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Issue: Vol. 5609 No. 2: 20 Mar. 2025
Type: Article
Published: 2025-03-20
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5609.2.8
Page range: 275-285
Abstract views: 138
PDF downloaded: 9

A New Cryptic Species of Calotes (Reptilia: Squamata: Agamidae) from Southeastern Xizang Autonomous Region, China

Key Laboratory of Genetic Evolution and Animal Models; and Yunnan Key Laboratory of Biodiversity and Ecological Conservation of Gaoligong Mountain; Kunming Institute of Zoology; Chinese Academy of Sciences; Kunming 650223; China; Southeast Asia Biodiversity Research Institute; Chinese Academy of Sciences; Yezin; Nay Pyi Taw 05282; Myanmar
Central South Inventory and Planning Institute of National Forestry and Grassland Administration; Changsha 410014; China
School of Ecology and Environmental Science; Yunnan University; Kunming 650500; China
Key Laboratory of Genetic Evolution and Animal Models; and Yunnan Key Laboratory of Biodiversity and Ecological Conservation of Gaoligong Mountain; Kunming Institute of Zoology; Chinese Academy of Sciences; Kunming 650223; China; Kunming College of Life Science; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences; Kunming 650204; China
Central South Inventory and Planning Institute of National Forestry and Grassland Administration; Changsha 410014; China
Central South Inventory and Planning Institute of National Forestry and Grassland Administration; Changsha 410014; China
Central South Inventory and Planning Institute of National Forestry and Grassland Administration; Changsha 410014; China
Central South Inventory and Planning Institute of National Forestry and Grassland Administration; Changsha 410014; China
Central South Inventory and Planning Institute of National Forestry and Grassland Administration; Changsha 410014; China; College of Life Sciences and Technology; Central South University of Forestry and Technology; Changsha 410004; China; College of Life Sciences; Hunan Normal University; Changsha 410081; China
Key Laboratory of Genetic Evolution and Animal Models; and Yunnan Key Laboratory of Biodiversity and Ecological Conservation of Gaoligong Mountain; Kunming Institute of Zoology; Chinese Academy of Sciences; Kunming 650223; China; Southeast Asia Biodiversity Research Institute; Chinese Academy of Sciences; Yezin; Nay Pyi Taw 05282; Myanmar
Reptilia cryptic diversity Draconinae Himalaya herpetofauna taxonomy

Abstract

Based on both morphological and genetic data, we describe a new cryptic species of Calotes from southeastern Xizang Autonomous Region, China. The new species was confused with C. paulus, and it is morphologically most similar to members of the C. paulus complex (namely C. paulus, C. sinyik, and C. zolaiking), but the new species shows considerable genetic divergence from closely resembled congeners and can be diagnosed morphologically by having more vertebral crest scales, more scale rows at mid body, and more caudal vertebrae. With the description of the new species, we also remove C. paulus from the reptile fauna of China.

 

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