A New Cryptic Species of Calotes (Reptilia: Squamata: Agamidae) from Southeastern Xizang Autonomous Region, China
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.
Authors
- Wenjie Dong (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3201-4533)
- Jing Che (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4246-6514)
- Fu Shu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6082-8112)
- M. Zhang
- Menghan Su
- Kai Wang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6736-3346)
- Keji Guo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7508-1173)
- Ling Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7650-2280)
- Wenbo Zhu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1681-5813)
- Hong-Na Mu
Institutions
- Central South University of Forestry and Technology (CN)
- Central South University (CN)
- Kunming University (CN)
- Hunan Normal University (CN)
- Kunming Institute of Zoology (CN)
- Yunnan University (CN)
- Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN)
- Changsha University (CN)
- Yezin Agricultural University (MM)
- Biodiversity Research Institute (US)
- Model Animal Research Center (CN)
- State Forestry and Grassland Administration (CN)
- Yunnan Environmental Protection Bureau (CN)
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Zootaxa
- Published
- 2025-03-19
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5609.2.8
- Primary Topic
- Amphibian and Reptile Biology
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00