Taxonomic revision of the Tropiocolotes nattereri(Squamata, Gekkonidae) species complex, with the description of a new species from Israel, Jordan and Saudi Arabia

We examined the taxonomy of the minute desert geckos of the Tropiocolotes nat-tererispecies complex using the largest morphological sampling, and the first mo-lecular assessment of intraspecific diversity within this complex. We examined variation in mitochondrial and nuclear markers (12S, ND2, c- mosand MC1R) of 30 samples and analyzed the external morphology of 202 specimens, from across the entire distribution range of the complex from Egypt, Israel, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. We recognize two species under the name T. nattereri. We thus hereby describe a new species, T. yomtovisp. n., and we redefine and redescribe T. nattereri, for which we designate a neotype. The species diversity in the genus Tropiocolotes increases to 15.
This work was supported by the Gans Collections and Charitable Fund Inc. [M.A.R- J. grant], SYNTHESYS+, Synthesis of Systematic Resources funded by the European Commission [M.A.R- J. grants: ES- TAF- 1276; GB- TAF- 2393; CZ- TAF- 1260; DE- TAF- 2418], the Rector scholarship, Tel Aviv University [M.A.R- J. postdoctoral fellowship] and the Alexander and Eva Lester Fund scholarship, I. Meier Segals Garden for Zoological Research [M.A.R- J. postdoctoral fellowship].