Catalogue of the Type Specimens of Amphibians and Reptiles in the Herpetological Museum of the Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences: IV. Lizards (Reptilia, Sauria)

Bo WANG, Ke JIANG, Jiatang LI, Yuezhao WANGand Daode YANG

1Institute of Wildlife Conservation, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, Hunan, China

2Forestry Department of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning 530028, Guangxi, China

3Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China

Catalogue of the Type Specimens of Amphibians and Reptiles in the Herpetological Museum of the Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences: IV. Lizards (Reptilia, Sauria)

Bo WANG1,2, Ke JIANG3, Jiatang LI3, Yuezhao WANG3and Daode YANG1*

1Institute of Wildlife Conservation, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, Hunan, China

2Forestry Department of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning 530028, Guangxi, China

3Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China

In the present study, we report the six type specimens and two paratypes of eight lizard species in the Herpetological Museum of the Chengdu Institute of Biology (CIB), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). Each entry provides the information of the original description, the catalog number of the holotype, sex, type locality, and information of allotype and paratype (if any), number and distribution of deposited specimens, and comments. Additionally, two invalid species and one invalid subspecies are discussed.

catalogue, Reptilia, Sauria, taxonomy, type specimen

1. Introduction

Type specimens play an important role in species identification. In order to facilitate research for herpetologists in and outside of China, it is necessary to provide a list of the type specimens of amphibians and reptiles deposited in the Herpetological Museum at the Chengdu Institute of Biology (CIB), Chinese Academy of Sciences. In China, 156 species of lizards were reported by Zhao et al. (1999). Presently, about 176 lizard species in 44 genera and nine families are known in China (Uetz and Hošek, 2014). As a series of reports on the type specimens deposited in the Herpetological Museum of CIB, the type specimens (holotypes) and paratypes of lizards belong to 8 species in 6 genera and three families (Gekkonidae, Agamidae and Scincidae) are reported in the present study.

2. Material and Methods

Classifi cation of taxa mainly follow by Zhao et al. (1999)and Uetz and Hošek (2013). All information for each type specimen of the 9 valid species is presented in the following order and format: family name, species name, information of the original description, the catalogue number of holotype, sex, type locality, information of allotype and paratypes (if any), number and distribution of other deposited species. Additional taxonomic notes or other information on each species are provided where relevant under the heading “Comments”.

3. List of Type Specimens

Gekkonidae

Genus Cyrtopodion

Cyrtopodion medogense (Zhao and Li, 1987)

Tenuidactylus medogensis was described as a new species by Zhao and Li in Acta Herpetol Sin, 1987, 6 (1): 48.

Holotype: CIB000193, female (Figure 1).

Type locality: Kabu, Medog (=Motuo), Xizang (=Tibet), China.

Allotype: CIB000192, juvenile (probably male, indicated by original description), locality as holotype.

Paratype: No data.

Other deposited specimens: 7 collected specimens.

Distribution of all the deposited specimens: Langxian (CIB085366–085372) in Xizang.

Comments: Zhao and Adler (1993) reported this species as Cyrtodactylus medogensis, Rösler (2000) and transferred it to the genus Cyrtopodion. Shi et al. (2010) revised the specific name, as Cyrtopodion medogense, due to disagreement on gender between specifi c name and genus name (personal communication).

Agamidae

Genus Calotes

Calotes medogensis Zhao and Li, 1984

Calotes medogensis was described as a new species by Zhao and Li in Acta Herpetol Sin, 1984, 3 (4): 77.

Holotype: CIB001477, male (Figure 2).

Type locality: Yarang, Medog, Xizang, China

Paratype: No data available.

Other deposited specimens: No collected specimen.

Genus Japalura

Japalura zhaoermii Gao and Hou, 2002

Japalura zhaoermii was described as a new species by Gao and Hou in Sichuan J Zool, 2002, 21 (1): 3.

Holotype: CIB002690, male (Figure 3).

Type locality: Mianchi, Wenchuan, Sichuan, China.

Allotype: CIB002691, female, locality as holotype.

Paratypes: CIB002692–002698, three males and two females, localitye as holotype.

Other deposited specimens: No collected specimen.

Genus Laudakia

Laudakia papenfussi Zhao, 1998

Laudakia papenfussi was described as a new species by Zhao in Zool Res, 1998, 19 (5): 401.

Holotype: CIB002750, male (Figure 4).

Type locality: Mayang River Valley between Mayang Village and Diya Village, Zanda (=Zhada), Xizang, China.

Paratype: No available data.

Other deposited specimens: No collected specimen.

Laudakia wui Zhao, 1998

Laudakia wui was described as a new species by Zhao in Acta Zootaxon Sin, 1998, 23 (4): 440.

Holotype: CIB002757, male (Figure 5).

Type locality: Yi’ong (=Yigong), Bomi, Xizang, China.

Allotype: CIB002758, female, locality as holotype.

Paratypes: CIB002759, one male, CIB002761–002763, three juveniles, locality as holotype, CIB002760, one female, CIB002764–002765, two juveniles, between Tangmai (=Tongmai) and Yi’ong, Bomi, Xizang, China. Other deposited specimens: No collected specimen.

Scincidae

Genus Plestiodon

Plestiodon liui (Hikida and Zhao, 1989)

Eumeces liui was described as a new species by Hikida and Zhao in Copeia, 1989, 1: 111.

Paratype: CIB005737, male, Wuchang, Hubei, China (Figure 6).

Other deposited specimens: No collected specimen.

Comments: The holotype is deposited at the California Academy of Sciences (CAS64956, a juvenile), but was collected from Nanjing, Jiangsu, China. The other two paratypes, which are also deposited in CAS (CAS66063 and 66069, two females) were collected from Mt.

Moganshan, Zhejiang, China. This species was transferred into the genus Plestiodon by Brandley et al. (2012).

Genus Scincella

Scincella huanrenensis Zhao and Huang, 1982

Scincella huanrenensis was described as a new species by Zhao and Huang in Acta Herpeto Sin, 1: 3.

Paratypes: CIB006925–006932, two males and 6 females, Huanren (Sidaoyang, Zuomutai), Liaoning, China (Figure 7). Other desposited specimens: No collected specimen.

Comments: The holotype (DMNH 810045) and allotype (DMNH 810025) were deposited in Dalian Museum of Natural History (DMNH). The other paratypes including 14 males, 31 females and 19 juveniles, were collected from Huanren, Liaoning, China, and are deposited in DMNH, except for the 8 specimens which were deposited in C+IB (CIB006925–006932).

Scincella tsinlingensis (Hu and Zhao, 1966)

Leiolopisma tsinlingensis was described as a new species by Hu and Zhao in Acta Zool Sin, 1966, 18 (1): 82.

Holotype: CIB007224, male (Figure 8).

Type locality: Laoxiancheng (=old county), Zhouzhi, Shaanxi, China.

Allotype: CIB007223, female, locality as holotype.

Paratypes: 5 males, CIB007240–007241, CIB007253–007254, CIB007259; 16 females, CIB007226–007227, CIB007237, CIB007239, CIB007242, CIB007244, CIB007246, CIB007249–007252, CIB007255, CIB007258, CIB007261, CIB007263–007264; 13 juveniles, CIB720025, CIB007235–007236, CIB007238, CIB007243, CIB007245, CIB007247–007248, CIB007256–007257, CIB007260, CIB007262, CIB007296. All of them were collected from Zhouzhi, Shaanxi.

Other deposited specimens: 38 collected specimens.

Distribution of all the deposited specimens: Lanzhou (CIB007229–007234), Wenxian (CIB007265–007276), and Zhouqu (CIB007277–007295) in Gansu; Hongyuan (CIB007228) in Sichuan.

4. Discussion

There are three forms which were considered to be junior synonyms such as: Japalura szechwanensis (Hu and Zhao, 1966), Phrynocephalus zetanensis (Wang, Zeng, and Wu, 1996), and Phrynocephalus vlangalii hongyuanensis (Zhao, Jiang, and Huang, 1980). The type specimen series of these taxa are also deposited in CIB. Japalura szechwanensis was described from Baishuihe, Pengxian (=Pengzhou), Sichuan, China, and was reported in Guizhou, Guangxi and Hunan. Based on the comparison of nine quantitative characters between type specimens of J. fasciata Mertens, 1926, and the continuous distributional areas, Ota (2000) synonymized J. szechwanensis with J. fasciata Mertens, 1926, and were followed by Manthey (2010) and Manthey et al. (2012). Phrynocephalus zetangensis was described from Zetang (=Zedang), Xizang, China. Based on molecular phylogenetic analysis, Guo and Wang (2007) synonymized it with P. theobaldi Blyth, 1863, and were followed by Li et al., 2010.

Phrynocephalus vlangalii hongyuanensis was previously described as a subspecies from Hongyuam, Sichuan, China. According to morphological characters, Wang and Jiang (1992) elevated this subspecies to a full specific rank, as P. hongyuanensis. Based on morphological characters and chromosome studies, Wang et al. (2002) synonymized P. hongyuanensis with P. vlangalii Strauch, 1876, which was supported by Guo and Wang (2007), on the basis of molecular phylogenetic analysis.

Acknowledgements We are grateful to Hui ZHAO (CIB) for the help in photographs, and special thanks to Yueying CHEN (CIB) for examing each specimens. The research was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos.31472021, 31372173), and grants from the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (MOST Grant 2011FY120200, Grant 2005DKA21402).

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Prof. Daode YANG, from Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, Hunan, China, with his research focusing on wildlife ecology and nature reserve management.

E-mail: csfuyydd@126.com

12 January 2015 Accepted: 19 October 2015