Discovery of a living giant lizard, genus Gallotia (Reptilia : Lacertidae), from La Gomera, Canary Islands

We describe the external morphology of a new giant lizard found alive on La Gomera Island (Canarian Archipelago), which had been previously described from subfossil bones. Adult size (SVL 135-190 mm) is comparable with the tw o largest living species (G. simonyi and G. stehlini) of tile genus. It dif fers from tile other spec ies of Gallotia in the low number of temporal sca les (21-27;). presence of one elongate interprefrontal scale (linearly depr essed in center! that is very infrequent in most of its congeners (small wh en it is present). having two distinctive lateral lines of small blue spots , and in having a blackish-brown dorsum and ventral parts ivory white. Acco rding to subfossil data, based on tooth morphology and body size this lizar d seems to correspond to tile putatively extinct subspecies (G. simonyi gom erana). This taxon is sufficiently distinct to be treated as a full species . G gomerana. Molecular data analysis from mtDNA sequences (cytochrome I) a nd 12S rRNA) indicate that G. gomerana is closely related to G. simonyi and G. intermedia. After prospecting 70 localities in La Gomera. we only found a very small and threatened population of this species in Valle Gran Rey, in the western part of the island and living in an area of less than ha. A small population size (only six individuals are known) and a large number o f fetal cats in their habitat makes this lizard tile most endangered verteb rate of the Canaries and Europe and one of tile most threatened ill all til e world. The species is suspected to be on the brink of extinction, so cons ervation measures are urgently needed. including a captive breeding plan at Valle Gran Rey, close to the natural habitat.