Laodracon carsticola SITTHIVONG, BRAKELS, XAYYASITH, MAURY, IDIIATULLINA, PAWANGKHANANT, WANG, NGUYEN & POYARKOV, 2023
Can you confirm these amateur observations of Laodracon carsticola?
Laodracon carsticola
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| Higher Taxa | Agamidae (Draconinae), Sauria, Iguania, Squamata (lizards) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | E: Khammouan Karst Dragon Lao: Chi Pom Pou Hin Poun Khammouane |
| Synonym | Diploderma carsticola SITTHIVONG, BRAKELS, XAYYASITH, MAURY, IDIIATULLINA, PAWANGKHANANT, WANG, NGUYEN & POYARKOV 2023 |
| Distribution | C Laos (Khammouan) Type locality: summit of a limestone outcrop near the Rock Viewpoint, within Nam Sanam-Phou Pha Marn PPA., Khounkham Dist., Khammouan Prov., central Laos (N18.174°, E104.487°; at an elevation of 450 m a.s.l.). |
| Reproduction | |
| Types | Holotype: Adult male NUOL R.2022.01 (Figure 4), collected on 6 October 2022 by P. Brakels, S. Xayyasith, and S. Sitthivong. Paratype: Adult male NUOL R.2022.02 (Supplementary Figure S2 in Sitthivong et al. 2023), collected on 2 February 2023 by the same collectors and at the same location as the holotype. |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: A genus of the subfamily Draconinae characterized by the following characteristics: body size moderate (male SVL 94.5–101.6 mm); tail base distinctively swollen at base; tail scales at swollen base distinctively enlarged dorsally and ventrally, heterogeneous dorsally and laterally, but homogeneous ventrally, all keeled and protruding with keels mostly misaligned; tympanum exposed; dorsal scales heterogeneous, strongly keeled, enlarged scales arranged in somewhat irregular dorsolateral series close to vertebral crest; nuchal and dorsal crest scales relatively short and thick, not elongated into lanceolate spines; post-occipital and post-orbital spines absent; gular scales mostly homogeneous in size, not decreasing in size medially; scales on the lateral surfaces of jaws subequal in size across gular region; no preanal or femoral pores. (Sitthivong et al. 2023) |
| Comment | |
| Etymology | The specific epithet “carsticola” is a noun in the nominative case singular used in apposition, derived from German “ Karst” (originally from Latin “ carsus”) used for “limestone landscapes” and “ cola”, a Latin word meaning “resident”, “inhabiting” or “dwelling in”. The name is given in reference to the limestone mountain habitat of the new species. The generic name “ Laodracon” is a Latinized noun in masculine nominative singular form, which gives reference to its area of occurrence in central Laos. The word “dracon” is derived from Greek “δράκων” (drakon) meaning “dragon” or a “basilisk” and refers to mythological serpents; it is widely used as a part of genus-level names within the subfamily Draconinae. |
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