THE GENUS PARAGEHYRA (REPTILIA, SAURIA, GEKKONIDAE) IN SOUTHERN MADAGASCAR

Paragehyra a Angel is a gekkonine genus endemic to Madagascar. From 19 29 until the present, the genus was represented only by the holotype o f the single known species, Paragehyra petiti. The type locality of P. petiti is in the driest part of Madagascar (south-west) where rainles s periods may exceed I I months and the original vegetation consists o f thorn scrub or dry deciduous forest. No new individuals of P. petiti were observed. However, a second, undescribed species of the genus wa s discovered in October 1990 on the opposite side of the island (south -east) in primary, low montane rainforest. The new form was observed a t four localities at the southernmost extremity of rainforest in Madag ascar. The new species, described herein, differs from the holotype of Paragehyra petiti in nine major scutellation characters. The holotype of P. petiti differs from the new species in other minor characterist ics as well, but additional specimens of P. petiti are needed to deter mine the magnitude and significance of these differences. Although the differences between the two species are great, there is no doubt that they are sister-taxa, because of nearly identical pedal anatomy. The new species has numerous plesiotypic character states compared to P. p etiti, and it is hypothesized that the common ancestor of the two spec ies was more similar to the newly described form and was also a rainfo rest species. It was necessary to correct and augment the generic diag nosis. The new species is nocturnal and is associated with cliff faces and large boulders. Females of the new species deposit two, hard-shel led, oblong eggs on sheltered reck faces at communal and traditional s ites. Eggs observed at nest sites in late October and early November w ere in early stages of development. The details of the habitat of Para gehyra petiti and the status of the species are unknown. The new speci es was collected at two sites at the southern extremity of the Vohimen a Range, on a ridge connecting the Vohimena and Anosyenne Range, and o n an isolated mountain south of the Anosyenne Range. The four sites ar e in primary rainforest, but selective tree removal, illegal in at lea st one instance, is in progress at all four sites; and the four sites are close to forest edge, which is receding because of expansion of ag ricultural land. Further field work is needed, especially in the middl e and northern portions of the Vohimena Range and in the nearby Anosye nne Range, to determine the status of the new species.