A new species of Pseudotrapelus (Reptilia: Squamata: Agamidae) from Central Arabia

A recent molecular phylogeny of the agamid genus Pseudotrapelus, distributed in the rocky areas of North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, revealed the presence of a genetically distinct lineage around the city of Riyadh in central Saudi Arabia. With the inclusion of additional specimens, we were able to describe this lineage as a new species, P. tuwaiqensis sp. nov., confined to the Tuwaiq Escarpment, thus endemic to central Saudi Arabia. Our results of morphological examinations and molecular analyses, using three mitochondrial (COI, 16S, ND4-tRNAs) and two nuclear (c-mos, MC1R) gene fragments, show the new species is genetically differentiated and phylogenetically close to P. sinaitus and P. chlodnickii.

Automated summary

A recent molecular phylogeny of the agamid genus Pseudotrapelus has identified a genetically distinct lineage in central Saudi Arabia, which has been described as a new species named P. tuwaiqensis sp. nov. This species is endemic to the Tuwaiq Escarpment and is genetically differentiated and phylogenetically close to P. sinaitus and P. chlodnickii.