of Papuan Cyrtodactylus are identified and serve to highlight the uniqueness of the new species. I speculate that relationships of the new species may lie closest to C. loriae Boulenger among named forms, but numerous additional species of Cyrtodactylus remain to be described from New Guinea and this suggestion can only be considered tentative.