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Between the 9th and 12th of September 2019, the Systematic Zoology Division (Faculty of Life Sciences, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin) hosted the fourth annual international workshop within the project “Land use contrasts and edge effects – a comparative approach”. The event was entitled “Organisms in nature – evolutionary perspective and ecological significance“. Similar to the previous workshops of the project, the venue was the Linde research station in Brandenburg, Germany. The aim was a mutual reflection about concepts, approaches, results and experiences from a global network of scientists dealing with the topic of organismic biology in a comparative context but through the unifying lens of evolution. Participants represented a broad range of scientific disciplines, such as paleontology, functional morphology, and ecology.

The international workshop entitled “Biodiversity and the urban-rural interface: conflicts vs. opportunities” took place between the 24th and the 27th of September 2018 in Linde, Germany. This workshop marks the third annual academic event within our project “Land use contrasts and edge effects – a comparative approach”, affiliated with the Systematic Zoology Division at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and supported by the Zwillenberg-Tietz Stiftung (foundation). The event follows on from the discussions and results achieved within the previous workshops of this project, entitled “Biodiversity and land use – a comparative approach” and “Connecting biodiversity and improving human livelihood beyond boundaries – a global perspective”. Our third workshop aims at comparatively examining interrelations between land use and biodiversity using the example of urban-rural interfaces.

Sphaerodactylus grandisquamis mimetes comb. nov. Thomas & Schwartz, 1966 Figures 20–21 Holotype — MCZ R-81036 Type locality: “ 12.3 km SE Patillas, Puerto Rico.” [Thomas & Schwartz (1966) incorrectly listed the type locality as 12.3 km SE Patillas, but the correct distance is 1.23 km SE Patillas Puerto Rico.] Diagnosis: SVL Min/Max (13.3/ 33.19 mm); midbody scales 31–40 (x̅ 36.1); nine toe lamellae on the fourth toe; males with salt and pepper dorsal pattern; males with very marked lineated or fragmented head pattern; males with blue head (background color); males with reticulate pattern on the gular area; males with or without scapular patch, ocelli on the periphery or enclosed on the patch. The males of this species are superficially similar to the males of S. macrolepis but lack the bicolored scapular patch and the head pattern is less fragmented than in S. macrolepis. Color in life (Fig. 20): Female: ground color light brown to pink, head and tail yellow to gray, head pattern well defined, medial lines separated and parallel, ocelli color white. Male ground color light yellow to orange, head blue to gray, tail orange. Iris color red to yellow-brown. Distribution: Low elevation coastal areas of southeastern Puerto Rico, from Ponce to Maunabo where it transitions to S. g. grandisquamis.

Sphaerodactylus grandisquamis ateles comb. nov. Thomas & Schwartz, 1966 Figures 18���19 Holotype ��� MCZ R-81043 Type locality: ���Balneario de Boquer��n, Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico.��� Diagnosis: SVL Min/Max (14.38/ 33 mm); midbody scales 36���42 (x�� 39.4); nine to ten toe lamellae on the fourth toe; males head pattern absent (also in S. g. spanius); males with no pigmentation on chest, variable pigmentation on throat; males with two light lines extending from the orbits to the scapular patch (also in some S. g mimetes and S. g. stibarus); males and females with a large black scapular patch, ocelli near the edge of the patch; some specimens have the patch surrounded by a white margin (also in S. g. stibarus and S. g. ateles) or absent patch; males with a red head. Color in life (Fig. 18): Female: ground color light gray to pink, head and tail orange to gray, head pattern well defined, medial lines separated and parallel, ocelli color white. Male ground color light brown or gray to orange, head red to light orange. Iris color green, copper, or gray. Distribution: Low elevation coastal areas of southwestern Puerto Rico from Mayag��ez to Ponce, transition to S. g. mimetes occur near Ponce., Published as part of Daza, Juan D., Pinto, Brendan J., Thomas, Richard, Herrera-Martinez, Alexandra, Scantlebury, Daniel P., Padilla Garc��a, Luis F., Balaraman, Rajesh P., Perry, Gad & Gamble, Tony, 2019, The sprightly little sphaerodactyl: Systematics and biogeography of the Puerto Rican dwarf geckos Sphaerodactylus (Gekkota, Sphaerodactylidae), pp. 151-201 in Zootaxa 4712 (2) on pages 169-170, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4712.2.1, http://zenodo.org/record/3586953, {"references":["Thomas, R. & Schwartz, A. (1966) Sphaerodactylus (Gekkonidae) in the greater Puerto Rico region. Bulletin of the Florida State Museum, Biological Sciences, 10, 193 - 260."]}

Sphaerodactylus grandisquamis guarionex comb. nov. Thomas & Schwartz, 1966 Figures 16���17 Holotype ��� MCZ R-81048 Type locality: ���Officers��� Club Beach, Ramey Air Force Base, Puerto Rico.��� [Currently called Punta Borinquen Golf and Country Club, Aguadilla, Puerto Rico.] Diagnosis: SVL Min/Max (12.17/ 34.2 mm); midbody scales 36���49 (x�� 41.3); number of dorsal body scales very reduced (around 14) compared to the other subspecies of S. grandisquamis (17���23); rounded snout scales; one internasal scale; low number of escutcheon scales (around 67, other subspecies of S. grandisquamis [73���95]); nine toe lamellae on the fourth toe; males with orange head; males throat patterned (also in S. g. mimetes and S. g. spanius) and variable in females; the scapular patch is the largest among all members of the S. macrolepis complex, especially in females, and is usually hexagonal enclosing the ocelli. Color in life (Fig. 16): Female: ground color light brown, head and tail fluctuates from orange to yellow, head pattern well defined, medial lines separated and parallel, ocelli color white. Male ground color light brown to gray, head yellow to light orange. Iris color yellow copper. Distribution: Low elevation coastal areas of northern Puerto Rico from the lowlands of El Yunque National Forest to Rinc��n, a transition to S. m. ateles around Mayaguez and with S. g. spanius on high elevations of the Cordillera Central., Published as part of Daza, Juan D., Pinto, Brendan J., Thomas, Richard, Herrera-Martinez, Alexandra, Scantlebury, Daniel P., Padilla Garc��a, Luis F., Balaraman, Rajesh P., Perry, Gad & Gamble, Tony, 2019, The sprightly little sphaerodactyl: Systematics and biogeography of the Puerto Rican dwarf geckos Sphaerodactylus (Gekkota, Sphaerodactylidae), pp. 151-201 in Zootaxa 4712 (2) on pages 168-169, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4712.2.1, http://zenodo.org/record/3586953, {"references":["Thomas, R. & Schwartz, A. (1966) Sphaerodactylus (Gekkonidae) in the greater Puerto Rico region. Bulletin of the Florida State Museum, Biological Sciences, 10, 193 - 260."]}

Sphaerodactylus grandisquamis stibarus comb. nov. Thomas & Schwartz, 1966 Figures 24���25 Holotype ��� MCZ R-81022 Type locality: ��� Isla Pi��eros, Puerto Rico.��� Diagnosis: SVL Min/Max (13.34/ 29.44 mm); midbody scales 36���41 (x�� = 38.6); snout scales rounded; five loreal scales; eight toe lamellae on the fourth toe; males with faint lineated head pattern; males with two light lines extending from the orbits to the scapular patch, scapular patch surrounded by white margin, and patch can also have brown color; the ocelli are large in proportion to the scapular patch and are more separated than in any other member of the S. macrolepis species complex (Padilla 2016); males with anterior dorsolateral lines not contacting the scapular patch; males with marked throat pattern. Color in life (Fig. 24): Female: ground gray with dark brown or black scales, head and tail orange to light brown, head pattern well defined, medial lines poorly defined and forming a blotch, ocelli color white. Male ground color is light brown, scattered brown scales, salt and pepper, head and tail orange. Iris color dark gray, or golden. Distribution: Known only from the type locality., Published as part of Daza, Juan D., Pinto, Brendan J., Thomas, Richard, Herrera-Martinez, Alexandra, Scantlebury, Daniel P., Padilla Garc��a, Luis F., Balaraman, Rajesh P., Perry, Gad & Gamble, Tony, 2019, The sprightly little sphaerodactyl: Systematics and biogeography of the Puerto Rican dwarf geckos Sphaerodactylus (Gekkota, Sphaerodactylidae), pp. 151-201 in Zootaxa 4712 (2) on page 172, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4712.2.1, http://zenodo.org/record/3586953, {"references":["Thomas, R. & Schwartz, A. (1966) Sphaerodactylus (Gekkonidae) in the greater Puerto Rico region. Bulletin of the Florida State Museum, Biological Sciences, 10, 193 - 260."]}

Sphaerodactylus grandisquamis spanius comb. nov. Thomas & Schwartz, 1966 Figures 22���23 Holotype ��� MCZ R-81047 Type locality: ��� 17.7 km NE Utuado (~ about 8 km airline), 1100 feet, Puerto Rico.��� Diagnosis: SVL Min/Max (14.68/ 35.68 mm); midbody scales 41���47 (x�� 43.6); males with elevated number of escutcheon scales (~95); ten toe lamellae on the fourth toe; males with marked lineated head pattern; males with marked reticular pattern; scapular patch reduced to a midcentral rectangle, and ocelli located on the periphery of the patch; scapular patch in contact with nuchal spots (Padilla 2006). Color in life (Fig. 22): Female: ground color light brown to straw, head and tail orange to light gray, head pattern well defined, medial lines separated and parallel, ocelli color white, or sometimes gray (Thomas & Schwartz 1966). Male ground color light brown, head and tail orange. Iris color yellow, green, brown, copper, or golden. Distribution: Uplands of the Cordillera Central and the Sierra of Cayey from 335 m to 850 m. Thomas & Schwartz (1966) report some intergrades with S. g. mimetes near Aibonito., Published as part of Daza, Juan D., Pinto, Brendan J., Thomas, Richard, Herrera-Martinez, Alexandra, Scantlebury, Daniel P., Padilla Garc��a, Luis F., Balaraman, Rajesh P., Perry, Gad & Gamble, Tony, 2019, The sprightly little sphaerodactyl: Systematics and biogeography of the Puerto Rican dwarf geckos Sphaerodactylus (Gekkota, Sphaerodactylidae), pp. 151-201 in Zootaxa 4712 (2) on pages 171-172, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4712.2.1, http://zenodo.org/record/3586953, {"references":["Thomas, R. & Schwartz, A. (1966) Sphaerodactylus (Gekkonidae) in the greater Puerto Rico region. Bulletin of the Florida State Museum, Biological Sciences, 10, 193 - 260.","Padilla, L. F. (2006) Geographic variation in color pattern on Sphaerodactylus macrolepis Gunther 1859, (Sauria: Gekkonidae). M. Sc. Thesis, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan. 153 pp."]}

Sphaerodactylus inigoi comb. nov. Thomas & Schwartz, 1966 Figures 11–13 Holotype — MCZ R-81055 Type locality: “Ensenada Sun Bay (= Ensenda Sombe), Isla Vieques, Puerto Rico.” Diagnosis: SVL Min/Max (14.18/ 30 mm), midbody scales 33–41 (x̅ 36.8), four or five loreal scales (also in S. parvus, contrasting with five or six in S. macrolepis and S. grandisquamis), two or three postmental scales (two in S. macrolepis, S. grandisquamis, and S. parvus), a low number of dorsal body scales from axilla to groin (15 to 18, differing from S. parvus and S. grandisquamis except S. g. stibarus [14–16 scales]). Males dorsal head pattern absent or very faint except a dull parietal spot (Thomas & Schwartz 1966); males with no pigmentation on throat, females with throat pattern; males from Culebra might have some pigmentation on the throat; males with red to yellow head; males and females with reduced scapular patch; males and females with dorsal lines stippled; males dorsal pattern salt and pepper; females with medial lines fused to form a blotch or imperfect line; shortened snout. SVL is smaller in specimens from West Culebra (Min= 14.04 mm, Max= 26.88 mm) than in specimens from Vieques (Min= 14.18 mm, Max= 30 mm). Color in life (Fig. 11): Female: ground color fluctuates from tan to gray, head and tail fluctuates from gray to light brown, head pattern well defined, medial lines forming a blotch, ocelli color pale or yellowish. Male ground color fluctuates from gray to light brown, head red-orange with absent head pattern or faint remains of it (e.g. parietal or nuchal spot). Iris color brown, copper, or orange. The color of female S. inigoi is similar to the female coloration of S. g. mimete s, while the male coloration is more similar to the males of S. g. ateles (Padilla 2006), although the former has a marked head, unlike S. inigoi males, where the pattern is absent or very faint. Distribution: Vieques Island and satellites, and western part of Culebra Island.

Sphaerodactylus grandisquamis grandisquamis Stejneger, 1904 Figures 14���15 Holotype ��� USNM 27007 Type locality: ��� Luquillo, Porto Rico.��� Synonyms: Sphaerodactylus g. phoberus Thomas & Schwartz, 1966 Diagnosis: SVL Min/Max (17.79/ 34.08 mm); midbody scales 36���46 (x�� 41.2); scales on the snout are rounded (also in S. g. guarionex and S. g. stibarus); head ventral scales with faint keels (contrary to the other species where the keels are more defined); seven toe lamellae on the fourth toe; males with faint head pattern (also in S. g. guarionex and S. g. stibarus); males with faint throat pattern; females without throat pattern; males and females with a large hexagonal black scapular patch; ocelli enclosed on the scapular patch, and patch usually surrounded by a white margin (also in S. g. stibarus and S. g. ateles). Color in life (Fig. 14): Female: ground color brown to yellowish, head and tail fluctuates from orange to yellow, head pattern well defined, medial lines separated and parallel, ocelli color white. Males ground color brown to yellowish brown, head red-orange to yellowish. Iris color variable, greenish-yellow, black suffused with yellow, golden or grayish-yellow (Thomas & Schwartz 1966). Distribution: Low elevation coastal areas of northeastern Puerto Rico, Cayo Santiago and Cayo Batata, a transition to S. g. guarionex around San Juan and to S. g. mimetes in the Maunabo area., Published as part of Daza, Juan D., Pinto, Brendan J., Thomas, Richard, Herrera-Martinez, Alexandra, Scantlebury, Daniel P., Padilla Garc��a, Luis F., Balaraman, Rajesh P., Perry, Gad & Gamble, Tony, 2019, The sprightly little sphaerodactyl: Systematics and biogeography of the Puerto Rican dwarf geckos Sphaerodactylus (Gekkota, Sphaerodactylidae), pp. 151-201 in Zootaxa 4712 (2) on pages 167-168, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4712.2.1, http://zenodo.org/record/3586953, {"references":["Stejneger, L. (1904) Herpetology of Porto Rico. Report of the United States National Museum, 1902, 549 - 724. https: // doi. org / 10.5962 / bhl. title. 11835","Thomas, R. & Schwartz, A. (1966) Sphaerodactylus (Gekkonidae) in the greater Puerto Rico region. Bulletin of the Florida State Museum, Biological Sciences, 10, 193 - 260."]}