RECORDS OF THE WESTERN AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM 33 051–094 (2018) DOI: 10.18195/issn.0312-3162.33(1).2018.051-094 An annotated type catalogue of the geckos and pygopods (Squamata: Gekkota: Carphodactylidae, Diplodactylidae, Gekkonidae, Pygopodidae) in the collection of the Western Australian Museum Ryan J. Ellis1,*, Paul Doughty1 and Aaron M. Bauer2 1 Department of Terrestrial Zoology, Western Australian Museum, 49 Kew Street, Welshpool, Western Australia 6106, Australia. 2 Department of Biology, Villanova University, 800 Lancaster Ave, Villanova, Pennsylvania 19085, U.S.A. * Corresponding author: [email protected] ABSTRACT – Western Australia supports a rich diversity of gecko and pygopod lizard species which continues to increase annually through on-going research. Many of these species have representative type material in the Western Australian Museum, where the collection currently includes a total of 2,174 type specimens representing 117 species or subspecies. There is currently type material in the collection representing 11 species or subspecies from the family Carphodactylidae (105 specimens), 44 species or subspecies from the Diplodactylidae (998 specimens), 35 species or subspecies from the Gekkonidae (791 specimens) and 27 species or subspecies from the Pygopodidae (280 specimens). The collection currently contains a total of 102 holotypes, 1 lectotype, 4 neotypes and 2,066 paratypes. An annotated catalogue is provided for all gekkonid type material currently and previously maintained in the herpetological collection of the Western Australian Museum. KEYWORDS: type specimens, gecko, legless lizard, pygopod, nomenclature, Western Australian Museum, holotype, lectotype, neotype, paratype, allotype, cotype INTRODUCTION published 17 November 1896 and listed as ‘sheltopusik Since its establishment in 1891, the Western Australian snake (pygopus lepidopus)’ (Anonymous 1896); however, Museum (WAM) has amassed a substantial and it is not known if these two records are associated with the same specimens. The whereabouts of the Pygopus expansive natural history collection, particularly lepidopodus specimen listed in the 1896–1900 register with respect to the terrestrial vertebrate fauna. The is unknown as no registration number or additional WAM herpetological collection represents the second specimen information was provided that indicates largest collection in Australia, behind the Australian whether the specimen was disposed of or maintained in Museum, Sydney (AMS), and one of the largest regional the collection and later reregistered into the dedicated collections in the world containing over 176,000 herpetology collection. In 1912 a separate handwritten specimens, of predominantly Western Australian taxa. hardcopy catalogue was established specifically for From the inauguration of the WAM through 1912, all herpetological specimens and all specimens accessioned material, including amphibian and reptile specimens, into the collection from this point forward were given were accessioned into a series of six general catalogues. a registration number prefixed with ‘R’ for reptile. The earliest documented gekkotan entry into the frst The ‘R’ prefix is still in use to denote registration hardcopy WAM ‘Register 1896–1900’ was ‘1 Pygopus numbers and specimens in the herpetological collection, lepidopus [Pygopus lepidopodus]’ from ‘Perth’, given to including amphibians. Many specimens from the the museum by ‘B.A. Woodward’ and dated 30 August earlier general hardcopy catalogues were re-catalogued 1896. Prior to this, many entries list only ‘lizard’ and into the newer herpetofauna catalogue and given ‘R’ provide no further information. Many earlier acquisitions numbers; however, it is not clear if this was completed by the WAM were also published in local press prior to for the entire collection. The earliest gekkotan specimen the use of formal registrations. The earliest record of a documented in the WAM herpetofauna catalogue is gekkotan specimen acquisition in the local press was an Underwoodisaurus milii, family Carphodactylidae 52 RYAN J. ELLIS, PAUL DOUGHTY AND AARON M. BAUER (originally entered as Gymnodactylus miliusii) from From 2000 to present, the work of Paul Doughty, ‘the Goldfelds’, R13, collection date not specifed, Paul M. Oliver, Mitzy Pepper, Aaron M. Bauer, J. accessioned 17 July 1912. All specimens formerly Scott Keogh, Craig C. Moritz, Brad Maryan and registered in the WAM herpetofauna catalogue with ‘R’ their colleagues have increased Western Australian prefxed registration numbers have since been entered gekkotan diversity through numerous discoveries and into the current electronic database of herpetological revisionary works. Most of the new descriptions have specimens. All new specimens are now entered directly resulted from revisions, usually with a signifcant into the electronic herpetological collection database. molecular genetic component. Indeed, many such As of June 2018, the WAM collection contained projects were initiated as phylogeographic studies, approximately 39,408 gekkotan specimens (2,743 but uncovered cryptic species diversity (pers. obs.). Carphodactylidae, 11,887 Diplodactylidae, 19,362 These include divisions of species complexes for which Gekkonidae and 5,416 Pygopodidae) representing distinctive morphotypes had masked subtle differences 212 species and/or subspecies including 37,793 of among species; examples of these kinds of species Australian origin and 1,615 specimens not from complexes include Gehyra spp. (nana, punctata and Australia. Extralimital specimens include Indonesia (N variegata), Rhynchoedura ornata, Oedura marmorata, = 1,552), Malaysia (N = 26), Papua New Guinea (N = Diplodactylus spp. (conspicillatus and vittatus) and 11), India (N = 8), New Caledonia (N = 3), Singapore (N Crenadactylus spp. In contrast to revisionary work = 3), Solomon Islands (N = 3), China (N = 1), a single that usually involves many specimens over a wide specimen with only ‘Africa’ presented as locality and area, new discoveries of species have occurred. Recent 7 with unknown country of origin. The majority of biodiversity surveys of Western Australia, especially gekkotan specimens are whole specimens fxed in a 10% in the remote Pilbara and Kimberley regions, have formalin solution and stored in a 70% ethanol solution. revealed heretofore unsuspected distinctive new In addition, there are a small quantity of alizarin- species, such as Underwoodisaurus seorsus and alcian stained, skeletal and skin preparations of some Heteronotia atra from the Pilbara, and Oedura species. Many non-native species have been obtained via murrumanu, Gehyra girloorloo and Cyrtodactylus quarantine intercepts and lack precise locality data. Over kimberleyensis from the Kimberley. 7,500 type specimens are currently or have previously The WAM published a list of types compiled by been held in the WAM herpetology collection with 2,216 G.M. Storr annually in the WAM Annual Report from specimens representing types of 117 gekkonid species 1960 to 1969 (Anonymous 1961, 1970). The Annual or subspecies: 107 primary types (102 holotypes, 1 Report type lists presented only primary type material; lectotype and 4 neotypes) and 2,109 secondary types holotypes and lectotypes, and occasionally syntypes (including one designated as an allotype in the original and neotypes were listed, but no secondary types. description). A total of 42 paratype specimens have been A total of 10 parts of the type list were presented, gifted to other institutions since their designation as type of which only part 2 (1960–61), part 4 (1962–63), material or could not be located in the collection and are part 5 (1963–64), part 7 (1965–66) and part 9 considered lost. The WAM collection contains type (1967–68) included gekkotan material for 18 species material for 110 of the 144 currently recognised species or subspecies (Anonymous 1961, 1963, 1964, 1966, or subspecies occurring in Western Australia (9 of the 1968). Since the 1970 Annual Report, there have been 12 Carphodactylidae, 43 of the 59 Diplodactylidae, 33 of no further publications on the type material held in the 48 Gekkonidae and 25 of the 33 Pygopodidae). the herpetological collection of the WAM. Bauer and The taxonomic interests of WAM herpetological Henle (1994) presented information on all primary type curators and researchers from other institutions specimens known to them at the time, including many have largely been focused on geckos and pygopods Australian species with type material in the WAM throughout the history of the collection. Prior to this, collection. until around the mid-19th century, most taxonomic In accordance with recommendation 72F of the work on Western Australian gekkotans was carried out Code (ICZN 1999), a type specimen audit was by researchers based in Europe. The result is that there initiated in order to publish a current type catalogue are few types in the WAM from these early descriptions of the material held in the WAM herpetological with the exception of some neotype designations collection. Due to the size of the herpetological type from the WAM collection. Early taxonomic work on collection at the WAM, separate type audits were Western Australian gekkotans prior to the 21st century undertaken and the type catalogue will be presented was largely facilitated by Glen M. Storr and Arnold in a series of publications. The frst of the series G. Kluge, who between them described a total of 47 was a type catalogue of the turtles (Chelidae) (Ellis species or subspecies.