A New Lepidodactylus (squamata: Gekkonidae) from Vanuatu

We describe a new gekkonid species, Lepiclodactylus vanuatuensis, from Vanuatu, Melanesia. This species most closely resembles L. guppyi and L. gardineri, and belongs to Brown and Parker's (1977) Group II based on having entire terminal scansors on all digits and two or three divided or deeply notched subterminal scansors on digits II-V. However, it differs from these species in having the following combination of character states: only 99-114 scales around the midbody, relatively weak dilation of digits, and slight to moderate webbing of toes III and IV. The new species also differs from L. guppyi in mtDNA nucleotide sequences of cytochrome-fc gene. A dichotomous key is provided for the Group II species from the Pacific.