Madascincus irery Miralles, Scherz, Roberts, Rakotoarison, Glaw & Vences, 2026, sp. nov.

Madascincus irery sp. nov. Figures 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 Holotype. MADAGASCAR – Diana Region • unsexed specimen; Nosy Be, Lokobe National Park; 13°24’29”S, 48°18’31”E; ca. 210 m a. s. l.; 28 Apr. 2019, ca. 12: 00 a. m.; M. D. Scherz, F. Glaw, A. Razafimanantsoa and J. H. Razafindraibe leg.; ZSM 135 / 2019 (FGZC 5612). Paratype. MADAGASCAR – Diana Region • 1 unsexed specimen; Nosy Be, Lokobe National Park; 13°24’31”S, 48°20’8”E; ca. 90 m a. s. l.; 18 Feb. 2015; “ Frontier Madagascar ” team leg.; ZSM 86 / 2015. Diagnosis. Madascincus irery sp. nov. differs from all other species in the genus Madascincus (except those of the nanus group) by a lower number of ventral scales (55, versus 56 to 88), a short and pointed snout with visibly enlarged eyes and a dark and uniform coloration (versus lighter coloration, most often with dark lateral stripes variable in contrast and length). Additionaly, it differs from the species of the nanus group by a higher number of scales around midbody (24, versus 18 to 20), and more elongated digits, with both a higher number of subdigital lamellae under the fourth finger (8, versus 3 to 5) and the fourth toe (12 to 15, versus 5 to 8). It differs from the species of the polleni group (its sister clade, formed by M. polleni, M. arenicola, M. stumpffi and M. miafina) by a distinctly lower number of ventral scales (55, versus 65 to 88) and of paravertebral scales (53 to 56, versus 65 to 88), a smaller size (33.8 to 39.9 mm, versus 54.9 to 89.6 mm), an hourglass-shaped frontal, i. e., constricted by the first pair of supraocular (versus always bell-shaped in all species except in M. stumpffi, where this state of character is variable), and a lower number of subdigital lamellae under the fourth toe (12 to 15, versus 15 to 23). Description of the holotype. (Figs 10, 11) Presumably adult specimen, in an overall good state of preservation, with exception of the right hindlimb, which has been cut off as tissue sample, and a longitudinal row of approximately 20 scales ripped out on the left side of the body. A rather small Madascincus species with relatively large eyes and short and pointed snout. SVL (33.8 mm) 7 times head length (5.9 mm), almost as long as tail (41.0 mm, apparently entire and not regenerated). Limbs very short: SVL 7.1 times forelimb length (5.5 mm) and 4.3 times hind limb length (8.9 mm). Snout short and rounded in lateral aspect and dorsal aspect. Rostral wider than high / long, contacting first supralabial scales, nasals, and supranasal scales. Paired supranasal scales in median contact, contacting loreals and postnasals. Frontonasal roughly triangular, wider than long, contacting loreals, first supraciliaries and first suprocular scales. Prefrontal scales absent. Frontal longer than wide, wider posteriorly, in contact with frontonasal, supraoculars, parietals and interparietal. Four supraoculars, all of them in contact with frontal; the second and third pairs larger than the anteriormost and posteriormost pairs; the first pair weakly constricting frontal (frontal hourglass-shaped sensu Andreone and Greer 2002). Frontoparietals absent. Interparietal longer than wide, well separated from supraoculars; parietal eyespot present with parietal eye evident. Parietals contact posterior to interparietal. Enlarged nuchals absent. Nasals slightly larger than nostrils; contacting rostral, first supralabials, postnasals and supranasals. Postnasals present, separating supranasals from first supralabials, and nasals from loreals. Loreal single, slightly higher than long. Preocular trapezoidal, as longer as high, single. Presubocular roughly triangular, elongated, single. Seven supraciliaries on both sides, in continuous row; first and last pairs significantly larger than the intermediate ones; last pair projecting onto supraocular shelf. Two pretemporals. Two postsuboculars; upper contacting lower pretemporal; both contacting penultimate supralabial. Lower eyelid moveable, scaly; lower palpebrals small, longer than high, interdigitating with large polygonal scales of central eyelid. Contact between upper palpebrals and supraciliaries seemingly direct but flexible, i. e., palpebral cleft narrow. Primary temporal single. Two secondary temporals; upper contacting lower pretemporal anteriorly and overlapping lower secondary temporal ventrally. Six supralabials, with the fourth being the enlarged subocular, contacting scales of the lower eyelid. External ear opening small, higher than wide, without lobules. Mental wider than long, posterior margin convex. Postmental wider than long, contacting first two pairs of infralabials. Six infralabials. Three pairs of large chin scales, both members of first pair in contact, both members of second pair separated by a single median scale, and members of third pair separated by three scale rows. No scales extending between infralabials and large chin scales. Gulars similar in size and outline to ventrals. All scales, except head shields and scales on palms, soles, and digits, cycloid, smooth, and imbricate; 24 longitudinal scale rows at midbody; 53 paravertebrals, similar in size to adjacent scales; 55 ventrals. Inner preanals overlapped by outer. Both anterior and posterior limbs pentadactyl; fingers and toes clawed; relative length of toes in the following order: I