An updated survey of molecular diversity in Madagascar's velvet geckos, genus Blaesodactylus, with description of a new species from the island’s arid West Author Vences, Miguel Zoologisches Institut, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Mendelssohnstr. 4, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany. Author Miralles, Aurelien Zoologisches Institut, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Mendelssohnstr. 4, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany. & Institut de Systématique, Évolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB), Muséum national d’Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, EPHE, Université des Antilles, 57 rue Cuvier, 75231 Paris cedex, France. Author Ineich, Ivan Institut de Systématique, Évolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB), Muséum national d’Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, EPHE, Université des Antilles, 57 rue Cuvier, 75231 Paris cedex, France. Author Rakotoarison, Andolalao Mention Environnement, Université de l’Itasy, Faliarivo Ambohidanerana, 118 Soavinandriana Itasy, Madagascar. & School for International Training, VN 41 A Bis Ankazolava Ambohitsoa, Antananarivo, 101 Madagascar. Author Glasenapp, Christian Zoologisches Institut, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Mendelssohnstr. 4, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany. Author Scherz, Mark D. Natural History Museum Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, 2100, Copenhagen Ø, Denmark. Author Köhler, Jörn Hessisches Landesmuseum Darmstadt, Friedensplatz 1, 64283 Darmstadt, Germany. Author Glaw, Frank Zoologische Staatssammlung München (ZSM-SNSB), Münchhausenstr. 21, 81247 München, Germany. Author Raselimanana, Achille P. Mention Zoologie et Biodiversité Animale, Université d’Antananarivo, BP 906, Antananarivo, 101 Madagascar. & Association Vahatra, Lot V A 38 LBA Ter Ambohidempona Tsiadana, BP 3972, Antananarivo, 101 Madagascar. text Zootaxa 2025 2025-04-09 5620 2 230 254 https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5620.2.2 journal article 309464 10.11646/zootaxa.5620.2.2 8596ada0-da7a-45a7-8a69-b3d0cb3d082c 1175-5326 15219415 EEEE2656-E891-4DD3-A30A-4CF07019F1D7

TABLE 1. Uncorrected pairwise distances (in %) among fragments of the mitochondrial genes for ND4 (under the diagonal) and 16S rRNA (above the diagonal). Shown is the minimum and maximum in pairwise comparisons. Note that values are less variable for the 16S comparisons as these are based only on 1–2 individuals per species. Values in italics are intraspecific comparisons for ND4 and 16S, respectively.

[ ND4 ^ 16S	B. ambonihazo	B. antongilensis	B. boivini	B. microtub.	B. ganzhorni sp. nov.	B. sakalava	B. victori
B. ambonihazo	0.0–4.1 / 1.5	8.1–8.8	11.6–13.1	11.6–12.4	7.3–7.9	7.3–8.4	11.4–11.9
B. antongilensis	9.8–11.5	0.0–5.3 / 0.0	11.8–11.8	11.1	7.1	9.2–9.4	11.0
B. boivini	16.8–18.8	16.6–18.8	0.0–3.4 / 0.8	4.7	11.2–11.6	12.9–13.2	7.2–8.0
B. microtub.	16.8–17.9	18.1–18.6	10.5–11.9	0.0–0.0 / –	11.2	13.3–13.4	7.4–7.6
B. ganzhorni sp. nov.	11.9–16.2	11.1–14.9	16.8–19.4	16.9–19.4	0.0–8.5 / 0.0	8.4–8.5	10.4
B. salalava	14.7–16.9	13.0–16.6	17.7–21.1	20.9–21.5	12.1–15.3	0.0–10.5 / 0.0	12.1–12.3
B. victori	15.3–16.9	16.4–17.3	15.6–16.8	14.5–14.9	16.0–17.7	18.8–20.5	0.0–0.4 / 0.4