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| Takydromus guilinensis Guo, Hu, Chen, Zhong & Ji, 2024 |
Abstract
During our collecting trip to Guangxi in 2016, we collected ten specimens of the genus Takydromus from the suburb of Guilin, northeastern Guangxi, South China, and found that they did not belong to any currently known species. Here, we described this new species, Takydromus guilinensis sp. nov., based on morphological and mitochondrial DNA (CO1 and cyt b) data. This new species is a sister taxon to T. intermedius with a p-distance of 0.070 in CO1 and 0.080 in cyt b. These two p-distances exceed not only the minimum value (0.067) between T. septentrionalis and T. stejnegeri but also the minimum value (0.079) between T. intermedius and T. yunkaiensis. Morphologically, this new species differs from other currently recognized Takydromus species from the same clade, more evidently in the longitudinal rows of dorsal scales, transverse rows of scales at the mid-body and mensural variables. The description of Takydromus guilinensis sp. nov. increases the total number of Takydromus species to 25, of which 16 can be found in China. Takydromus guilinensis sp. nov. is currently known only from Guilin, Guangxi, South China, where it is sympatric with the other four Takydromus species (T. septentrionalis, T. kuehnei, T. sexlineatus and T. intermedius).
Keywords: Lacertidae; molecular phylogenetic analysis; morphology; South China; Takydromus guilinensis sp. nov.; taxonomy
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| A gravid female Takydromus guilinensis sp. nov. |
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| Takydromus guilinensis sp. nov. Close-up views of the adult female holotype (WZU R20160406) from the suburb of Guilin. (A): dorsal view of the body; (B): ventral view of the body; (C): lateral view of the head; (D): ventral view of the head; (E): dorsal view of the head; (F): ventral view of the posterior part of the body, showing inguinal pores. Photo by Kun Guo. |
Takydromus guilinensis sp. nov.
Diagnosis. A new small oviparous Takydromus species distinguished from all other currently known congeneric species with the following mensural and meristic characters. First, SVL 39.4–46.7 mm in adult males and 42.8–52.4 mm in adult females. Second, dorsal ground color brown; ventral surface white. Third, skull flattening (HL/HW = 1.8–2.0). Fourth, 32–36 longitudinal rows of dorsal scales. Fifth, 27–33 transverse rows of scales at the mid-body.
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| the locality where 10 specimens of Takydromus guilinensis sp. nov. were collected. |
Etymology. The specific epithet is a Latinization of Guilin City, Guangxi, China.
Kun Guo, Yong-Hao Hu, Jian Chen, Jun Zhong and Xiang Ji. 2024. A New Species of the Genus Takydromus (Squamata: Lacertidae) from Northeastern Guangxi, China. Animals. 14(10), 1402. DOI 10.3390/ani14101402
Simple Summary: The genus Takydromus (Squamata: Lacertidae) currently comprises 24 species distributed in East (Eastern Palearctic) and Southeast (Oriental) Asia. Of these 24 species, 15 can be found in China, 8 only in the Chinese mainland and adjacent countries or regions, 6 only in Taiwan and 1 (T. kuehnei) on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. Here, we described a new Takydromus species from the suburb of Guilin, northeastern Guangxi, South China, based on morphological and mitochondrial DNA data. From the phylogeny reconstructed with a mitochondrial DNA fragment (CO1 and cyt b), we know that the new species differs from its congeners and that it is a sister taxon to T. intermedius. Morphologically, the new species can be diagnosed from other Takydromus species from the same clade. Based on the above multiple lines of evidence, we suggest that this lacertid lizard from Guilin should be named as a new species, Takydromus guilinensis sp. nov. The discovery of this species increases the total number of Takydromus species to 25, of which 16 can be found in China.
