No full-text available
To read the full-text of this research,
you can request a copy directly from the authors.
New Species of Cnemaspis Strauch 1887 (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Southwestern Cambodia
Abstract
A new species of Southeast Asian Cnemaspis is described from the rocky foothills in the northwestern section of the Cardamom Mountains, Cambodia on the basis of a light colored chevron marking between the shoulders, tail tip white with black speckling, and several scale characteristics. This population's overall morphological similarity to southern Vietnam species demonstrates that Cambodia is an important biogeographical link between disjunct components of the Indochinese herpetofauna. This species represents the second known species of Cnemaspis from Cambodia and the ninth endemic species to be described from the Cardamom Mountains, highlighting the need for additional fieldwork in this area of Indochina.
... Daltry & Momberg, 2000). This resurgence in herpetological fi eld investigations targeted three distinct biogeographical areas: (1) mountainous areas in northeastern Cambodia ( Long et al., 2000;Stuart et al., 2006;Rowley et al., 2010;Stuart et al., 2010); (2) low lying fl oodplains around the Tonle Sap Lake ( Touch et al., 2000;Lehr & Holloway, 2000;Stuart et al., 2000), augmented by collections in Siem Reap ( Hartmann et al., 2009Hartmann et al., , 2010 and along the Mekong River (Bezuijen et al., 2009); and (3) the Cardamom Mountains (Daltry & Chheang, 2000;Swan & Daltry, 2000;Swan & Daltry, 2002;Daltry & Wüster, 2002;Long et al., 2002;Ohler et al., 2002;Daltry & Traeholt, 2003;Stuart & Platt , 2004;Stuart & Emmett , 2006;Grismer et al., 2007a, b;2008a, b;Grismer et al., 2010;Wood et al., 2010;Neang et al. (in review). ...
... One specimen was found on the ground underneath a rott en log and another was collected from loose bark on the forest fl oor. Cnemaspis chanthaburiensis probably occurs throughout the Cardamom Mountains and may overlap with the distribution of the rock-dwelling C. neangthyi (Grismer et al., 2010) to the east. Cnemaspis chanthaburiensis ranges as far west as the Cardamom Mountains of southeastern Thailand (Bauer & Das, 1998). ...
... The three taxa new to science are currently being described and may prove to be endemic to Cambodia's Cardamom Mountains. If so, this would increase the number of endemic herpetofaunal species in the Cardamom Mountains to nine: the other six being Lycodon cardamomensis (Daltry & Wüster, 2002), Megophrys auralensis, Hylarana faber, Philautus cardamonus (Ohler et al., 2002), Chiromantis samkosensis (Grismer et al., 2007b) and Cnemaspis neangthyi (Grismer et al., 2010). The new species would also increase the number of Cambodian endemics to twelve; including Ophryophryne synoria, Leptobrachium mouhoti (Stuart et al., 2006) and Leptolalax melicus (Rowley et al., 2010), which have not been found outside of the country. ...
The fi rst herpetological survey of Dalai Mountain in Phnom Samkos Wildlife Sanctuary revealed 24 species (nine amphibians and 15 reptiles), 18 of which are presently known only from the Cardamom Mountains. Of these, four represent fi rst records for Phnom Samkos Wildlife Sanctuary (Megophrys auralensis, Theloderma asperum, Philautus parvulus and Dasia olivacea) and a further three are believed to be new to science (a cae cilian Ichthyophis sp. and two lizards Dibamus sp. and Lygosoma sp.). These new records and taxa highlight the rapidly growing number of amphibian and reptile species known from this little-explored region of the Cardamom Mountains, and represent a significant additional value worthy of conservation attention
... Congeners from the Malay Peninsula, adjacent small islands, Borneo, and Sumatra have suites of characters that distinguish these taxa from Cnemaspis rajabasa (52.6– 58.7 mm in SVL), which is a relatively large species (maximum SVL of other species in parentheses). Whereas the new species lacks precloacal pores, Cnemaspis affinis (Stoliczka 1870; 50.8 mm), Cnemaspis bayuensis Grismer et al. 2008a (46.1 mm), Cnemaspis chanardi Grismer et al. 2010a (40.1 mm), Cnemaspis flavolineata (Nicholls 1949; 41.2 mm), Cnemaspis harimau Chan et al. 2010 (40.7 mm), Cnemaspis kamolnorranathi Grismer et al. 2010a (37.8 mm), Cnemaspis karsticola Grismer et al. 2008a (48.1 mm), Cnemaspis kumpoli Taylor 1963 (52.0 mm), Cnemaspis narathiwatensis Grismer et al. 2010a (43.2 mm), Cnemaspis omari Grismer et al. 2014a (41. ...
... Congeners from the Malay Peninsula, adjacent small islands, Borneo, and Sumatra have suites of characters that distinguish these taxa from Cnemaspis rajabasa (52.6– 58.7 mm in SVL), which is a relatively large species (maximum SVL of other species in parentheses). Whereas the new species lacks precloacal pores, Cnemaspis affinis (Stoliczka 1870; 50.8 mm), Cnemaspis bayuensis Grismer et al. 2008a (46.1 mm), Cnemaspis chanardi Grismer et al. 2010a (40.1 mm), Cnemaspis flavolineata (Nicholls 1949; 41.2 mm), Cnemaspis harimau Chan et al. 2010 (40.7 mm), Cnemaspis kamolnorranathi Grismer et al. 2010a (37.8 mm), Cnemaspis karsticola Grismer et al. 2008a (48.1 mm), Cnemaspis kumpoli Taylor 1963 (52.0 mm), Cnemaspis narathiwatensis Grismer et al. 2010a (43.2 mm), Cnemaspis omari Grismer et al. 2014a (41. ...
... 4 mm), Cnemaspis stongensis Grismer et al. 2014a (49.3 mm), Cnemaspis temiah Grismer et al. 2014a (46.7 mm), and Cnemaspis vandeventeri Grismer et al. 2010a (44.7 mm) all have precloacal pores or pore-bearing scales. Cnemaspis argus Dring 1979 (65.3 mm), Cnemaspis grismeri Wood et al. 2013 (50.6 mm), Cnemaspis hangus Grismer et al. 2014a (50.5 mm), Cnemaspis mcguirei Grismer et al. 2008a (65.2 mm), Cnemaspis pseudomcguirei Grismer et al. 2009 (42. ...
We describe a new species of Cnemaspis from southern Sumatra, Indonesia. The new species is the first Cnemaspis reported from Sumatra and is a large (52.6–58.7 mm in snout–vent length [SVL]) nocturnal species. A combination of the following characters distinguishes the new species from all other Southeast Asian congeners: adults reaching 58.7 mm SVL; supralabials 13 or 14; infralabials 11 or 12; tricarinate
ventrals; precloacal pores absent; moderately prominent, randomly arranged, dorsal tubercles; 20 or 21 paravertebral tubercles; no tubercles on lower flanks; caudal tubercles encircling tail; subcaudals keeled; the median row of subcaudals not enlarged; two postcloacal tubercles on each side of tail base; no enlarged femoral, subtibial, or submetatarsal scales; subtibial scales keeled; 28–34 subdigital lamellae on fourth toe; dark and light caudal bands distinct in both sexes. We tentatively assign the new species to the Cnemaspis kendallii group of the Southern Sunda clade of recent phylogenetic analyses.
... Daltry & Momberg, 2000). This resurgence in herpetological fi eld investigations targeted three distinct biogeographical areas: (1) mountainous areas in northeastern Cambodia ( Long et al., 2000;Stuart et al., 2006;Rowley et al., 2010;Stuart et al., 2010); (2) low lying fl oodplains around the Tonle Sap Lake ( Touch et al., 2000;Lehr & Holloway, 2000;Stuart et al., 2000), augmented by collections in Siem Reap ( Hartmann et al., 2009Hartmann et al., , 2010 and along the Mekong River (Bezuijen et al., 2009); and (3) the Cardamom Mountains (Daltry & Chheang, 2000;Swan & Daltry, 2000;Swan & Daltry, 2002;Daltry & Wüster, 2002;Long et al., 2002;Ohler et al., 2002;Daltry & Traeholt, 2003;Stuart & Platt , 2004;Stuart & Emmett , 2006;Grismer et al., 2007a, b;2008a, b;Grismer et al., 2010;Wood et al., 2010;Neang et al. (in review). ...
... One specimen was found on the ground underneath a rott en log and another was collect- ed from loose bark on the forest fl oor. Cnemaspis chanthaburiensis probably occurs throughout the Cardamom Mountains and may overlap with the distribution of the rock-dwelling C. neangth- yi (Grismer et al., 2010) to the east. Cnemaspis chanthaburiensis ranges as far west as the Carda- mom Mountains of southeastern Thailand (Bauer & Das, 1998 Grismer et al. (2007a) of specimens from the Phnom Aural Wildlife Sanctuary in possessing 7-9 preanal pores in males; enlarged preanal scales; 7-11 enlarged femoral scales; a dis- tinct ventrolateral body fold; ear opening less than half the diameter of eye; a dark brown band extend- ing from the eye across the neck, edged in white to yellow; four brown bands on body; and a dark and light banded tail. ...
... The three taxa new to science are currently being described and may prove to be endemic to Cambodia's Cardamom Mountains. If so, this would increase the number of endemic herpetofau- nal species in the Cardamom Mountains to nine: the other six being Lycodon cardamomensis (Daltry & Wüster, 2002), Megophrys auralensis, Hylarana faber, Philautus cardamonus (Ohler et al., 2002), Chi- romantis samkosensis (Grismer et al., 2007b) and Cnemaspis neangthyi (Grismer et al., 2010). The new species would also increase the number of Cambo- dian endemics to twelve; including Ophryophryne synoria, Leptobrachium mouhoti (Stuart et al., 2006) and Leptolalax melicus (Rowley et al., 2010), which have not been found outside of the country. ...
... The Southeast Asian gekkonid genus Cnemaspis Strauch 1887 (sensu Bauer et al. 2007) is one of the most rapidly growing groups of geckos in Asia and the rate of new species being discovered and described shows no signs of leveling off Das & Grismer 2003;Grismer & Das 2006;Grismer & Ngo 2007;Grismer et al. 2008a,b;Grismer et al. 2009). The confluence of new diagnostic character states (Grismer & Ngo 2007;Grismer et al. 2008a,b); taxonomic reevaluations of previously described species Grismer et al. 2008a,b); and access into unexplored regions and unique habitats Grismer & Ngo 2007;Grismer et al. 2008a,b;Grismer et al. 2009) have produced a wealth of new discoveries and descriptions and for the first time, the actual diversity of these secretive, scansorial, morphologically conserved, forest-dwelling lizards is just now beginning to be realized. ...
... The Southeast Asian gekkonid genus Cnemaspis Strauch 1887 (sensu Bauer et al. 2007) is one of the most rapidly growing groups of geckos in Asia and the rate of new species being discovered and described shows no signs of leveling off Das & Grismer 2003;Grismer & Das 2006;Grismer & Ngo 2007;Grismer et al. 2008a,b;Grismer et al. 2009). The confluence of new diagnostic character states (Grismer & Ngo 2007;Grismer et al. 2008a,b); taxonomic reevaluations of previously described species Grismer et al. 2008a,b); and access into unexplored regions and unique habitats Grismer & Ngo 2007;Grismer et al. 2008a,b;Grismer et al. 2009) have produced a wealth of new discoveries and descriptions and for the first time, the actual diversity of these secretive, scansorial, morphologically conserved, forest-dwelling lizards is just now beginning to be realized. This is especially true in Peninsular Malaysia and its associated archipelagos where within only the last five years, nine new species have been described Das & Grismer 2003;Grismer & Das 2006;Grismer et al. 2008a,b). ...
Two new diminutive species of Cnemaspis are described from Peninsular Malaysia. Cnemaspis monachorum sp. nov. is a karst-dwelling species endemic to Pulau Langkawi, Kedah and is the smallest species of Southeast Asian Cnemaspis to date. Cnemaspis pseudomcguirei sp. nov. is a montane species known only from Bukit Larut, Perak in the Bintang Mountain Range and is very similar in appearance to the considerably larger, sympatric species C. mcguirei. Evidence supporting a working hypothesis of resource partitioning between sympatric species pairs of Cnemaspis on the basis of size and microhabitat preference is presented.
... This species is known from the type locality in Wang Kelian, Perlis, Peninsular Malaysia at 150 m in elevation above sea-level; and Phuphaphet Cave in Langu District, Satun Province, Thailand at 220 m in elevation above sea-level (Grismer et al. 2010, Grismer et al. 2014). ...
... In Thailand, Grismer et al. (2010) reported that lizards were observed during the day on the buttresses of trees and within tree holes between 1.5-2 m above the ground along a footpath in old, secondary forest. All the trees upon which the lizards were observed had holes into which the lizards would retreat when disturbed. ...
Red List Data/ Conservation Status for Cnemaspis omari
... Conservation implications. The plant and animal biodiversity studies that have been conducted in recent years in Cambodia have been refined over time (Daltry & Momberg, 2000;Grismer et al., 2010;Toyama et al., 2013;Naiki et al., 2015), and many of these studies have provided useful checklists of species and descriptions of new species. However, of the Cambodian fauna studied to date, with the exception of several early taxonomic studies and isolated species descriptions (e.g. ...
... Evidence for this connection may become more apparent as more unique taxa are discovered in the region. For example, several interesting Crematogaster species have been collected and new ant species from Cambodia, including new ant species described by Hosoishi & Ogata (2014), as well as lizards (Grismer et al., 2010), pitcher plants (Mey, 2009), and vascular plants (Naiki et al., 2015;Tagane et al., 2015). Much of the extensive area of Cambodia has yet to be surveyed for ants and other organisms. ...
This paper presents the first comprehensive description of the ant fauna of Cambodia, most of which has not yet been extensively surveyed. The aim was to investigate ground-dwelling and arboreal ant fauna in three types of lowland forest in Cambodia and assess the bioindicator value of ant communities along forest disturbance gradient. The ground ant fauna was sampled by Winkler extraction, and the arboreal ant fauna by time unit sampling. A total of 101 ant species belonging to 40 genera in nine subfamilies was collected. Of these species, 41 were collected in the community forest (CF; habitat with high disturbance), 52 in regrowth forest (RF), and 61 in natural (undisturbed) forest (NF). Although the total species richness hence declined with the level of disturbance, it did not differ significantly among the three forest types. A comparison between ground and arboreal fauna showed an overlap of nine species (22%) in CF, 4 spp. (8%) in RF, and 7 spp. (11%) in NF. Non-metric multi dimensional scaling revealed that the ground ant fauna in CF greatly differed from the ground ant fauna in both RF and NF, which were rather similar in their species composition. Conversely, the arboreal ant fauna in the CF differed less from the arboreal ant fauna in RF and NF sites. However, there was much a higher occurrence of invasive ant species in CF than in the other forest types. The results suggest that higher level of disturbance due to logging and inundation common in community forests affects more the ground than arboreal ant fauna. The high number of ant species collected, well-defined vertical stratification of their communities, and the relatively high species turnover along the forest disturbance gradient confirm the importance of Cambodian lowland forests for biodiversity conservation programs and of the ants as usable indicator animal group of the disturbance.
... The nine species (see Discussion) of Oligodon recorded from Cambodia comprise approximately 13% of the current total of 70 species in Southeast Asia (Leviton 1953; Uetz 2011). Of all of the protected areas in Cambodia, the Phnom Samkos Wildlife Sanctuary (3,338 km 2 ) has received the most attention in terms of herpetofaunal inventories (Grismer et al. 2007a,b, 2008a,b, 2010; Neang et al. 2010, 2011a,b; Wood et al. 2010; and references herein). Since 2000, 40 amphibian and 81 reptile species have been recorded at the site (Grismer et al. 2008b; Neang et al. 2010, 2012, Neang, unpublished data). ...
... Of all of the protected areas in Cambodia, the Phnom Samkos Wildlife Sanctuary (3,338 km 2 ) has received the most attention in terms of herpetofaunal inventories (Grismer et al. 2007a,b, 2008a,b, 2010; Neang et al. 2010, 2011a,b; Wood et al. 2010; and references herein). Since 2000, 40 amphibian and 81 reptile species have been recorded at the site (Grismer et al. 2008b; Neang et al. 2010, 2012, Neang, unpublished data). The Sanctuary's diverse herpetofauna reflects its diverse elevation (from 90 to 1,717 m above sea level), geology, hydrology and vegetation types, many of which are still intact (Webb 2005). ...
A new species of kukri snake Oligodon Fitzinger, 1826 is described from the Phnom Samkos Wildlife Sanctuary, Carda-mom Mountains, southwest Cambodia. Oligodon kampucheaensis sp. nov. differs from other Indochinese and Southeast Asian species of Oligodon by having 15–15–15 dorsal scale rows; 164 ventral scales; 39 subcaudal scales; anal plate un-divided; deep bifurcated hemipenes, lacking papillae and spines extending to subcaudal scale 11; 17 transverse cream and black-edged bands on body; three bands on tail; eight or nine scales long between dorsal bands; white ventrolateral spots on the lateral margin of every dark brown squarish or subrectangular ventral blotch. The hemipenial characters place it as the tenth species of the O. cyclurus group but it has a lower dorsal scale count than other species in this group. The dis-covery of this species from the Phnom Samkos Wildlife Sanctuary increases the number of kukri snakes for Cambodia to ten and indicates the importance of additional field studies in the Cardamom Mountains.
... Research on amphibians and reptiles in Cambodia has intensi ed in recent years and many studies have found new species to science (Daltry & Wüster, 2002;Ohler et al., 2002;Grismer et al., 2007bGrismer et al., , 2010David et al., 2008a,b;Rowley et al., 2010;Wood et al., 2010;Geissler et al., 2012;Neang et al., 2011Neang et al., , 2012Neang et al., , 2014 and new records to the country (Stuart & Emme , 2006;Grismer et al., 2008a,b;Stuart et al., 2010;Neang et al., 2010;Hartmann et al., 2009and reference Taylor (1965 and Grismer et al. (2003) in having small size, SVL 252.2 mm (256.1 mm); TaL 172.2 mm (145.6 mm); 122 (138) ventral scales; 101 (93) subcaudal scales (female characters in brackets); 13-13-13 dorsal scale rows; single large preocular; 2 postoculars; 8 supralabials, 3-5 th contacting orbit; 8 infralabials; (1+2) temporal in both sides, anterior almost twice the length of the posterior; anal plate divided. Large greenish olive occipital band, covering three to four scales long, bordered anteriorly and posteriorly by distinct transverse light crossbars; a distinct elongated light black-edged spot on each parietal; preocular and postocular with distinct vertical white bars. ...
We report five herpetofaunal species for the first time from Cambodia: two tree frogs (Rhacophorus maximus and R. robertingeri), one lizard (Calotes bachae) and two snakes (Dendrelaphis ngansonensis and Gongylosoma scriptum). This paper includes the first report of the snake genus Gongylosoma Theobald, 1868 for Cambodia. A range extension for Gekko petricolus and a rare record of the snake Daboia siamensis are also documented. The growing number of herpetofaunal species confirmed for Cambodia represent additional biodiversity deserving of conservation. They also highlight the lack of knowledge concerning amphibians and reptiles and demonstrate a need for continued field research.
... Despite, the highly conservative body morphology observed in Cnemaspis species throughout their broad distribution, molecular phylogenetic evidence supports polyphyly, with three independent derivations of the Cnemaspis-morph in Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia (GamBle et al., 2012;Grismer et al., 2014a;WooD et al., 2013). Recent additions of new species have mostly derived from Southeast Asia, especially Indonesia, Laos, Thailand, and Malaysia Grismer, 2010b;Grismer et al., 2010aGrismer et al., , 2014aWooD et al., 2013). A number of new species have been reported from the Indian mainland (CyriaC & umesh, 2014;CyriaC et al., 2018;mirza et al., 2014;sayyeD et al., 2016srinivasulu et al., 2015) as well as from Sri Lanka (BatuWita & uDuGampala, 2017;BatuWita et al., 2019;viDanapathirana et al., 2014;WiCkramasinGhe & muninDraDasa, 2007;WiCkramasinGhe et al., 2016). ...
Six new day gecko species of the genus Cnemaspis Strauch, 1887 are described from geographically isolated forested hills (Bambarabotuwa, Kadugannawa, Kokagala, Kudumbigala, Maragala and Walapane) in Sri Lanka based on analyses of morphological and molecular traits. We provide an updated mtDNA-based genealogy of Sri Lankan Cnemaspis and provide further evidence that diversity of the genus in the island may still be underestimated. The six new Cnemaspis species described herein are small to medium (27 – 40 mm SVL) in size and can be differentiated from all other Sri Lankan congeners by a suite of distinct morphometric, meristic and molecular characteristics. They are recorded from wet, cool, spacious granite caves found within rock outcrops embedded in forests distributed across low and mid-elevations (~ 25 – 600 m) with minimal anthropogenic disturbance. Existing data suggest that each of these geckos have a highly restricted (point endemic) distribution ranges. Further, their area of occurrence, extent of distribution, and relative a abundance appear to be low, thus all these species are categorized as Critically Endangered (CR) under IUCN Red List criteria. With the descriptions of these species, the number of Cnemaspis described from Sri Lanka increases to 32, all of which are endemic to the island. The discovery of these new species highlights the understudied diversity of geckos in isolated hills. Being rupicolous microhabitat specialists with a scansorial mode of life, these species are susceptible to both localized and widespread threats. Therefore, isolated hill forests of Sri Lanka, especially in the intermediate and dry zones, warrant special conservation, habitat protection, indepth research and specific management actions.
... However, with the political reconciliation and integration of the late 1990's, field work was permitted to recommence. In the past two decades, numerous surveys have been made in the Cardamoms and adjacent upland areas of Cambodia resulting in the discovery of no less than 12 new endemic species of amphibians and reptiles (Ohler et al. 2002;Daltry & Wüster 2002;Grismer et al. 2007bGrismer et al. , 2010Wood et al 2010;Neang et al. 2011;Mahony 2011;Neang et al. 2012;Geissler et al. 2014;Neang et al. 2014). The growing number of species from these mountains highlights the need for continued field research and conservation in these unique areas. ...
An integrative taxonomic analysis using color pattern, morphology, and 1449 base pairs of the ND2 mitochondrial gene and its five flanking tRNAs demonstrated that eight species-level lineages occur within the Cyrtodactylus intermedius complex (Cyrtodactylus intermedius sensu stricto, C. phuquocensis and related populations) of the Cardamom mountains and associated highlands that have a sequence divergence ranging 3.4–8.9%. Additionally, each lineage is discretely diagnosable from one another based on morphology and color pattern and most occur in specific geographic regions (upland areas, karst formations or islands) that prevent or greatly restrict interpopulation gene flow. Six of these lineages were masquerading under the nomen C. intermedius and are described as the following: Cyrtodactylus auralensis sp. nov. endemic to Phnom Aural, the highest mountain in Cambodia; C. bokorensis sp. nov. endemic to the Bokor Plateau, Cambodia; C. cardamomensis sp. nov. from the main block of the Cardamom mountains; C. thylacodactylus sp. nov. endemic to Phnom Dalai the northernmost peak of the Cardamom mountains; C. laangensis sp. nov. endemic to the Phnom Laang karst formation, Cambodia; and C. septimontium sp. nov. from the Bảy Núi Hills of southwest Vietnam.
... Phnom Bokor National Park is located in Kampot Province in southwestern Cambodia. The flora and fauna are unique, and several new species have been described from this national park ( Grismer et al., 2010;Tagane et al., 2015;Toyama et al., 2016). However, increasing development for tourism (e.g., building of casinos and hotels) in this area threatens their populations. ...
Hydnophytum formicarum is one of the most typical ant-plants distributed in Southeast Asia. The dolichoderine ant, Philidris cf. cordatus nests in the domatia of H. formicarum. We discovered nest capture of the two widespread ant species Tapinoma melanocephalum and Tetramorium nipponense in Phnom Bokor National Park, Cambodia. The two species used nests that dropped on the ground near the road that goes to the top of the mountain. The mutualistic relationship between ants and ant-plants is usually stable, but environmental change due to deforestation can easily provide a breeding ground for such widespread species. The intraspecific sequence divergence between Japanese and Cambodian T. nipponense specimens was 8.6% (K2P distance) for the mtDNA COI 3′ region. The deep genetic gap suggests that T. nipponense is native to Asia.
... Knowledge of Cambodia's amphibian and reptile fauna is increasing at a rapid pace. Historical summaries of the amphibians (Bourret, 1942), turtles (Bourret, 1941) and snakes (Bourret, 1936;Saint Girons, 1972) have been greatly supplemented by recent fi eld surveys in the Cardamom Mountains (Daltry & Wüster, 2002;Ohler et al., 2002;Stuart & PlaĴ , 2004;Stuart & EmmeĴ , 2006;Grismer et al., 2007a,b;Grismer et al., 2008a,b;Grismer et al., 2010), lowlands and low-lying hills of central Cambodia (Bezuij en, 2009;Hartmann et al., 2009) and uplands of eastern and northeastern Cambodia Rowley et al., in press). ...
The amphibians and reptiles of the uplands of northeastern Cambodia are poorly known. Signifi cant
records of nine species of amphibians and reptiles from Virachey National Park, northeastern Cambodia,
are provided. These have either not been previously reported from Cambodia or are known here from very
few records.
... However, a recent review for Cambodia revealed its biodiversity, including reptiles, to be poorly studied (Daltry, 2008). Nevertheless, the results of post-confl ict fi eldwork in the country have led to a rapid increase of reptile records, chiefl y from the Cardamom Mountains (Daltry & Wüster, 2002;Stuart & Emmett , 2006;David et al., 2008;Grismer et al., 2008;Grismer et al., 2010;Wood et al., 2010;Neang et al., 2010Neang et al., , 2011Malhotra et al., 2011a), lowland areas of Siem Reap (Hartmann et al., 2009(Hartmann et al., , 2010(Hartmann et al., , 2011, and from mountainous areas in the Northeast (Stuart et al., , 2010Malhotra et al., 2011a). ...
We report two reptile species, both new records for Cambodia, which were encountered during fi eld surveys in 2010:Hemidactylus garnotii Dumeríl & Bibron, 1836, from the Veun Sai Proposed Protected Forest in Northeast Cambodia, and Ovophis convictus Stoliczka, 1870, from Phnom Samkos Wildlife Sanctuary in Southwest Cambodia. These records bridge a previous distribution gap in the southern part of the Indochinese range of H. garnotii and represent a possiblenorthern disjunct population of O. convictus, previously known only from Peninsular Malaysia. The growing number ofreptile species documented in the two areas refl ects the highly diverse yet poorly studied nature of Cambodian reptiles, which warrant further research.
... Research on amphibians and reptiles in Cambodia has intensi ed in recent years and many studies have found new species to science (Daltry & Wüster, 2002;Ohler et al., 2002;Grismer et al., 2007bGrismer et al., , 2010David et al., 2008a,b;Rowley et al., 2010;Wood et al., 2010;Geissler et al., 2012;Neang et al., 2011Neang et al., , 2012Neang et al., , 2014 and new records to the country (Stuart & Emme , 2006;Grismer et al., 2008a,b;Stuart et al., 2010;Neang et al., 2010;Hartmann et al., 2009, 2012and reference Taylor (1965 and Grismer et al. (2003) in having small size, SVL 252.2 mm (256.1 mm); TaL 172.2 mm (145.6 mm); 122 (138) ventral scales; 101 (93) subcaudal scales (female characters in brackets); 13-13-13 dorsal scale rows; single large preocular; 2 postoculars; 8 supralabials, 3-5 th contacting orbit; 8 infralabials; (1+2) temporal in both sides, anterior almost twice the length of the posterior; anal plate divided. Large greenish olive occipital band, covering three to four scales long, bordered anteriorly and posteriorly by distinct transverse light crossbars; a distinct elongated light black-edged spot on each parietal; preocular and postocular with distinct vertical white bars. ...
... Research on amphibians and reptiles in Cambodia has intensi ed in recent years and many studies have found new species to science (Daltry & Wüster, 2002;Ohler et al., 2002;Grismer et al., 2007bGrismer et al., , 2010David et al., 2008a,b;Rowley et al., 2010;Wood et al., 2010;Geissler et al., 2012;Neang et al., 2011Neang et al., , 2012Neang et al., , 2014 and new records to the country (Stuart & Emme , 2006;Grismer et al., 2008a,b;Stuart et al., 2010;Neang et al., 2010;Hartmann et al., 2009, 2012and reference Taylor (1965 and Grismer et al. (2003) in having small size, SVL 252.2 mm (256.1 mm); TaL 172.2 mm (145.6 mm); 122 (138) ventral scales; 101 (93) subcaudal scales (female characters in brackets); 13-13-13 dorsal scale rows; single large preocular; 2 postoculars; 8 supralabials, 3-5 th contacting orbit; 8 infralabials; (1+2) temporal in both sides, anterior almost twice the length of the posterior; anal plate divided. Large greenish olive occipital band, covering three to four scales long, bordered anteriorly and posteriorly by distinct transverse light crossbars; a distinct elongated light black-edged spot on each parietal; preocular and postocular with distinct vertical white bars. ...
... Knowledge of Cambodia's amphibian and reptile fauna is increasing at a rapid pace. Historical summaries of the amphibians (Bourret, 1942), turtles (Bourret, 1941) and snakes (Bourret, 1936;Saint Girons, 1972) have been greatly supplemented by recent fi eld surveys in the Cardamom Mountains (Daltry & Wüster, 2002;Ohler et al., 2002;Stuart & PlaĴ , 2004;Stuart & EmmeĴ , 2006;Grismer et al., 2007a,b;Grismer et al., 2008a,b;Grismer et al., 2010), lowlands and low-lying hills of central Cambodia (Bezuij en, 2009;Hartmann et al., 2009) and uplands of eastern and northeastern Cambodia (Stuart et al., 2006;Rowley et al., in press). ...
... Morphological conservatism among Cnemaspis species has obscured estimates of diversity in the past, but the use of new characters and re-analysis of older types has helped to stabilize the taxonomy of the group (Bauer et al. 2007). The genus has grown in numbers rapidly during the past decade, especially the South and South-east Asian clades, emphasizing the species richness of the genus as well as the richness of the herpetofauna of the tropical habitats where it occurs (Das & Bauer 2000;Das & Senguptha 2000;Bauer 2002;Das & Grismer 2003;Das 2005;Grismer & Das 2006;Grismer & Ngo 2007;Bauer et al. 2007;Manamendra-Arachchi et al. 2007;Wickramasinghe & Munindradasa 2007;, 2010Grismer et al. 2008aGrismer et al. , 2008bGrismer et al. , 2009Grismer et al. , 2010aGrismer et al. , 2010bGiri et al. 2009). ...
A new species of rock dwelling gecko belonging to the genus Cnemaspis is described from Sri Lanka based on a suite of morphological features. The species is the largest of its genus described from Sri Lanka so far (snout-vent length 52-54 mm) and is the second largest of the Western Ghats-Sri Lanka Biodiversity Hotspot. It may be diagnosed in details of both scalation (ventrals186-207; mid-subcaudals large; absence of precloacal pores; 15 femoral pores on each side; 22-23 and 23-25 subdigital lamellae on finger IV and on toe IV, respectively; smooth scales on tail dorsum) and colouration (five prominent trilobate shaped cream markings pointing towards head and extending from neck to vent).The species is found in a unique habitat in the Rammalakanda Forest, where it is threatened by deforestation.
... As a result, five new species have been described from Vietnam (Grismer & Ngo 2007; Grismer et al. 2010b), one from Cambodia (J. Grismer et al. 2010); one from Borneo (Grismer & Chan 2009), seven from Thailand (Grismer et al. 2010c, one from Laos (Grismer 2010); and 12 from Peninsular Malaysia and its associated archipelagos (Chan & Grismer, 2008; Das & Grismer 2003; Grismer & Chan, 2008; Grismer & Chan 2010; Grismer & Das, 2006; Grismer et al. 2008a,b, 2010a; Grismer et al. 2009). Prior to 2003, Peninsular Malaysia only had four known species of Cnemaspis [C. ...
A new species of endemic Cnemaspis is described from Gunung Jerai (also known as Kedah Peak) in the northwestern state of Kedah, Peninsular Malaysia. Cnemaspis harimau sp. nov. differs from all other Sundaland congeners except C. affinis, C. biocellata, C. kumpoli, C. mcguirei, C. pseudomcguirei, and C. shahruli in having a black shoulder patch with a white or yellow ocellus anteriorly located. It is most similar in appearance to its sister species, C. affinis, but differs by having a smaller maximum SVL of 40.7 mm vs. 50.8 mm; three vs. five postmentals; caudal tubercles encircling vs. not encircling tail; lateral caudal tubercles on anterior 25% of tail highly spinose and protruding vs. slightly spinose; and an overall higher degree of scale keeling (most prominent on the tail). The discovery of another montane endemic once again highlights the understudied nature of Peninsular Malaysia's extensive mountain ranges.
An integrative taxonomic analysis based on mitochondrial and morphological data recovered the population of Cyrtodactylus on Koh Rong Island, Preah Sihanouk Province, Cambodiaa as an endemic insular species belonging to the Cyrtodactylus intermedius group. This brings the number of species in the C. intermedius group to at least 10 and the number of species in Cambodia to at least seven. Species of this relatively small group vary widely in habitat preference, occurring in general, terrestrial, karstic, or granitic habitats. Ancestral character state mapping recovered a general habitat preference as the ancestral condition from which all others independently evolved even though this did not covary with morphology. The description of another new species of reptile from Cambodia continues to underscore the potentially significant amount of unrealized biodiversity in Indochina and Southeast Asia and the continued need for field surveys in unexplored or poorly explored areas.
The Cambodian Journal of Natural History (ISSN 2226–969X) is an open access journal published by the Centre for Biodiversity Conservation, Royal University of Phnom Penh. The Centre for Biodiversity Conservation is a non-profit making unit dedicated to training Cambodian biologists and to the study and conservation of Cambodian biodiversity.
We report the fi ndings of the fi rst herpetofaunal surveys conducted in Phnom Kulen National Park, Siem Reap Province, northern Cambodia. During three intensive survey periods in 2008, 2009 and 2011, 86 species (25 amphibians and 61 reptiles) were recorded and data on their natural history were collected. One of the species, Kaloula mediolineata Smith, 1917, represents a new country record for Cambodia. Our analyses of stomach contents provide the fi rst insight into the feeding ecology of several species. Our study is the fi rst long term survey of amphibians and reptiles in a Cambodian protected area outside of the Cardamom Mountains. It shows the second highest number of species recorded nationally when compared with available data for other protected areas in Cambodia.
We report the fi ndings of the fi rst herpetofaunal surveys conducted in Phnom Kulen National Park, Siem Reap Province, northern Cambodia. During three intensive survey periods in 2008, 2009 and 2011, 86 species (25 amphibians and 61 reptiles) were recorded and data on their natural history were collected. One of the species, Kaloula mediolineata Smith, 1917, represents a new country record for Cambodia. Our analyses of stomach contents provide the fi rst insight into the feeding ecology of several species. Our study is the fi rst long term survey of amphibians and reptiles in a Cambodian protected area outside of the Cardamom Mountains. It shows the second highest number of species recorded nationally when compared with available data for other protected areas in Cambodia.
A new, diminutive species of Rock Gecko, Cnemaspis shahruli sp. nov. from Penang Island, Penang; Pulau Jerejak, Penang; Pulau Pangkor, Perak; and the adjacent mainland at Sungai Sedim, Kedah was previously confused with juveniles of the sympatric, endemic species C. affinis (Stoliczka) on Penang Island. Cnemaspis shahruli sp. nov. is diagnosed from all other Southeast Asian Cnemaspis on the basis of several unique aspects of squamation, coloration, and body size. It is proposed that this new species has a more extensive mainland distribution than is presented here based on its southernmost record on Pulau Pangkor, Perak. A pattern of resource partitioning on the basis of body size, habitat, and activity period among sympatric species pairs of Cnemaspis is discussed.
Mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) of five Cyrtodactylus were determined. Their
compositions and structures were similar to most of the available gecko lizard
mitogenomes as 13 protein-coding, two rRNA and 22 tRNA genes. The non-coding
control region (CR) of almost all Cyrtodactylus mitogenome structures contained a
repeated sequence named the 75-bp box family, except for C. auribalteatus which
contained the 225-bp box. Sequence similarities indicated that the 225-bp box resulted
from the duplication event of 75-bp boxes, followed by homogenization and fixation
in C. auribalteatus. The 75-bp box family was found in most gecko lizards with high
conservation (55�75% similarities) and could form secondary structures, suggesting
that this repeated sequence family played an important role under selective pressure
and might involve mitogenome replication and the likelihood of rearrangements in
CR. The 75-bp box family was acquired in the common ancestral genome of the gecko
lizard, evolving gradually through each lineage by independent nucleotide mutation.
Comparison of gecko lizard mitogenomes revealed low structural diversity with at least
six types of mitochondrial gene rearrangements. Cyrtodactylus mitogenome structure showed the same gene rearrangement as found in most gecko lizards. Advanced
mitogenome information will enable a better understanding of structure evolution
mechanisms.
A new species of forest dwelling Rock Gecko, Cnemaspis roticanai sp. nov., is described from the upper elevations of Gunung Raya, Pulau Langkawi, Kedah, Peninsular Malaysia. Cnemaspis roticanai is the second species of Cnemaspis described from Pulau Langkawi and is differentiated from all other Southeast Asian Cnemaspis in having a unique combination of color pattern and scale characteristics including keeled subtibials, ventrals, subcaudals, dorsal tubercles, and forearm scales; 25–27 paravertebral tubercles; a median row of enlarged, keeled subcaudals; five or six precloacal, pore-bearing scales in males separated medially by one or two non-pore-bearing scales; 26–29 subdigital lamellae on the fourth toe; no dark, longitudinal gular markings or blotches; no dark shoulder patch enclosing a white to yellow ocellus; and having a yellow to white, prescapular crescent. Cnemaspis roticanai is the latest species in a growing list of new taxa being discovered from the Langkawi Archipelago.
A new species of rock gecko of the genus Cnemaspis Strauch is described from Belitung Island, Indonesia. The new species is differentiated from all other species in the Southern Sunda clade (sensu Grismer et al. 2014a) by having a unique combination of characters including: (1) a maximum SVL of 54.1 mm, (2) five or six postmental scales, (3) enlarged submetacarpal scales on the first finger, (4) enlarged submetatarsal scales on the first toe, (5) keeled ventral scales, (6) absence of precloacal pores, (7) absence of enlarged femoral scales, (8) absence of shield-like subtibial scales, (9) caudal tubercles encircling the tail, (10) an interrupted median row of enlarged keeled subcaudals, (11) presence of a distinct furrow on the lateral surface of the tail (12) 22–24 lamellae beneath fourth toe, and (13) two postcloacal tubercles on each side of the tail base.
Three new species of the gekkonid genus Cyrtodactylus are described from Peninsular Malaysia; C. jarakensis sp. nov. from Pulau Jarak off the west coast of Perak, C. batucolus sp. nov. from Pulau Besar of the Water Islands Archipelago off the west coast of Melaka, and C. pantiensis sp. nov. from the Gunung Panti Forest Reserve, Johor. All are distinguishable from other Sunda Shelf species of Cyrtodactylus in having unique combinations of morphological and color pattern characteristics. The continued high potential for finding additional new species in unexplored regions of southern Peninsular Malaysia and its associated archipelagos is further supported with these findings.
A new species of endemic, insular Cnemaspis is described from Hon Khoai Island, Ca Mau Province, Ngoc Hien District, 18 km off the southern tip of the Ca Mu Peninsula in southern Vietnam. Cnemaspis psychedelica sp. nov. is the most uniquely colored of all southeast Asian Cnemaspis in that both sexes and all age classes have bright orange forelimbs, forelegs, hands and feet; a bright orange tail; a dense, yellow reticulum on the neck overlying thick, black, longitudinal lines; and a blue-gray to light purple trunk bearing yellow transverse bars on bright-orange flanks. It also differs from all other species of Cnemaspis in aspects of size and squamation. Cnemaspis psychedelica is the third insular endemic species of Cnemaspis from Vietnam and brings the total number of species in Vietnam to six. Its occurrence on one of the 92 islands in Rach Gia Bay underscores the necessity for continued surveys of these poorly known islands that are beginning to show a surprising degree of endemism and diversity.
A new species of forest dwelling Rock Gecko, Cnemaspis roticanai sp. nov., is described from the upper elevations of Gunung Raya, Pulau Langkawi, Kedah, Peninsular Malaysia. Cnemaspis roticanai is the second species of Cnemaspis described from Pulau Langkawi and is differentiated from all other Southeast Asian Cnemaspis in having a unique combination of color pattern and scale characteristics including keeled subtibials, ventrals, subcaudals, dorsal tubercles, and forearm scales; 25-27 paravertebral tubercles; a median row of enlarged, keeled subcaudals; five or six precloacal, pore-bearing scales in males separated medially by one or two non-pore-bearing scales; 26-29 subdigital lamellae on the fourth toe; no dark, longitudinal gular markings or blotches; no dark shoulder patch enclosing a white to yellow ocellus; and having a yellow to white, prescapular crescent. Cnemaspis roticanai is the latest species in a growing list of new taxa being discovered from the Langkawi Archipelago.
A new species of legless lizard, Dibamus dalaiensis sp. nov. of the family Dibamidae is described from Phnom Dalai in Phnom Samkos Wildlife Sanctuary, southwestern Cardamom Mountains, Cambodia, based on the following unique combination of characters: maximum SVL 127.6 mm; tail 18-22% of SVL; a single postocular scale; three scales bordering the posterior edge of first infralabial; an enlarged, medial, sublabial scale; labial and nasal sutures complete; rostral suture present but incomplete; 20 midbody scale rows; 22 scale rows just posterior to head and 20 scale rows just anterior to vent; 185-209 ventrals; and 48-52 subcaudal scales. The discovery of D. dalaiensis sp. nov. represents a new family, genus and species record for Cambodia.
A new species of Acanthosaura (Gray 1831), A. cardamomensis sp. nov. from eastern Thailand and western Cambodia is described based on having a combination of unique morphological characteristics. It most closely resembles A. crucigera but differs in having significantly longer postorbital spines, occipital spines, nuchal spines, and dorsal spines; more scales between the fifth canthals; longer maximum dorsal scale length; longer maximum nuchal scale length; a significantly smaller diastema between the nuchal and dorsal crest spines; and significantly more supralabials. Mitochondrial DNA was used to calculate percent sequence divergence between samples of A. crucigera from southern Myanmar and western Thailand and samples of A. cardamomensis sp. nov. from eastern Thailand and western Cambodia. The uncorrected pairwise sequence divergence between populations of A. cardamomensis ranged from 1.2-3.1% and the range between populations of A. crucigera was 3.8%. The percent sequence divergence between A. cardamomensis sp. nov. and A. crucigera ranged between 10.0-14.6%.
A new species of karst dwelling Cnemaspis is described from western Sarawak, Malaysia on the island of Borneo. Cnemaspis paripari sp. nov. is presumably endemic to the karst outcroppings which extend approximately 4.2 km between Gua Angin and Gua Pari-pari in the district of Bau. It is the only species of Southeast Asian Cnemaspis with a median, subcaudal row of bead-like scales and whose adult males have a bright yellow head and a bright yellow regenerated tail. Cnemaspis paripari sp. nov. differs markedly from the other three species of Bornean Cnemaspis in aspects of size, squamation, and coloration and its presence underscores the potential unrealized diversity of this genus in Borneo as compared to Peninsular Malaysia.
We describe a new species of Cnemaspis from southern Sumatra, Indonesia. The new species is the first Cnemaspis reported from Sumatra and is a large (52.6–58.7 mm in snout–vent length [SVL]) nocturnal species. A combination of the following characters distinguishes the new species from all other Southeast Asian congeners: adults reaching 58.7 mm SVL; supralabials 13 or 14; infralabials 11 or 12; tricarinate
ventrals; precloacal pores absent; moderately prominent, randomly arranged, dorsal tubercles; 20 or 21 paravertebral tubercles; no tubercles on lower flanks; caudal tubercles encircling tail; subcaudals keeled; the median row of subcaudals not enlarged; two postcloacal tubercles on each side of tail base; no enlarged femoral, subtibial, or submetatarsal scales; subtibial scales keeled; 28–34 subdigital lamellae on fourth toe; dark and light caudal bands distinct in both sexes. We tentatively assign the new species to the Cnemaspis kendallii group of the Southern Sunda clade of recent phylogenetic analyses.
A new species of a presumably karst dwelling Rock Gecko, Cnemaspis laoensis sp. nov., is described from Dong Phu Vieng National Protected Area, Savannakhet Province, Laos. Cnemaspis laoensis is differentiated from all other Southeast Asian Cnemaspis in having a unique combination of color pattern (in alcohol) and scale characteristics. Cnemaspis laoensis is the first record of Cnemaspis from Laos and extends the range of this genus approximately 600 km to the northeast. Its presence in Laos underscores the need for continued exploration of karst habitats throughout Indochina were Cnemaspis commonly occur.
A well-supported and well-resolved phylogeny based on a concatenated data set from one mitochondrial and two nuclear genes, six morphological characters, and nine color pattern characters for 44 of the 50 species of the Southeast Asian Rock Geckos (genus Cnemaspis Strauch, 1887) is consistent with the previous taxonomy of Cnemaspis based solely on morphology and color pattern. Cnemaspis is partitioned into four major clades that collectively contain six species groups. The monophyly of all clades and species groups is strongly supported and they are parapatrically distributed across well-established, biogeographical regions ranging from southern Vietnam westward through southern Indochina, southward through the Thai-Malay Peninsula, then eastward to Borneo. Eight new species (Cnemaspis omari sp. nov. from the Thai-Malaysian border; C. temiah sp. nov. from Cameron Highlands, Pahang, Malaysia; C. stongensis sp. nov. from Gunung Stong, Kelantan, Malaysia; C. hangus sp. nov. from Bukit Hangus, Pahang, Malaysia; C. sundagekko sp. nov. from Pulau Siantan, Indonesia; C. peninsularis sp. nov. from southern Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, and C. mumpuniae sp. nov. and C. sundainsula sp. nov. from Pulau Natuna Besar, Indonesia) are described based on morphology and color pattern and all but C. sundagekko sp. nov. are included in the phylogenetic analyses. Cnemaspis kendallii is polyphyletic and a composite of six species. An updated taxonomy consistent with the phylogeny is proposed for all 50 species and is based on 25 morphological and 53 color pattern characters scored across 594 specimens. Cladogenetic events and biogeographical relationships within Cnemaspis were likely influenced by this group’s low vagility and the cyclical patterns of geographical and environmental changes in Sundaland over the last 25 million years and especially within the last 2.5 million years. The phylogeny indicates that nocturnality, diurnality, substrate preferences, and the presence of ocelli in the shoulder regions have evolved independently multiple times.
Indochina (Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam) houses over 600 species of amphibians and
reptiles, roughly a quarter of which has been described within the last 15 years. Herein, we
undertake the first biogeographic synthesis of the regional herpetofauna since the first half of the
20th century. We review the literature to measure and map species richness and endemism, the
contributions of regional faunas, and ecological characteristics of Indochina’s amphibians
(Anura, Caudata), and reptiles (Serpentes, Sauria, Testudines, Crocodylia). Dividing Indochina
into 19 subregions defined by topography and geology, we estimate the similarity among the
regional faunas and appraise the effects of area and survey effort on these comparative analyses.
Variation in species composition is broadly correlated with topography, habitat complexity,
and proximity to regions outside Indochina. Indochina’s herpetofauna is dominated (in
decreasing order) by endemic species, widely distributed species, a South China fauna, and a
biota centered in Thailand and Myanmar. Species richness is highest in amphibians and snakes,
and peaks in upland forests. Endemism, highest among amphibians and lizards, also peaks in
forests of the region’s northern uplands and Annamite Range. Endemic species occupy a
narrower range of habitats than nonendemics. Patterns of richness and endemism are partially
explained by ecological constraints: amphibians and lizards are more restricted to forests than
snakes, turtles, and crocodiles; amphibians are more restricted to uplands, turtles to lowlands.
We also assess biogeography in the context of Indochina’s geology, climate, and land cover.
In northern Indochina, the Red River either acts as or coincides with an apparent dispersal
barrier. Herpetofauna in northeastern upland areas are closely allied with fauna of southeastern
China. In southern Indochina there is little evidence that the Mekong River represents a
biogeographic barrier to the regional herpetofauna. The Annamite Range is composed of at
least three distinct units and its elevated species richness and endemism are also noted in
adjacent lowlands. Contribution of subtropical biota to Indochina’s fauna is significantly
greater than that of tropical biota and there is little other evidence for intermixing at
intermediate latitudes.
Our results have implications for biogeography and conservation efforts, although they must
be viewed in the context of rapidly evolving systematic knowledge of the region’s amphibians
and reptiles. Future survey efforts, and the phylogenetic analyses that come from them, are
essential for supporting regional conservation efforts, as they will better resolve the known
patterns of amphibian and reptile richness and endemism.
A new species of kukri snake Oligodon Fitzinger, 1826 is described from the Phnom Samkos Wildlife Sanctuary, Cardamom Mountains, southwest Cambodia. Oligodon kampucheaensis sp. nov. differs from other Indochinese and Southeast Asian species of Oligodon by having 15–15–15 dorsal scale rows; 164 ventral scales; 39 subcaudal scales; anal plate undivided; deep bifurcated hemipenes, lacking papillae and spines extending to subcaudal scale 11; 17 transverse cream and black-edged bands on body; three bands on tail; eight or nine scales long between dorsal bands; white ventrolateral spots on the lateral margin of every dark brown squarish or subrectangular ventral blotch. The hemipenial characters place it as the tenth species of the O. cyclurus group but it has a lower dorsal scale count than other species in this group. The discovery of this species from the Phnom Samkos Wildlife Sanctuary increases the number of kukri snakes for Cambodia to ten and indicates the importance of additional field studies in the Cardamom Mountains.
A new species of lowland karst dwelling Cnemaspis Strauch 1887, C. grismeri sp. nov. is described from the southeastern
base of the Banjaran Bintang in northern Peninsular Malaysia. It is differentiated from its congeners by a unique combination of characters including size, coloration and scalation. Cnemapis grismeri sp. nov. is most closely related to C.
mcguirei, an upland species endemic to the Banjaran Bintang. This phylogeographic pattern is also seen in the upland and lowland Banjaran Bintang species of Cyrtodactylus bintangtinggi and C. bintangrendah, respectively (Grismer et al. 2012). The discovery of yet another endemic gekkonid in the poorly explored karst regions of Peninsular Malaysia underscores the necessity for concentrated collecting efforts in these unique landscapes.
A taxonomic revision of Cnemaspis siamensis (Smith, 1925) revealed it to be a complex composed of four species: Cnemaspis siamensis which occurs on Ko Tao Island, Surat Thani Province and on the peninsula ranges from Khao Mod, Surat Thani Province in the south, northward east of the Tenasserim Mountains to Kaeng Krachan National Park, Phetchaburi Province; Cnemaspis chanardi sp. nov. ranging from Tai Rom Yen National Park, Surat Thani Province in the north, southwards through the western foothills of the Nakhon Si Thammarat and Sankalakhiri Mountains to Phuphaphet Cave, Satun Province and westward to Khlong Thom District, Krabi Province; Cnemaspis vandeventeri sp. nov. ranging from Kapur District, Ranong Province southward to at least Khlong Had Sompen District, Ranong Province west of the Tenasserim and Phuket Mountains and possibly all the way to Phuket Island; and Cnemaspis kamolnorranathi sp. nov. restricted to the northwestern section of the Isthmus of Kra, ranging from Tham Khao Sonk, Thachana District, Surat Thani Province southward to Tai Rom Yen National Park, Surat Thani Province. These species are easily separated from one another on the basis of their unique combination of having or lacking precloacal pores, dark gular markings, a series of lightly colored bars on the flanks, and a lightly colored, prescapular crescent as well as other aspects of squamation. Four additional new species from western and southern Thailand are also described: Cnemaspis huaseesom sp. nov. from Sai Yok National Park, Kanchanaburi Province; Cnemaspis punctatonuchalis sp. nov. from Thap Sakae District, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province; Cnemaspis narathiwatensis sp. nov. ranging from Waeng District, Narathiwat Province south to Bang Lang, Yala Province; and Cnemaspis niyomwanae sp. nov. from Thum Khao Ting, Palean District, Trang Province, Thailand. These species are differentiated from each other and from all other Cnemaspis on the basis of their unique combinations of color pattern and squamation characters. This brings the total number of species of Cnemaspis in Thailand from five to 12 and continues to illustrate that the unrealized diversity in this group is a function of unfocused collecting efforts coupled with poor taxonomy.
We present the first herpetological checklist for the Kulen Promtep Wildlife Sanctuary in northern Cambodia,
with records of 22 species of amphibians and 33 species of reptiles belonging to 44 genera in 22 families. The checklist includes three species (Ingerophrynus macrotis, Micryletta inornata, Scincella melanosticta) which in Cambodia were formerly only known to occur in the Cardamom Mountains in the southwest of the country. Our findings highlight the importance of countrywide herpetological baseline surveys in lowland habitats.
A new, diminutive species of Rock Gecko, Cnemaspis shahruli sp. nov. from Penang Island, Penang; Pulau Jerejak, Penang; Pulau Pangkor, Perak; and the adjacent mainland at Sungai Sedim, Kedah was previously confused with juveniles of the sympatric, endemic species C. affinis (Stoliczka) on Penang Island. Cnemaspis shahruli sp. nov. is diagnosed from all other Southeast Asian Cnemaspis on the basis of several unique aspects of squamation, coloration, and body size. It is proposed that this new species has a more extensive mainland distribution than is presented here based on its southernmost record on Pulau Pangkor, Perak. A pattern of resource partitioning on the basis of body size, habitat, and activity period among sympatric species pairs of Cnemaspis is discussed.
We describe a new species of the genus Lygosoma from northeastern Cambodia based on a single voucher specimen col-lected from Veun Sai Proposed Protected Forest, Veun Sai District, Ratanakiri Province. Lygosoma veunsaiensis sp. nov. is differentiated from all congeners occurring in mainland Southeast Asia by the combination of the following characters: outer ear opening absent; supranasals distinct and separated from each other by frontonasal; supranasals not fused with nasals; midbody scales in 22 rows; fontoparietals paired; five supralabials; a light stripe present on outer edge of the dor-sum; and a dark dorsolateral stripe present, from behind the eye to the tail. A key to the Southeast Asian mainland species of Lygoma is provided.
Three species of the gekkonid genus Cnemaspis, one of them new, are shown to occur on Borneo. The ranges of the species appear to hug the north-western coast of Borneo, all species being recorded from Sarawak State, East Malaysia. Such a distribution is similar to that reported for a lineage of the Dipterocarpaceae, with affinities in peninsular Malaya and the Rhiau Archipelago. It is thought that the present day distribution of the gekkonids may be influenced by the drainage of the ancient river basins of Sundaland which presumably stopped their dispersal into central and eastern Borneo.
A new species of Cnemaspis is described from Phuket Island, southern Thailand. The new species can be distinguished from congeners from Southeast Asia by the following combination of characters: SVL to 29.1 mm, two semi-circular supranasals separated by a single scale; three postnasals bordering nasal; four scale rows separate orbit from supralabials; posteriorly, each postmental bounded by three smooth, rounded, and juxtaposed scales; scattered spinose paravertebral rows of tubercles on dorsum; gular and pectoral scales unicarinate; abdominal scales not elongated, smooth; tail segmented, with enlarged flattened scales forming whorls, a single pair of spinose postcloacal spurs present; median subcaudals not enlarged, smooth; supralabials (to midorbit position) 6-7; infralabials 6-7; lamellae under toe IV 16-17; midven-trals 26-32; and adult males lack preanal and femoral pores. © 2004, The Herpetological Society of Japan. All rights reserved.
A new species of gekkonid lizard of the genus Cnemaspis Strauch 1887 is described from the state of Selangor, Peninsular Malaysia. Cnemaspis flavigaster sp nov. differs from all other species of Cnemaspis in Peninsular Malaysia by having the following combination of characters: maximum SVL of 50.1 mm, a series of distinct black dorsal spots, 29-34 subdigital lamellae on 4th toe, no femoral pores, smooth ventral scales, median subcaudal scales not enlarged or keeled, and an orange belly. This brings the total number of species of Cnemaspis in Peninsular Malaysia to nine.
A new species of gekkoind lizard, Cnemaspis perhentianensis sp. nov., is described from Pulau Perhentian Besar, 21 km off the east coast of the state of Terengganu, Peninsular Malaysia. Cnemaspis perhentianensis is differentiated from all other Southeast Asian Cnemaspis in having a maximum SVL of 47.2 mm; the scales of the anterior portion of the fore-arm are keeled; the ventral scales are weakly keeled; there are no femoral pores; eight preanal pores; there is no linearly arranged row of tubercles on the flanks; there are paravertebral, longitudinal rows of caudal tubercles and lateral caudal rows anteriorly; the keeled subcaudals lack an enlarged median row; there are no large, shield-like subtibial or submetatarsal scales; 28-31 subdigital lamellae are on the fourth toe; distinct, large, dark spots occur on the neck and back that alternate with transverse, white markings; and there are white markings on flanks that alternate with dark blotches.
A new small species of Cnemaspis, C. chanthaburiensis, is described from Chanthaburi and Chon Buri Provinces, southeastern Thailand. It is the only Cnemaspis occurring in the region and may be distinguished from congeners by its small size (maximum 41 mm SVL), smooth ventral and subcaudal scales, 7-9 preanal pores in males, and by hyperphalangy of digits II and V of the manus and digit II of the pes. The hyperphalangeal condition is unique among Asian geckos.
Reported here are the findings of the first field surveys for amphibians in the Cardamom Mountains of Southwest Cambodia, which were conducted in January -March 2000 and February -April 2001, A total of34 species of anuran were found in these mountains, including new species of Megophrys, Philautus and Rana (Sylvirana) that are described here. A further 17 species that have not previously been reported from Cambodia were also recorded during these surveys. These results double the size of Cambodia's known amphibian fauna. Species of particular taxonomic interest from the collections are discussed in further detail, and a national checklist of Cambodia's known amphibian fauna is also provided.
A survey of the Phnom Aural Wildlife Sanctuary in the eastern Cardamom Mountains augments and complements previous herpetological surveys of this mountain range, adding one new species record for frogs, five new species records for lizards and seven new records of snakes, one of which (Dendrelaphis subocularis) is a new record for the Cardamom Mountains. A checklist of the herpetofauna of the Cardamom Mountains is provided.
Four new species of Cnemaspis are described from the Mentawai and adjacent archipelagos along the northwest to the southwest coast of Sumatra, Republic of Indonesia, and one each from Simeulue, Nias, Siberut, and Enggano. These populations were allocated by earlier workers to Cnemaspis kandiana (Kelaart, 1852), a Sri Lankan highland endemic. The high levels of endemicity of the fauna of these islands have been attributed to their geographical isolation, historical lack of aridity, and effects of glacial emergence of the Sunda Shelf caused by its maritime climate.
Consideration of a range of evidence from geomorphology, palynology, biogeography and vegetation/climate modelling suggests that a north-south ‘savanna corridor’ did exist through the continent of Sundaland (modern insular Indonesia and Malaysia) through the Last Glacial Period (LGP) at times of lowered sea-level, as originally proposed by Heaney [1991. Climatic Change 19, 53–61]. A minimal interpretation of the size of this corridor requires a narrow but continuous zone of open ‘savanna’ vegetation 50–150 km wide, running along the sand-covered divide between the modern South China and Java Seas. This area formed a land bridge between the Malaysian Peninsula and the major islands of Sumatra, Java and Borneo. The savanna corridor connected similar open vegetation types north and south of the equator, and served as a barrier to the dispersal of rainforest-dependent species between Sumatra and Borneo. A maximal interpretation of the available evidence is compatible with the existence of a broad savanna corridor, with forest restricted to refugia primarily in Sumatra, Borneo and the continental shelf beneath the modern South China Sea. This savanna corridor may have provided a convenient route for the rapid early dispersal of modern humans through the region and on into Australasia.
A compact companion to snakes and reptiles encountered in peninsular Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. Over 220 species are covered and each description is accompanied by a photograph. Venomous snakes are identified. The introduction contains information on their biology, habitat and behaviour.
The gekkonid genus Cnemaspis contains a diverse array of relatively small species that collec-tively range from Africa to East and Southeast Asia. All Cnemaspis are scansorial and for the most part diurnal. In some regions they are amongst the most conspicuous reptiles in the environment. Cnemas-pis is particularly diverse in Southeast Asia (Manthey and Grossmann 1997) and a number of insular endemics have been described (e.g., Das and Grismer 2003). Recent work in the Seribuat Archipelago off the southeast coast of West Malaysia at the southern end of the South China Sea (Fig. 1) has resulted in the discovery of addi-tional insular endemics from Pulau Tulai and Pulau Tioman (Das and Grismer 2003) and Pulau Dayang and Pulau Aur (Das and Grismer 2003; Wood et al. 2003b). During a reconnaissance survey of the her-petofauna of Pulau Pemanggil (Youmans et al. 2002), a small island lying between Pulau Tioman and Pulau Aur (Fig. 1), we discovered yet another new insular population of Cnemaspis. It is suffi- Abstract. A new species of the gekkonid genus Cnemaspis is described from Pulau Pemanggil, Johor, West Malaysia on the basis of its unique combination of color pattern, scale characteristics, and snout–vent length. It resembles the insular endemic C. baueri from the adjacent islands of Aur and Dayang. This species is the only known reptile endemic to Pulau Pemanggil.
Nineteen novel records of amphibians and reptiles (eight frogs, seven lizards, and four snakes) from the northwestern portion of the Cardamom Mountains are reported. Six of these, including three undescribed species, are new records for Cambodia. This underscores the importance of the Cardamom Mountains and Cambodia as a whole in biodiversity estimates of Indochina and the extent to which it still remains understudied.
Three new continental and one new insular species of the gekkonid genus Cnemaspis Strauch 1887 are described from southern Vietnam based on their unique combinations of morphological and Color pattern characteristics. The presence of these species in small, isolated mountains in the Mekong Delta flood plain and on one of the many small islands in Bach Gia Bay indicates that additional new species are likely to occur in these and similar underexplored regions in southern Vietnam. The discovery Of new species of Cnemapsis in Southern Vietnam narrows a 630 kin distribution gap across the Indochinese Peninsula to a hiatus of 315 km. This report demonstrates that continued systematic field research is necessary in southern Vietnam before its herpetofaunal biodiversity will be fully realized and effective conservation measures can be put into place to protect it.
A new species of rhacophorid frog of the genus Chiromantis is described from Phnom Samkos in the northwestern section of the Cardamom Mountains, Cambodia on the basis of having the following unique characteristics: green blood; turquoise bones; a thick, white line running from below the midsection of the eye onto the upper lip to the shoulder; and fingers III and IV being more than one-quarter webbed. It is further distinguished from its congeners by a unique combination of additional morphological and color pattern characteristics. This new species is the eighth potential endemic known from the Cardamom Mountains and underscores the need for continued field work in this remote section of Indochina.
We describe a collection of 78 species of amphibians and reptiles from the Cardamom Mountains, southwestern Cambodia. One frog (Calluella guttulata), six lizards (Draco taeniopterus, Dasia olivacea, Lygosoma bowringii, Scincella melanosticta, Sphenomorphus stellatum, and Ptychozoon lionotum), and four snakes (Boiga dendrophila, B. multomaculata, Rhabdophis nigrocinctus, and Xenochrophis trianguligerus) are reported from Cambodia for the first time. Anthopogenically modified environments contain mostly species having broad geographic ranges in Southeast Asia. However, the frog and lizard faunas of intact environments in the Cardamom Mountains are largely distinct from those in the mountainous areas of eastern Cambodia.
Aims Insular Southeast Asia and adjacent regions are geographically complex, and were dramatically affected by both Pliocene and Pleistocene changes in climate, sea level and geology. These circumstances allow the testing of several biogeographical hypotheses regarding species distribution patterns and phylogeny. Avian species in this area present a challenge to biogeographers, as many are less hindered by barriers that may block the movements of other species. Widely distributed Southeast Asian avian lineages, of which there are many, have been generally neglected. Ficedula flycatchers are distributed across Eurasia, but are most diverse within southern Asia and Southeast Asian and Indo‐Australian islands. We tested the roles of vicariance, dispersal and the evolution of migratory behaviours as mechanisms of speciation within the Ficedula flycatchers, with a focus on species distributed in insular Southeast Asia.
Methods Using a published molecular phylogeny of Ficedula flycatchers, we reconstructed ancestral geographical areas using dispersal vicariance analysis, weighted ancestral area analysis, and a maximum likelihood method. We evaluated the evolution of migratory behaviours using maximum likelihood ancestral character state reconstruction. Speciation timing estimates were calculated via local molecular clock methods.
Results Ficedula originated in southern mainland Asia, c . 6.5 Ma. Our analyses indicate that two lineages within Ficedula independently and contemporaneously colonized insular Southeast Asia and Indo‐Australia, c . 5 Ma. The potential impact of vicariance due to rising sea levels is difficult to assess in these early colonization events because the ancestral areas to these clades are reconstructed as oceanic islands. Within each of these clades, inter‐island dispersal was critical to species’ diversification across oceanic and continental islands. Furthermore, Pliocene and Pleistocene climatic change may have caused the disjunct island distributions between several pairs of sister taxa. Both vicariance and dispersal shaped the distributions of continental species.
Main conclusions This study presents the first evaluation, for Ficedula, of the importance of vicariance and dispersal in shaping distributions, particularly across insular Southeast Asia and Indo‐Australia. Although vicariant speciation may have initially separated the island clades from mainland ancestors, speciation within these clades was driven primarily by dispersal. Our results contribute to the emerging body of literature concluding that dynamic geological processes and climatic change throughout the Pliocene and Pleistocene have been important factors in faunal diversification across continental and oceanic islands.
A quantitative model is proposed to estimate the magnitude of eustatic sea level fluctuations on the basis of definitions of relative and eustatic sea level. In this model, factors such as erosion, sedimentation, compaction, basement tectonic and loading subsidence, and paleo-bathymetry are considered. To estimate incremental changes in eustatic sea level, we developed methods to solve for the variables involved in the model on the basis of interpretation of seismic profiles. We reconstructed the onlap/offlap points removed by erosion by fitting the effective thickness in areas without erosion with a piecewise-defined function and extrapolating this function to zero thickness. We used decompaction and backstripping algorithms to remove the effect of compaction and to calculate loading subsidence of the basement. Regional data, however, are needed to estimate the paleo-water depths and the tectonic subsidence. For this reason, our methodology is considered semi-qualitative. As an application of this model, an eustatic sea level curve since the Pliocene (5.33 my) was deduced from interpretation of our high-resolution seismic data from the northern Sunda Shelf, South China Sea (SCS). On this curve, 36 fourth order sea level cycles were recognized with periods ranging from 0.08 to 0.29 my. The curve matches well with the smoothed deep-sea stable oxygen isotope curves from benthic foraminifera.
Patterns of avian diversification in southern Asia are poorly understood due to the limited number of phylogenetic and biogeographic studies of endemic groups, mainly due to the dearth of recent tissue samples and a historical taxonomic bias underestimating avifaunal diversity. A systematic analysis of the endemic genus Pteruthius, the shrike-babblers, was undertaken in order to identify basal diagnosable taxa, analyze their phylogenetic relationships, and uncover patterns of diversification within southern Asia. Traditionally considered to be 5 species, a total of 19 distinct taxa of Pteruthius are diagnosable by fixed characters under the phylogenetic species concept-almost a four-fold increase in recognized diversity. Molecular phylogenetic analyses (85% of samples were from museum specimens) recovered a robust phylogeny that was largely congruent using parsimony, likelihood, and bayesian. Initial divergences in each major clade occurred in the early to mid-Pliocene, while the remaining majority of diversification events occurred in the Pleistocene. Within Pteruthius, timings of species divergences across similar geographic regions correspond to both single and multiple Earth history events, illustrating the complexities of continental diversification. A novel biogeographic pattern of species in peripheral areas (Java, W Himalayas, S Vietnam, Assam/Burma) diverging first from those in the core-mainland areas (E Himalayas, Yunnan, N Thailand, Indochina, Malay Peninsula) was uncovered.
Assignment of currently misplaces Cnemaspis gordongekkoi DAS, 1993 (Reptilia: Gekkonidae) to Cyrtodactylus Gray
- S Biswas
Biswas, S. 2007. Assignment of currently misplaces Cnemaspis gordongekkoi DAS, 1993 (Reptilia: Gekkonidae) to Cyrtodactylus Gray, 1827. Russian Journal of Herpetology 14: 15-20.
The Reptiles of the Indo-Australian Archipelago. I. Lacertilia, Chelonia
- De Rooij
De Rooij, N. 1915. The Reptiles of the Indo-Australian Archipelago. I. Lacertilia, Chelonia, Emydosauria. E. J. Brill. Leiden, The Netherlands.
Bemerkungen zur Herpetofauna des Khao Lak, Phang Nga, thailändische Halbinsel
- W Grossmann
- F Tillack
Grossmann, W. and F. Tillack. 2001. Bemerkungen zur Herpetofauna des Khao Lak, Phang Nga, thailändische Halbinsel. Tiel III: Ergebnisse der Jahre 1999 und 2000. Sauria 23: 21-34.
A new gekkonid from the Malay Peninsula
- L Nichols
Nichols, L. 1949. A new gekkonid from the Malay Peninsula. Bulletin of the Raffles Museum 19: 47-49.
Bemerkungen zur geographischen Verbreitung der Gattung Cnemaspis Anmerkungen zur Systematik von C. kandiana (Kelaart 1852); Allgemeine Überlegungen zu ihrer Biologie
- H Rösler
Rösler, H. 1981. Bemerkungen zur geographischen Verbreitung der Gattung Cnemaspis (Strauch 1887); Anmerkungen zur Systematik von C. kandiana (Kelaart 1852); Allgemeine Überlegungen zu ihrer Biologie. Sauria, Berlin 1981: 7-14.
Bemerkungen zur Herpetofauna des Khao Lak, Phang Nga, thaila ¨ndische Halbinsel. Tiel III: Ergebnisse der Jahre 1999 und 2000 Gekkotan lizard taxonomy
- W Grossmann
GROSSMANN, W., AND F. TILLACK. 2001. Bemerkungen zur Herpetofauna des Khao Lak, Phang Nga, thaila ¨ndische Halbinsel. Tiel III: Ergebnisse der Jahre 1999 und 2000. Sauria 23:21–34. KLUGE, A. G. 2001. Gekkotan lizard taxonomy
Amphibien and Reptilien Sü dostasiens. Natur und Tier Verlag, Mü nster, Germany. NICHOLS, L. 1949. A new gekkonid from the Malay Peninsula
- U Manthey
- W And
- Grossmann
MANTHEY, U., AND W. GROSSMANN. 1997. Amphibien and Reptilien Sü dostasiens. Natur und Tier Verlag, Mü nster, Germany. NICHOLS, L. 1949. A new gekkonid from the Malay Peninsula. Bulletin of the Raffles Museum 19:47–49.
Bemerkungen zur Herpetofauna des Khao Lak, Phang Nga, thailä ndische Halbinsel. Tiel III: Ergebnisse der Jahre
- W Grossmann
- F And
- Tillack
GROSSMANN, W., AND F. TILLACK. 2001. Bemerkungen zur Herpetofauna des Khao Lak, Phang Nga, thailä ndische Halbinsel. Tiel III: Ergebnisse der Jahre 1999 und 2000. Sauria 23:21–34.
Bemerkungen zur geographischen Verbreitung der Gattung Cnemaspis
- Ro Sler
RO SLER, H. 1981. Bemerkungen zur geographischen Verbreitung der Gattung Cnemaspis (Strauch 1887);
The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma. Reptilia and Am-phibia. Vol. II. Sauria A collection of amphibians and reptiles from the Elephant and Cardamom Mountains, southwestern Cambodia. Fieldiana Zoology (New series
- M A Smith
- Taylor And Francis
- London
- B L Stuart
- D A And
- Emmet
SMITH, M. A. 1935. The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma. Reptilia and Am-phibia. Vol. II. Sauria. Taylor and Francis, London. STUART, B. L., AND D. A. EMMET. 2006. A collection of amphibians and reptiles from the Elephant and Cardamom Mountains, southwestern Cambodia. Fieldiana Zoology (New series) 109:1–27.
The lizards of Thailand
- E H Taylor
TAYLOR, E. H. 1963. The lizards of Thailand. University of Kansas Science Bulletin 44:687–1077.
Liste der rezenten Amphibien und Reptilien. Gekkonidae, Pygopodidae, Xanthusii-dae. Das Tierreich 80
- H Wermuth
- Walter
- Co Gruyter
- Berlin
- Germany
- G Zhong
- G Jianhua
- H K Wong
- Z Maa
- And N Wu
WERMUTH, H. 1966. Liste der rezenten Amphibien und Reptilien. Gekkonidae, Pygopodidae, Xanthusii-dae. Das Tierreich 80. Walter de Gruyter and Co., Berlin, Germany. ZHONG, G., G. JIANHUA, H. K. WONG, Z. MAA, AND N. WU. 2004. A semi-quantitative method for the