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| Diploderma gulaense Cai, Yao, Wu & Guo, in Cai, Liu, Budian, Yao, Wu, Jiang, Luo et Guo, 2026. |
Abstract
A new species of the agamid genus Diploderma Hallowell, 1861 is described from Gula Township, Zayü County, Xizang Autonomous Region (Tibet), China, based on integrated morphological and molecular evidence. Phylogenetic analyses of mitochondrial ND2 genes reveal that the new species Diploderma gulaense Cai, Yao, Wu & Guo, sp. nov. forms a well-supported clade with D. laeviventre, D. yangi, and D. slowinskii, endemic to the Nu River valley. It is sister to D. laeviventre but differs from it and other congeners by a combination of morphological characteristics: moderate body size (SVL 53.1–63.4 mm in males, 54.8–70.2 mm in females); relatively long tail (TAL/SVL 2.07–2.38 in males, 1.90–2.26 in females); tympanum concealed; ventral body scales strongly keeled; transverse gular fold present; cyan gular spot in both sexes; pale cyan dorsolateral stripes in males; and tongue pale flesh colored. The new species is currently known only from the Ranbuqu valley, a dry-warm valley along a tributary of the middle Nu River, at elevations between 2,332 and 3,300 m. Its restricted distribution and ongoing habitat degradation suggest a preliminary IUCN assessment of Vulnerable (VU). The discovery of Diploderma gulaense Cai, Yao, Wu & Guo, sp. nov. further highlights the role of river-valley systems in driving allopatric speciation within the genus and underscores the underestimated diversity of Diploderma in the Hengduan Mountains.
Key words: Diploderma gulaense sp. nov., dry valley, geographical isolation, Hengduan mountains, Mountain Lizard, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Salween River
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| Live coloration of Diploderma gulaense sp. nov. (male, CIB-CB23CY17, photographed while healthy). A. Lateral view of body; B. Dorsal view; C. Ventral view; D. Lateral view of head; E. Oral cavity. |
Diploderma gulaense Cai, Yao, Wu & Guo, sp. nov.
Diagnosis. Diploderma gulaense sp. nov. can be diagnosed from its congeners by a combination of the following morphological characteristics: (1) adult body size moderate, SVL 53.1–63.4 mm in males (n = 4), 54.8–70.2 mm in females (n = 7); (2) tail relatively long, TAL/SVL 2.07–2.38 (mean 2.18) in males, 1.90–2.26 (mean 2.02) in females; (3) head moderately depressed, HW/HL 0.65–0.75 in males, 0.65–0.74 in females; (4) foreleg length moderate, FLL/SVL 0.46–0.48 in males, 0.43–0.50 in females; (5) hindleg length relatively short, HLL/SVL 0.74–0.80 in males, 0.66–0.77 in females; tympanum concealed by small scales; (6) middorsal crest scales ....
Etymology. The Latin specific epithet gulaense is derived from the Gula Township, where the new species was discovered. The genus Diploderma is Greek neuter, and the suffix -ense of this new species name is the Latin neuter combinatorial suffix denoting ‘pertaining to’ or ‘originating in’.
And we suggest Gula Mountain Lizard as its English common name and 古拉攀蜥 (Chinese phonetic alphabet: gǔ lā pān xī) as its Chinese common name.
Bo Cai, Fengjing Liu, Ayimo Budian, Zhongyi Yao, Boyang Wu, Jianping Jiang, Xiaobo Luo and Keji Guo. 2026. A New Species of the Genus Diploderma (Reptilia, Squamata, Agamidae) from Zayü County, Xizang Autonomous Region, China. ZooKeys. 1296: 209-230. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1296.198381 [04 Nov 2026]
