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Diploderma danbaense, D. donglangense, D. jiulongense, D. tachengense Liu, Hou, Ananjeva & Rao, 2023 |
Abstract
Four new species of Diploderma are described from Sichuan and Yunnan provinces, southwestern China, based on an integrative taxonomic approach, combining morphological and genetic data. The first new species from Danba County, Sichuan Province, is morphologically most similar and phylogenetically closely related to D. flaviceps, but it can be diagnosed from the latter by having a relatively much shorter tail and by a genetic distance of 4.4% in the ND2 gene; the second new species from Muli County, Sichuan Province, is phylogenetically closely related to D. daochengense, D. yongshengense, and D. yulongense, but it can be diagnosed from the latter three species by having a pale yellow gular spot and by genetic distances of 5.6–6.7% in the ND2 gene; the third new species from Jiulong County, Sichuan Province, is morphologically most similar and phylogenetically closely related to D. angustelinea, but it can be diagnosed from the latter by having a relatively much longer tail and by a genetic distance of 2.8% in the ND2 gene; and the last new species from Weixi County, Yunnan Province, is phylogenetically closely related to D. aorun, but it can be diagnosed from the latter by having a pale yellow gular spot and by a genetic distance of 2.9% in the ND2 gene. Our work brings the number of species within the genus Diploderma to 46.
Keywords: Hengduan Mountain Region, ND2, Sichuan, systematic, taxonomy, Yunnan
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Holotype (KIZ2022048) of Diploderma danbaense sp. nov. in life A dorsal view B lateral view C ventral view D close-up view of the dorsolateral side of the head E close-up view of the ventral side of the head F close-up view of the oral cavity. Holotype (KIZ2022057) of Diploderma donglangense sp. nov. in life A dorsal view B lateral view C ventral view D close-up view of the dorsolateral side of the head E close-up view of the ventral side of the head F close-up view of the oral cavity. Holotype (KIZ2022086) of Diploderma jiulongense sp. nov. in life A dorsal view B lateral view C ventral view D close-up view of the dorsolateral side of the head E close-up view of the ventral side of the head F close-up view of the oral cavity. Holotype (KIZ2022028) of Diploderma tachengense sp. nov. in life A dorsal view B lateral view C ventral view D close-up view of the dorsolateral side of the head E close-up view of the ventral side of the head F close-up view of the oral cavity. |
Diploderma danbaense sp. nov.
Etymology: The specific epithet refers to Danba County, where the new species was discovered.
Diagnosis: Diploderma danbaense sp. nov. can be diagnosed from congeners by a combination of the following morphological characteristics: (1) body size large, SVL 68.7–77.0 mm in adult males, 76.6 in adult female; (2) tail short, TAL/SVL 1.61–1.78 in adult males, 1.55 in adult female; (3) head relatively long, HW/HL 0.66–0.75 in adult males, 0.63 in adult female; (4) limbs moderately long, FLL/SVL 0.41–0.47 in adult males, 0.44 in adult female, HLL/SVL 0.66–0.70 in adult males, 0.65 in adult female; (5) MD 48–58; (6) F4S 16–20, T4S 21–26; (7) tympanum concealed; (8) nuchal and dorsal crests discontinuous, scales of nuchal and dorsal crests enlarged, strongly erected skin fold under nuchal crest and moderately erected skin fold under dorsal crest in males in life, weakly erected skin fold under nuchal crest and no skin fold under dorsal crest in females in life; (9) distinct transverse gular fold present; (10) ventral scales of head heterogeneous in size, anterior and middle ones larger, posterior and side ones smaller, all strongly keeled; (11) ventral scales of body strongly keeled; (12) gular spot absent in both sexes; (13) dorsolateral stripes distinct in males, strongly jagged, pale yellow in life; (14) a series of dark, hollow, approximately rhomboid patterns between dorsolateral stripes on dorsum; (15) a distinct wide black stripe on shoulder fold region on each side; (16) stripes around eye absent or very indistinct; (17) oral cavity, inner lips, and tongue pale flesh colour in life.
Diploderma donglangense sp. nov.
Etymology: The specific epithet refers to Donglang Township, where the new species was discovered.
Diagnosis: Diploderma donglangense sp. nov. can be diagnosed from congeners by a combination of the following morphological characteristics: (1) body size relatively small, SVL 44.9–52.8 mm in adult males, 47.2–56.4 in adult females; (2) tail relatively short, TAL/SVL 1.76–1.87 in adult males, 1.59–1.89 in adult females; (3) limbs moderately long, FLL/SVL 0.46–0.47 in adult males, 0.44–0.50 in adult females, HLL/SVL 0.73–0.75 in adult males, 0.70–0.78 in adult females; (4) head moderately long, HW/HL 0.69–0.71 in adult males, 0.71–0.73 in adult females; (5) MD 37–43; (6) F4S 13–17, T4S 19–24; (7) tympanum concealed; (8) nuchal and dorsal crest scales feebly developed, no skin fold under nuchal and dorsal crests; (9) distinct transverse gular fold present; (10) ventral scales of head homogeneous in size, keeled; (11) ventral scales of body strongly keeled; (12) gular spot present in males, present or absent in females, pale yellow in life; (13) dorsolateral stripes distinct in males, moderately jagged, creamy yellow in life; (14) radial stripes around eye indistinct; (15) oral cavity, inner lips, and tongue pale pink in life.
Diploderma jiulongense sp. nov.
Etymology: The specific epithet refers to Jiulong County, where the new species was discovered.
Diagnosis: Diploderma jiulongense sp. nov. can be diagnosed from congeners by a combination of the following morphological characteristics: (1) body size moderate, SVL 44.5–51.4 mm in adult males, 61.7–64.4 in adult females; (2) tail very long, TAL/SVL 2.57–2.71 in adult males, 2.33–2.44 in adult females; (3) limbs very long, FLL/SVL 0.50–0.53 in adult males, 0.46–0.47 in adult females, HLL/SVL 0.86–0.94 in adult males, 0.79–0.82 in adult females; (4) head moderately long, HW/HL 0.68–0.73 in adult males, 0.71–0.72 in adult females; (5) MD 36–40; (6) F4S 16–19, T4S 23–27; (7) tympanum concealed; (8) nuchal and dorsal crests continuous, feebly developed, no skin fold under nuchal and dorsal crests; (9) distinct transverse gular fold present; (10) ventral scales of head heterogeneous in size, ones on centre of gular pouch largest, all strongly keeled; (11) ventral scales of body strongly keeled; (12) gular spot present in males, indistinct or absent in females, pale yellow in life; (13) dorsolateral stripes distinct in males, narrow and smooth edged, bright yellow in life; (14) no radial stripes around eye; (15) oral cavity and inner lips pinkish white, tongue pale flesh colour in life.
Diploderma tachengense sp. nov.
Etymology: The specific epithet refers to Tacheng Town, where the new species was discovered.
Diagnosis: Diploderma tachengense sp. nov. can be diagnosed from congeners by a combination of the following morphological characteristics: (1) body size moderate, SVL 55.2–55.7 mm in adult males, 65.4 mm in adult female; (2) tail moderately long, TAL/SVL 1.88–1.89 in adult males, 1.56 in adult female; (3) limbs moderately long, FLL/SVL 0.45–0.47 in adult males, 0.46 in adult female, HLL/SVL 0.76–0.78 in adult males, 0.70 in adult female; (4) head relatively robust, HW/HL 0.73–0.80 in adult males, 0.74 in adult female; (5) MD 38–44; (6) F4S 15–19, T4S 20–24; (7) tympanum concealed; (8) nuchal and dorsal crests continuous, feebly developed, no skin fold under nuchal and dorsal crests; (9) distinct transverse gular fold present; (10) ventral scales of head homogeneous, feebly keeled; (11) ventral scales of body strongly keeled; (12) gular spot present in both sexes, pale yellow in life; (13) dorsolateral stripes distinct in males, strongly jagged, pale yellow in life; (14) radial stripes around eye relatively distinct; (15) oral cavity and inner lips pinkish white, tongue pink in life.
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| Habitats of the new species A distant view of the type locality of Diploderma danbaense sp. nov. B close view of the type locality of D. danbaense sp. nov. C distant view of the type locality of Diploderma donglangense sp. nov. D close view of the type locality of D. donglangense sp. nov. E distant view of the type locality of Diploderma jiulongense sp. nov. F close view of the type locality of D. jiulongense sp. nov. G distant view of the type locality of Diploderma tachengense sp. nov. H close view of the type locality of D. tachengense sp. nov. |
Shuo Liu, Mian Hou, Natalia B. Ananjeva and Dingqi Rao. 2023. Four New Species of the Genus Diploderma Hallowell, 1861 (Squamata, Agamidae) from China. ZooKeys. 1148: 167-207. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1148.97706
