A new species of the genus Tropiocolotes from Central Saudi Arabia (Reptilia: Sauria: Gekkonidae)

2010·3.6 MB·English

by  Thomas M Wilms

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Bonn zoological Bulletin Volume 57 Issue 2 pp. 275-280 Bonn, November 201
A new species of the genus Tropiocolotes from Central Saudi Arabia
(Reptilia: Sauria: Gekkonidae)
Thomas M. Wilms1- *, Mohammed Shobrak2 & Philipp Wagner3
1 Zoologischer Garten Frankfurt, Bernhard-Grzimek-Allee 1, D-60316 Frankfurt am Main, Germany;
E-Mail: [email protected]
2 Biology Department, Science College, TaifUniversity, P.O. Box 888, Taif, Saudi Arabia
3 Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum A. Koenig, Adenauerallee 160, D-53113 Bonn, Germany
* corresponding author
Abstract. Anewspecies ofthe genus Tropiocolotesfrom central SaudiArabia is describedbasedontwo specimens from
theAth-Thumamahregion. The new species is amemberofthe subgenus Tropiocolotes and belongs to the clade includ-
ing T. steudneri and T. nattereri.
Key words. Tropiocolotes sp. n., Ath-Thumama, SaudiArabia.
INTRODUCTION
The genus Tropiocolotes Peters, 1880 comprises a group T. t. apoklomax; Baha El Din 2001), the taxonomic rank
ofsmall, nocturnal andground dwelling geckos, rarely ex- of certain taxa (e.g., T. t. algericus which was assigned
mm
ceeding 35 snout-vent length. Biogeographically the specific rankbasedon aproven sympatric occurrence with
distributionofthese geckos follows a Saharo-sindian pat- T. t. tripolitanus Peters, 1880; Baha El Din 2001), species
tern, ranging from Morocco and Mauritania in the west delimitation (e.g., between T. nattereri and T. steudneri,
&
to western India (Sindaco Jeremcenco 2008; Agarwal Shifman et al. 1999; the type material ofboth species is
2009). About 13 nominal species are being distinguished untraceable and therefore neotypes should be designated
within the genus Tropiocolotes, but in addition there are and a thorough rediscription ofboth taxa prepared) and
publishedrecords ofspecimens whichwouldpossibly de- to the existence ofhitherto unknown species which were
serve specific recognition and which are not yet formal- discovered recently (T nubicus Baha El Din 1999, T.
lydescribed(Arnold 1980; Kordges 1998;Anderson 1999; bisharicus Baha El Din 2001 ).
Baha el Din 2001, 2006; Sindaco & Jeremcenco 2008).
Beside this the species composition ofthe genus is under As already stated by Baha El Din (2001) the difficulty in
debate since the taxa ofthe eastern part ofthe distribu- finding and studyingthese diminutive animals, combined
tion area are assigned to Microgecko Nikolsky, 1907 and with their patchy geographical representation in scientif-
Asiocolotes Golubev, 1984 on a generic orsubgeneric lev- ic collections has led to a less than satisfactory taxonom-
elby some authors (Kluge 1983; Kuge 1991; Szcerbak & ic evaluation to date.
&
Golubev 1996; Sindaco Jeremcenco 2008) while oth-
ers treat all ofthose taxa as belonging exclusively to the The specimens described as a new species in the present
genus Tropiocolotes (Anderson 1961, 1999). Wepreferto paperwere collected in theAth-Thumamah region in cen-
follow the more inclusive interpretation ofTropiocolotes tral Saudi Arabia, approximately 90 km northeast of
and use the name in the broader sense encompassing al- Riyadh. According to Arnold (1986) the distribution of
so the taxa ofIran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. Tropiocolotes in Saudi Arabia is confined to north-west-
ern Saudi Arabia, but already Tilbury (1988) recorded it
There have been uncertainties concerning the taxonomy from the Riyadh area. Thus the first specimen from Ath-
ofsome oftheAfrican andArabiantaxawithinthe genus, Thumamah collected by Kordges was not the first pub-
like T tripolitanus algericus Loveridge, 1947, T. t. apok- lished record ofthe genus in central Arabia (contra Ko-
lomax Papenfuss, 1969, T. steudneri (Peters, 1869) and rdges 1998), butnevertheless the first record ofthe genus
T. nattereri Steindachner, 1901 (Baha el Din 1994, 2001; fromAth-Thumamah (contra Cunningham 2010, who list-
Werner 1998; Shifman et al. 1999). The main taxonomic ed Tropiocolotes as not yet confirmed for this area).
issues were related to the validity of certain taxa (e.g.,
Bonn zoological Bulletin 57 (2): 275-280 ©ZFMK
276 Thomas M. Wilms et al.
MATERIAL ber of upper and lower labials, number and characteris-
tics ofkeels on subdigital lamellae, number and identity
106 specimens ofthe genus Tropiocolotes from the col- ofscales bordering the nostril, number of scales around
lections of the Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum A. midbody. Beside this, data on colouration and patternwas
Koenig, Bonn (ZFMK), the Senckenberg Museum Frank- collected. Additional data on morphological characters
furt (SMF), the CaliforniaAcademy ofScience (CAS) and were taken from Baha el Din (1999, 2001) and Shifman
the Natural History Museum Geneva(MHNG) belonging et al. (1999). Measurements weretaken with a digital cal-
to T. algericus (n=14), T. depressus (n=3), T. helenae liper to the nearest 0.1 mm.
(n=10), T. nattereri (n= 14), T.persicus (n=12), T. scortec-
ci (n=4), T. steudneri (n= 43), T. tripolitanus (n=4) and
the new taxon describedherein (n=2) were examined. For Material examined
the species not available in the present study (T. bishari-
cus, T. latifi, T. levitoni, T. nubicus) morphological infor- Tropiocolotes algericus: Algeria: SMF 8167, Algerian
mation were taken from Leviton & Anderson (1972), Sahara; Mali: MHNG 2678.087, north ofBombax; Mo-
Szczerbak & Golubev (1996), Anderson (1999), Baha El rocco: MHNG 1553.065-067, Tarfaya; MHNG 993.027,
Din (1999, 2001). Aouinet-Torkoz; SMF 73082-87, Goulimine; Western Sa-
MHNG
hara: 1545.076, El-Aioun. Tropiocolotesdepres-
The following characters were collected from 59 speci- sus: Pakistan: SMF 64490-92, eastofChiltan-Mountains,
MHNG
mens fromAlgeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan and Saudi Ara- Quetta. Tropiocolotes helenae: Iran: 2627.01 1-
MHNG MHNG
bia (belongingto T. nattereri, T. steudneriand thenewtax- 16, 2641.100, 2646.056-058, Mehkuyeh.
MHNG
on described herein): snout-vent-length, tail length (only Tropiocolotes nattereri: Egypt: 2710.017-018,
intact tails), number and size ofpostmental scales, num- Wadi Feran; SMF 8165, NW Sinai; ZFMK70653-59, Ras
ber of interorbitals (transverse scales across the interor- Mohammed; Israel: SMF 471 12, Wadi el Hedhira, Cen-
bital region at mid orbits, excludingpalpebral folds), num- tral Negev; Jordan: ZFMK 64673, Aqaba; Saudi Ara-
bia: CAS 148526, Hagl [29 18 N; 34 57 E]; CAS 148616,
Jabal as Sinfa [27 57 N; 35 47 E]. Tropiocolotespersi-
cus: Pakistan: SMF 63536-47, Hab Chauki. Tropio-
MHNG
colotes scortecci: Yemen: 2428.065, Al
MHNG MHNG
Mabraz,WadiZabid; 2428.065, 2553.041,
MHNG
Mafraq-Mocca; 2581042, Sayhut. Tropiocolotes
steudneri: Algeria: CAS 138660-63, 3 km. East of
Tamanrasset; ZFMK 19853, 15 km S Terhenanet; ZFMK
33839, 90km S In Salah; Egypt: CAS 156660, Maadi-Wa-
MHNG
diGindali Rd. [29 59 N, 31 28 E]; 2710.019-020,
Oasis Kharga; SMF 22119, Kosseir; ZFMK2359, ZFMK
ZFMK
64633, Luxor; 20537, Cairo, Mokatana Hils;
ZFMK ZFMK km NW ZFMK
64641, 64643, 10 Cairo;
65477, GizaAbuRawash; ZFMK 77765-67, betweenBeni
Suefu. Korimat; Sudan: CAS 174014, Assalaya Pump
MHNG ZFMK
Station 3; 1186.078-079, Tabo; 33840-59,
Wadi Half; ZFMK 38429, Erkowit. Tropiocolotes tripoli-
tanus: Egypt: SMF 22472, Heliopolis; SMK 22473,
MHNG SMF
Cairo; Tunisia: 1335.04, Tozeur; 8166,
Tunisian Sahara. Tropiocolotes sp. n.: Saudi Arabia:
ZFMK 43668, ZFMK 87120, Ath-Thumama.
Despite the overall similarity ofthe taxa involved and the
generally low level of character displacement, which is
typical for geckoes, it became clear, that the specimens
Fig. 1. Holotype of Tropiocolotes wolfgangboehmei sp. n. from central SaudiArabiadiffer in several characters from
from Ath-Thumamah, Saudi Arabia (Fig. la: dorsal view, Fig. all known taxa in the genus Tropiocolotes and will there-
lb: ventral view, Scale: 1mm interline distance). fore be described as a new species.
Bonn zoological Bulletin 57 (2): 275-280 ©ZFMK
Anew species ofthe genus Tropiocolotes from Central Saudi Arabia 277
SPECIES DESCRIPTION Description of the Holotype. An adult female with in-
tact tail. Body depressed. Snout-vent-length (SVL) 29.4
Tropiocolotes wolfgangboehmei sp. n. mm, Tail length 32.8 mm. Head narrow, 9.3 mm long
% mm
(about 31.6 ofSVL). Neckdistinct. Right limb 10.8
Type material: Holotype, ZFMK 43668, Ath-Thumama, long. 5th digit ofleft manus lacking claw, all other digits
Saudi Arabia, leg. T Kordges, 1985; Paratype, ZFMK complete. Tail 1.12 times SVL, cylindrical tapering even-
87120, Ath-Thumama (25° 16'N, 46° 37' E), Saudi Ara- ly to its tip.
bia, leg. T. Wilms, 09.05.2001, 10:30 hrs
Diagnosis. A small gecko with a maximum snout-vent-
length of29.4 mm. The species possesses all diagnostic
characters of the genus Tropiocolotes (in the sense of
Kluge 1967) including digits slightly angularly bent, not
dilated, not fringed, notwebbed, norornamented, covered
belowwithasingle series oftransverse lamellae,pupil ver-
tical, dorsal scales uniform, small, homogenous, imbricate
to subimbricate, preanal and femoralpores usually absent.
Tropiocolotes wolfgangboehmei sp. n. has two pairs of
postmental shields and therefore differs from T. latifi (no
postmentals), T. helenae (one pair ofpostmentals) and T.
depressus (no postmentals or only one pair ofvery small
postmentals). From T persicus it differs by having only
four scales in contact with the nostril instead offive.
It differs from T. algericus, T. tripolitanus, T. scorteccii,
T. somalicus and T. bisharicus by its smooth dorsal sca-
lation. T. wolfgangboehmei sp. n. differs from T. nattereri
by possessing clearly bi- or tricarinated subdigital scales
(versus smooth subdigital scales) and from T. steudneri
and T. nubicus by having two pairs ofpostmental shields
ofwhich the second is roughly a quarterofthe size ofthe Fig. 3. Paratype of Tropiocolotes wolfgangboehmei sp. n.
first (both pairs ofroughly equal size in T. steudneri and from Ath-Thumamah, Saudi Arabia (Fig. 3a: dorsal view, Fig.
mm
T. nubicus). 3b: ventral view, Scale: 1 interline distance).
Bonn zoological Bulletin 57 (2): 275-280 ©ZFMK
278 Thomas M. Wilms et al.
large postmentals, in contactwith mental andthe firsttwo
lower labials. Second pair ofpostmentals only about one
fourththe size ofthe firstpostmentals, separated from each
otherby fourgranularscales. The secondpairofpostmen-
tals is in contact with the second lower labials.
Body scalationhomogenous, scales imbricate and smooth.
58 scales aroundmidbody. Chestwidely openedby an in-
cision. Dorsal sides offorelimbs covered with imbricate
scales, scales of ventral sides juxtaposed and slightly
swollen, somewhat smaller than scales on dorsal side of
forelimbs. Dorsal andventral sides ofhind limbs covered
with imbricate scales, which are almost equal in size. Pos-
Fig. 4. Habitat and Paratype locality of Tropiocolotes wolf- terior surface ofthigh with smaller granular scales. Sub-
gangboehmei sp. n. at Ath-Thumamah (25° 16' N, 46° 37' E), digital lamellae strongly bi- or tricarinate. Lamellar for-
Saudi Arabia. mula (digit 1 to 5) for left manus: 9, 12, 14, 13, 11.
Rostral 1.5 times as wide as high, dividedpartly by ame- Dorsal and ventral scales ofthe tail homogenous and im-
dian cleft. Nostril bordered by rostral, first upper labial bricate. Scales at tail base not carinate, but becoming in-
andtwo small postnasals, whichare separatedby two large creasingly so distally. Postanal sacs weakly developed
A
internasals. The internasals are followed by one pair of with two enlarged tubercular scales on either side. pair
subequal scales. Snout andupper surface ofthe head cov- ofslightly enlarged preanal scales present.
eredbyhexagonal scales which arejuxtaposed. Loreal re-
gion coveredwith slightly swollen scales, which are some- Measurements (inmm, frompreserved specimen): Snout-
what smallerthantheremaining scales on thehead. 16 in- vent-length 29.4; tail length 32.8; head length 9.3; max-
terorbitals, 10/10 upper labials, 8/8 lower labials. Occip- imumheadwidth 5.1; maximumheadheight2.7; orbitdi-
italregion covered by juxtaposed scales slightly smaller ameter 2.0; distance orbit - snouth 3.2; distance orbit -
than the interorbitals, whichbecome increasingly swollen ear 2.3; ear diameter 0.6.
in the neck. Mental slightly wider than rostral, pentago-
nal in shape extending posteriorly not to the level ofthe Colouration ofpreserved specimen: The specimen is pre-
suture between first and secondlowerlabials. Onepairof served in 70% ethanol and has almost completely losthis
coloration andpattern. Kordges (1998) depictedthis spec-
imen in black and white, and its pattern resembles the
paratype almost exactly (in having six dark transverse
bands on the back and twelve on the tail, as well as hav-
ing exactly the same pattern ofthe head).
Description ofthe Paratype. Paratype similarinmostre-
spects to holotype, except as noted. An adult male with
intacttail, whichwasbroken duringpreservationnearthe
tail base. Body depressed. Snout-vent-length 27.3 mm, tail
mm
length 31.1 mm. Headnarrow, head length 8.2 (about
% mm
30 of SVL). Neck distinct. Right limb 9.3 long.
All digits intact. Tail 1.13 times SVL, cylindrical taper-
ing evenly to its tip.
15 interorbitals, 10/10 upper labials, 7/8 lowerlabials. Sec-
ond pair ofpostmentals only about one fourth the size of
the first postmentals, separated from each other by three
granular scales. The second pair ofpostmentals is in full
contact with the second lower labials, and almost reach-
es the third labial on the left.
Fig. 5. Tropiocolotes nattereri(SMF47112),Wadi el Hedhi-
ra, Central Negev, Israel (Fig. 5a: dorsal view, Fig. 5b: ventral Body scalationhomogenous, scales imbricate and smooth.
1mm
view, Scale: interline distance).
59 scales around midbody, 66 scales between a well
Bonn zoological Bulletin 57 (2): 275-280 ©ZFMK
A new species ofthe genus Tropiocolotes from Central Saudi Arabia 279
Derivatio nominis. This species is named after Prof. Dr.
Wolfgang Bohme in honour to his contributions to her-
petology during his 39 years as curator ofherpetology at
the Zoological Research Museum A. Koenig, Bonn and
as the academic mentor oftwo ofthe authors ofthe pres-
ent paper.
Habitat. The holotype was found near a small village at
the border of the Ath-Thumamah area (Kordges 1998).
The paratype was found under a stone in a small canyon
within the Buwayb-Escarpment which is a cretaceous
coral reefconsistingofsedimentaryrock, mainly lime-and
sandstone.
DISCUSSION
Tropiocolotes wolfgangboehmei sp. n. is known only from
central Saudi Arabia. Because ofthe close proximity of
Ath-Thumamah tothe cityofRiyadh we considerthe Tro-
piocolotes recorded by Tilbury (1988) likely to be con-
specific with this new taxon. Based on the external mor-
phology T. wolfgangboehmei sp. n. is a member of the
group consisting of T. nattereri, T steudneri and T. nubi-
cus and is most probably the sister taxon of T. nattereri.
Biogeographically the distribution pattern ofthe Tropio-
Fig. 6. Tropiocolotes stendneri (ZFMK 33850), Wadi Haifa, colotes ofnorth-eastern Africa and Arabia is quite puz-
Sudan. (Fig. 6a: dorsal view, Fig. 6b: ventral view. Scale: 1mm zling, not the least because ofthe involvement ofat least
interline distance). two taxa which are not yet formally recognized (Guibe
1966, Arnold 1980, Anderson 1999). Due to the clarifi-
marked interruption between throat and chest and cloacal cation on the taxonomic identity of T. nattereri and T.
slit. Dorsal sides of forelimbs covered with imbricate steudneri (Werner 1998, Shifman et al. 1999) and the de-
scales, some ofwhich show very slight carination, scales scription inthe presentpaper, it is clear, thatactuallythree
ofventral sidesjuxtaposed and slightly swollen, somewhat nominal Tropiocolotes species are known to occur on the
smaller than scales on dorsal side offorelimbs. Lamellar
formula (digit 1 to 5) for left manus: 9, 11, 15, 13, 10.
Measurements (inmm, frompreserved specimen): Snout-
vent-length 27.3; tail length 31.1; head length 8.2; max-
imum head width4.9; maximum headheight2.9; orbit di-
ameter 1.7; distance orbit - snouth 2.9; distance orbit -
ear 2.0; ear diameter 0.7.
Colour in life: Head lightbrown with abroad dark brown
band extending from the snouttojust above the earopen-
A
ing. narrow yellow line extending axially from the ros-
tral to the snout, up to the upperdelimitation ofthe broad
dark brown band. Palpebral fold yellow. Labials and un-
derside ofthe head white. Dorsum light brown, with six
Fig. 7. Distribution ofArabian Tropiocolotes: Tropiocolo-
broad, darkbrown transverse bands. Colourationbetween tes nattereri from Saudi Arabia [upper : CAS 148526, Hagl
those transverse bands yellowish brown. Ground colour (29° 18'N; 34° 57'E); lower CAS 148616,Jabal as Sinfa(27°
ofdorsal sides oflimbs lightbrown. Hind limbs scattered 57' N; 35° 47' E)], Tropiocolotes wolfgangboehmei sp. n.,
with dark brown spots. Tail coloration light brown with • Tropiocolotes spec, from Bandar-e-Lengeh(Anderson 1999),
ten darkbrowntransverse bands. Ventral side without any Iran; Blackareas: approx. DistributionofTropiocolotesscortec-
pattern, white. ci, grey areas: approx. distribution ofTropiocolotes nattereri.
Bonn zoological Bulletin 57 (2): 275-280 ©ZFMK
280 Thomas M. Wilms et al.
Anderson SC (1999) The lizards ofIran. Society for the Study
Arabian Peninsula (T. nattereri, T. wolfgangboehmei sp. ofAmphibians and Reptiles, Ithaca, 442 pp.
n. and T. scortecci). T. nattereri is known from north-west- Arnold EN (1980): The reptiles and amphibians of Dhofar,
ern Saudi Arabia and the adjacent areas in Jordan, Israel SouthernArabia. Journal ofOman Studies, Special Report2:
and Egypt while T. scortecci is an endemic species of 273-332
southernArabia (Oman andYemen). T. wolfgangboehmei Arnold EN (1986)Akey and annotated check list to the lizards
and amphisbaenians of Arabia. Fauna of Saudi Arabia 8:
sp. n. is the only species distributed in centralArabia some 385^135
800-1000 km away from the nearest Tropiocolotes local- Bahael Din S (1994)AcontributiontotheherpetologyofSinai.
ities in north-western Saudi Arabia, Oman/Yemen and British Herpetological Society Bulletin 48: 18-27
Iran. Baha el Din S (1999)Anew species ofTropiocolotes (Reptilia:
Gekkonidae) from Egypt. Zoology in the Middle East 19:
17-26
BInahthaeEplastD,inse2ve0r0a6l,aCutuhnonrisn(gThilabmur2y011908)8,asSscihgnneeiddetrhe1c9e9n0-, Baha el Din S (2001) A synopsis ofAfrican and southArabian
geckosofthegenus Tropiocolotes(Reptilia: Gekkonidae)with
tral Arabian Tropiocolotes to T. steudneri or T. nattereri. a description of a new species from Egypt. Zoology in the
Two specimens from Bandar-e Lengeh onthe coast ofthe Middle East 22: 45-56
Arabian/Persian Gulfin Iranwere also tentativelyassigned Baha el Din S (2006): AGuide to the Reptiles andAmphibians
to T. steudneri (Guibe 1966, Anderson 1999). Based on ofEgypt. TheAmericanUniversityinCairo Press, Cairo, 359
pp.
the current distribution ofTropiocolotes itwouldzoogeo- Cunningham PL (2010) Checklist ofterrestrial reptiles in three
graphically be extremely unlikely that the Iranian speci- protected areas in the Kingdom ofSaudi Arabia. Herpetolo-
mens belong to either T. steudneri or T. nattereri. Based gical Review 41 (1): 25-28
on the morphological data givenby Guibe (1966) andAn- Guibe J (1966) Reptiles et amphibiens recoltes par la Mission
derson (1999) and the photograph given by Anderson Franco-Iranienne. BulletinduMuseumNatinal d'HistoireNa-
(1999) we are sure that these animals do not belong to T. KltuugreellAeG38((129)6:79)7-H9i8gher taxonomic categories of gekkonid
wolfgangboehmei sp. n. but to a new, as yet undescribed lizards and their evolution. Bulletin ofthe American Muse-
taxon. Baha El Din (2001) suggested the investigation of um ofNatural History 135 (1): 1-59
the relationship ofthose Iranian specimens to two Tropi- KlugeAG (1983)Cladisticrelationshipsamonggekkonidlizards.
ocolotes from eastern Dhofar, Oman, which were tenta- Copeia 1983 (2): 465-475
tively assigned to T. scortecci by Arnold (1980) despite Kluge AG (1991) Checklist ofgekkonid lizards. Smithsonian
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notable differences from T. scortecci specimens fromfur- KordgesT(1998)DieReptilienfaunadesThumamaNaturePark
therwest in Dhofarand from the type locality ofthis tax- bei Riyadh, Saudi Arabien. Faunistische Abhandlungen
on in Hadramaut,Yemen. The taxonomy ofthe genus Tro- Staatliches Museum furTierkunde Dresden, Band 21/Suppl.
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und Schuppenmorphologie der Gekkoniden-Gattung Tropi-
Acknowledgements. We thank H.H. Prince Bandar ibn Saud ocolotes aus dem Bereich der Sahara. Mitteilungen Pollichia
77: 409^119
(sDuiprpeocrttoranGdenceornatli,nuSoauusdiinWtielrdelsitfienCooumrmhiesrspieotonl,ogRiicyaaldhst)udfioersthien Shifman S, ShachamB,WernerY(1999): Tropiocolotesnattereri
(Reptilia: Gekkonidae): comments on validity, variation and
Saudi Arabia. The study would not have been possible without
Hth.eE.hePlropf.ofDrm.aAn.yH.coAlbluezaignueasdaof(fwohrimcerhDwierecwtoourlGdenleirkael,toNtChaWn-k SindidsatcroibuRt,ioJne.rZeomocleongcoy iKn t(h2e00M8i)ddTlheeERaesptti1l7e:s5o1f-t6h6e Western
CD, Riyadh), Prof. Dr. I. Nader (Former Director ofKKWRC, LPaalteianrac,ti5c7.9Mpopn.ografiedella Societas HerpetologicaItalica 1,
Thumama), andDr. I. Galal (Riyadh). Forthe loan ofimportant SzcerbackN, Golubev M (1996) Gecko fauna oftheUSSRand
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