Diploderma panlong WANG, CHE & SILER, 2020
Can you confirm these amateur observations of Diploderma panlong?
Diploderma panlong
Find more photos by Google images search: 
| Higher Taxa | Agamidae (Draconinae), Sauria, Iguania, Squamata (lizards) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | E: Pan Long Mountain Dragon Chinese: 蟠龙龙蜥 (Pinyin Pan Long Long Xi) |
| Synonym | Diploderma panlong WANG, CHE & SILER in WANG et al. 2020: 248 Japalura dymondi —DENG et al. 1991: 27, in part Japalura dymondi —ZHAO et al. 1999: 110, in part Japalura dymondi —ZHAO 2003: 82, in part. Japalura flaviceps — DENG et al. 1991: 27 Japalura flaviceps — ZHAO et al. 1999: 111 Japalura flaviceps — ZHAO 2003: 84, in part. |
| Distribution | China (Sichuan: Liangshan District) Type locality: Siyinuo Village, Mianning County, Liangshan District, Sichuan Province, China (101.8806° E, 28.3569° N, elevation 1,430 m, WGS 84). |
| Reproduction | |
| Types | Holotype: KIZ 040138, adult male. Collected by Kai Wang and Gadeng Nima on April 25, 2018. Paratypes: KIZ 040137, 040139, 040140, 040143, adult males; 040141, 040142, young adult males. All share same collecting information as the holotype. |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: The new species can be diagnosed from congeners by a combination of following morphological characters (1) body size moderate, SVL 60.2–71.7 in males; (2) tail long, TAL 248.2%–268.0% SVL in males; (3) hind limbs moderate, HLL 77.7%–83.2% SVL; (4) head moderate, HW 63.4%–67.3% HL; (5) MD 39–46; (6) F4S 18–24; (7) T4S 22–27; (8) conical, post-rictal scales strongly developed, 9–13; (9) tympana mostly exposed; (10) nuchal crest moderately developed, TNC 5.4%–7.7% HL; (11) transverse gular fold present in life, shallow, sometimes indistinct after preservation; (12) ventral head and body scales homogeneous, distinctively keeled; (13) gular spots absent in either sexes; (14) dorsolateral stripes smooth-edged, narrow, Sulphur Yellow (Color 80); (15) distinct radial stripes present around eyes except suborbital regions; (16) distinct white lip stripe present on each side below eye; (17) gradual transition from Tawny (Color 60) or Amber (Color 51) dorsolateral body coloration to Light Flesh (Color 250) coloration of ventrolateral body surface and eventually to Light Buff (Color 2) coloration of ventral body surface; and (18) oral cavity Dark Spectrum Yellow (Color 78), tongue Light Chrome Orange (Color 76) (Wang et al. 2021). |
| Comment | Similar species: D. swild and D. dymondi Publication date: The online publication time for the manuscript that describe the species (December 2020) is earlier than the publication time of the entire issue of the journal (January 2021), which is why the taxonomic authority is 2020 instead of 2021. Conservation: Habitats of D. panlong overlap greatly with human inhabitations, road construction, and major hydropower station (i.e., Jinping Hydropower Station), which have resulted in deforestation and pose serious threats to the remaining habitat of the new species. Although the extent distribution range of the species is still unknown, given our preliminary surveys, the estimated extent of occurrence of the new species is less than 600 km2 along the Yalong River Valley between Jiulong County and Xichang in Sichuan Province. Given the restricted range along a single, highly developed river valley, the observed declines of habitat quality, and the existing development plans of the Yalong River by the government, we recommend listing the species as Vulnerable (VU) according to IUCN criteria D2. |
| Etymology | The specific name “panlong” is derived from the Chinese word 蟠 龙 ( Pinyin: Pan Long), from the ancient Chinese literature, 广雅 (Pinyin: Guang Ya). The name refers to dragons that are terrestrial and are not able to fly, which matches the terrestrial lifestyle of the new species. |
| References |
|
| External links |