Bronchocela shenlong GRISMER, WOOD, LEE, QUAH, ANUAR, NGADI & SITES, 2015
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Higher Taxa | Agamidae (Draconinae), Sauria, Iguania, Squamata (lizards) |
Subspecies | |
Common Names | |
Synonym | Bronchocela shenlong GRISMER, WOOD, LEE, QUAH, ANUAR, NGADI & SITES 2015 Bronchocela cristatella — DIONG & LIM 1998: 347 Bronchocela cristatella — GRISMER et al. 2010: 149 Bronchocela cristatella — GRISMER 2011: 141 Bronchocela shenlong — GRISMER & QUAH 2019 |
Distribution | Peninsular Malaysia (Bukit Larut, Perak, Parit Falls, Cameron Highlands, Pahang in the Titiwangsa Mountain Range Type locality: Bukit Larut, Perak, Peninsular Malaysia (04°51.715 N, 100°47.933 E), at 1100 m elevation. |
Reproduction | oviparous. LSUHC 12104 was a gravid female collected during September at Parit Falls. These data may indicate that the reproductive season for B. shenlong sp. nov. takes place during the earlier, drier part of the year (GRISMER et al. 2015). |
Types | Holotype: LSUHC 9017, Adult male, collected on 16 June 2008 by L. Lee Grismer and Perry L. Wood Jr., at 2145 h. Paratypes. LSUHC 9144 collected on 16 November 2008 by L. Lee Grismer, Jesse L. Grismer, Evan S. H. Quah, P. L. Wood Jr., and Chan K. O. between 2150 and 1350 hrs 1169 m a.s.l. from Bukit Larut, Perak, Peninsular Malaysia (04°51.715 N, 100°47.933 E). LSUHC 10660 and 11301 bear the same collector data as the holotype but were collected on 30 June 2012 and 6 July 2013, respectively, and LSUHC 10660 was collected at 1058 m a.s.l. |
Diagnosis | Diagnosis (adults only). A moderately sized species reaching at least 106 mm SVL; tympanum small (DT/DO 0.38–0.44); head squarish in lateral profile (HD/HL 0.43–0.50), relatively narrow (HW/HL 0.54–0.63); forelimbs relatively long (FLL/SVL 0.51–0.59); foot not particularly short (FoL/HLL 0.39–0.41); hind limbs relatively long (HLL/SVL 0.84–0.95); 6–11 loreal scales; two or three postmentals; nuchal crest high, longer than diameter of orbit, spines lancolate; 71–92 midbody scales; 4–7 rows of paravertebral scales bearing keels pointing dorsoposteriorly; 1–5 rows of dorsal scales bearing keels pointing posteriorly; ventral scales less than five times the width of dorsal scales; 26–30 subdigital lamellae on the third finger; 27–36 subdigital lamellae on the fourth toe; third finger not longer than fourth finger; fourth finger not longer than fifth toe; no white patch between tympanum and orbit; tympanum green in adults; white infralabial stripe extending beyond tympanum; no red gular patch; no white ventrolateral line on body; postfemoral red line; and faint caudal bands. These characters are scored across all species in Tables 4 and 5 (GRISMER et al. 2015). Additional details (1390 characters) are available for collaborators and contributors. Please contact us for details. |
Comment | |
Etymology | The specific epithet shenlong is used here to indicate this species’ morphological and ecological similarity to the “Shen Long” or “Spirit Dragon” of Chinese mythology. Shen Long is a wingless, five-toed, azure-colored reptile that resides in mountains and controls the wind, thunder, rain and clouds. As the epithet is used here, shenlong refers to this species’ upland, cloud forest habitat as well as its general dragon-like appearance. |
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