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Issue: Vol. 4969 No. 3: 12 May 2021
Type: Article
Published: 2021-05-12
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4969.3.5
Page range: 526–538
Abstract views: 222
PDF downloaded: 16

A new sandstone-dwelling leaf-toed gecko (Gekkonidae: Dixonius mekongensis) from the Thai-Lao border

Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Rue Vautier 29, B-1000 Brussels, Belgium.
Siamensis Biodiversity Conservation Group, 408/144 Phaholyothin Place Building, 34th floor, Phaholyothin Rd., Phayathai, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand.
Nakhonratchasima Zoo, 111 M. 1, Ratchasima-Pak Tongchai Rd., Chaimongkol, Muang, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand.
Ranong Marine Fisheries Research and Development Station, 157 Chaloem Phrakiat Rd., Paknam, Muang, Ranong 85000, Thailand.
Reptilia Mekong River Isan Dixonius mekongensis sp. nov. taxonomy

Abstract

We describe Dixonius mekongensis sp. nov. from sandstone formations in Khong Chiam District, Ubon Ratchathani Province, in extreme eastern Thailand along the Laotian border. The new species differs from all currently recognized Dixonius by the following combination of morphological characters and pattern: maximal known snout-vent length of 51.2 mm; 16 longitudinal rows of dorsal tubercles; 32 to 34 paravertebral scales; 22 to 24 longitudinal rows of ventral scales across the abdomen; seven precloacal pores in males, no pores in females; a marked canthal stripe; and a spotted to uniform dorsal pattern. This description brings the number of Dixonius species to 13, with six species endemic to Thailand.

 

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