Diploderma panlong WANG, CHE & SILER, 2020
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Diploderma panlong
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| 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). Comparisons: The new species is most similar to D. swild, with both species having exposed tympana (in most individuals of D. panlong ), smooth dorsolateral stripes, and Dark Spectrum Yellow (Color 78) to Light Chrome Orange (Color 76) oral coloration, and both species are found along the Yalong River Valley. However, D. panlong differs from D. swild by having a relatively longer tail in males (TAL 248.2%–268.0% SVL versus 225.5%–239.0%), lower and less differentiated nuchal crest scales (TNC 5.4%–7.7% HL versus 12.0%–12.4%), homogeneous scales on the ventral surface of head (versus heterogeneous), distinct coloration of dorsolateral stripes in males (Sulphur Yellow [Color 80] versus Chartreuse [Color 89]), and a terrestrial life style (versus arboreal). For other species that also have exposed tympana, the new species differs from D. dymondi by having a distinct coloration of the oral cavity (Light Chrome Orange [Color 76] versus Spectrum Violet [Color 186] to Jet Black [Color 300]) and tongue (Light Chrome Orange [Color 76] versus Pale Pinkish Buff [Color 3]), and a terrestrial lifestyle (versus arboreal); from D. varcoae by having a distinct coloration of the posterior surface of the palate and deep throat in life (marbled Dark Neutral Gray [Color 299] versus uniform Light Orange Yellow [Color 77]), smooth dorsolateral stripes in males (versus strongly jagged), and by the presence of a transverse gular fold (versus absence). For the remaining species in the same clade (Figure 2), D. panlong differs from all congeners by having a distinct oral cavity and tongue coloration in life (Light Chrome Orange [Color 76] versus Light Flesh Color [Color 250]). Furthermore, D. panlong differs from D. flaviceps by having exposed tympana in most individuals (versus always concealed), a shallow transverse gular fold (versus deep and well-developed), uniform white ventral head coloration with no gular patterns (versus dark reticulated gular stripes), smooth-edged dorsolateral stripes (versus strongly jagged), and by the presence of distinct radial stripes around the eyes (versus absence or faint); from D. micangshanense b y t he presence of a transverse gular fold (versus absence), absence of strong skin folds of the nuchal and dorsal crests in males (versus presence), absence of regular triangular or rhomboid-shaped patterns along the vertebral line between dorsolateral stripes (versus presence), and by having smooth dorsolateral stripes in males (versus strongly jagged); from D. zhaoermii by having smoothedged, dorsolateral stripes (versus strongly jagged), the presence of distinct white lip stripes (versus absence), and absence of gular spots and skin folds under the nuchal and dorsal crests in males (versus presence). Additionally, from the island congeners D. brevipes, D. luei, D. makii, D. polygonatum, and D. swinhonis, D. panlong can be diagnosed by having exposed tympana in most individuals (versus always concealed) and a terrestrial lifestyle (versus arboreal), and by the presence of a transverse gular fold (versus absence). For species in Clade B (Figure 2), D. panlong s p. n ov. d iffers from all congeners by having exposed tympana in most individuals (versus always concealed), and from all except D. chapaense and D. yunnanense by having a distinct oral coloration in life (Light Chrome Orange [Color 76] versus Light Flesh Color [Color 250]). Additionally, the new species differs from D. batangense, D. laeviventre, and D. yulongense by having a greater number of, and better developed, post-rictal conical scales (versus fewer and weaker), and by the absence of gular spots (versus presence in both sexes); from D. drukdaypo by having a longer tail (TAL ≥ 248.0% SVL versus <154.0%) and hind limbs (HLL > 77.0% SVL versus <64.0%); from D. slowinskii by having a smaller maximum body size (SVL ≤ 71.7 mm versus ≤98.3 mm), fewer middorsal scales (39–46 versus 47–53), a distinct coloration of dorsolateral stripes (Sulphur Yellow [Color 80] versus Light Emerald Green [Color 143]), and a distinct dorsal limb coloration (Light Buff [Color 2] to Pale Pinkish Buff [Color 3] versus Parrot Green [Color 121] to Greenish Olive [Color 125]); from D. vela by having a distinct dorsal background coloration (Brussels Brown [Color 33] to Maroon [Color 39] versus Jet Black [Color 300]) and by the absence of sail-like skin folds of the crests in males (versus presence); from D. iadinum by having a longer tail (TAL ≥ 248.0% SVL versus <206.0%), a distinct background body coloration (Brussels Brown [Color 33] to Maroon [Color 39] versus Yellowish Spectrum Green [Color 128] to Emerald Green [Color 143]), and by the absence of gular spots (versus presence); and from D. chapaense and D. yunnanense by having shorter and less well-defined nuchal crest scales (versus taller and strongly defined), and by the absence of gular spots (versus presence), absence of a W-shaped ridge on the occipital region of the head (versus presence), and by the presence of a transverse gular fold (versus absence). For species that lack genetic data, the new species differs from all by having mostly exposed tympana (versus always concealed). Additionally, it differs from D. brevicadum by having a longer tail (TAL > 248.0% SVL versus ≤154.0%) and longer hind limbs (HLL > 77.0% SVL versus ≤64.0%); from D. grahami by having more middorsal scales (39–46 versus 8) and by the absence of granular scales on the dorsal body surface (versus presence); from D. hamptoni by having a transverse gular fold (versus absence) and distinct, parallel dorsolateral stripes (versus faint, diagonally away dorsal midline posteriorly); and from D. fasciatum by having weakly developed nuchal crests (TNC ≤ 7.1% HL in males versus ≥8.9% in males) and by the absence of transverse, hourglass-shaped ornamentation patterns on the dorsal midbody (versus presence). For the new species described here, D. panlong differs from all by having exposed tympana in most individuals (versus always concealed), taller nuchal crests, and better developed, higher numbers of conical scales on the post-rictal and post-tympanic regions. In particular, D. panlong differs from D. angustelinea by having more and better developed conical scales on the post-rictal region (PRS 9–13 versus 0–3), a narrower head (HW 63.4%–67.3% HL versus 67.0%–73.9%), a distinct oral coloration in life (Light Chrome Orange [Color 76] versus Light Flesh Color [Color 250]), and by the absence of gular spots (versus presence); from D. aorun by having a narrower head (HW 63.5%–67.3% HL versus 67.8%–72.7%), a tendency toward more lamellae scales under Finger IV (18–24 versus 12–19), more and better developed conical scales on the post-rictal region (PRS 9–13 versus 1–7), distinct shapes of dorsolateral stripes (smooth-edged versus strongly jagged), weakly developed nuchal and dorsal crests without distinct skin folds (versus strongly developed with skin folds), and by the absence of gular spots (versus presence); from D. flavilabre by having a larger adult body size (SVL 60.2–71.7 mm versus 50.8–55.2 mm), a longer tail (TAL 248.2%–268.0% SVL versus 149.7%–179.3%), longer hind limbs (HLL 77.7%–83.2% SVL versus 66.9%–74.8%), having more and better developed conical scales on the post-rictal region (PRS 9–13 versus 4–9), distinct dorsal body coloration (Pale Pinkish Buff [Color 3] to Light Flesh Color [Color 250] versus Jet Black [Color 300]), distinct oral and inner coloration (uniform Light Chrome Orange [Color 76] versus Light Flesh Color [Color 250] for oral cavity and tongue, only inner lips uniform Dark Spectrum Yellow [Color 78]), and by the absence of gular spots (versus presence). For D. panchi , although we only have data of the opposite sex for each species (males for D. panlong and females for D. panchi ), which surrenders comparisons of morphometric and coloration data due to sexual dimorphism, however, Diploderma panlong can still be differentiated from D. panchi in pholidosis characters that are not known to be sexually dimorphic, including having more lamellae scales under Finger IV (18–24 versus 14–17), and more and better developed conical scales on the post-tympanic (6–12 versus 2–6) and post-rictal regions of head (9–13 versus 3–7) (Wang et al. 2021). Color in life: The background coloration of the dorsal surface of the head is Pale Buff (Color 1). Two Sepia (Color 279) transverse patterns are present on the dorsal surface of the head between the orbit. The first pattern is a transverse streak between the middle points of the orbit, and the second pattern is a compressed X-shape between the posterior ends of the orbit. Both ornamentation patterns extend laterally and inferiorly into the orbit on both sides of the head, forming parts of the radial patterns above the eyes. The background coloration of the lateral surface of the head is also Pale Buff (Color 1). Distinct Sepia (Color 279) or Jet Black (Color 300) radial stripes are present around the eyes, except the suborbital region. Of the radial stripes, the one from the posterior–inferior corner of the eye to the anterior edge of the tympanum and the rictus is the broadest. A distinct white lip stripe is present from the nasal scale to the rictus on each side of the head. The oral cavity is Dark Spectrum Yellow (Color 78), and the tongue is Light Chrome Orange (Color 76). The background coloration of the lateral surface of the body is Brussels Brown (Color 33) to Maroon (Color 39), which gradually transitions to Jet Black (Color 300) as it gets closer to the inferior edges of the dorsolateral stripes. Short, Light Buff (Color 2) to Pale Pinkish Buff (Color 3) streaks or spots are densely distributed on the lateral surfaces of the body inferior to the dorsolateral stripes, cutting the background coloration of the lateral body surfaces into a reticulated pattern. The dorsolateral stripes are smooth-edged and relatively narrow, Sulphur Yellow (Color 80) in color, extending from the neck to the pelvis. The dorsal region of the body between the dorsolateral stripes is Clay Color (Color 18) to Brussels Brown (Color 33). Sepia (Color 286) to Jet Black (Color 300) rectangular or chevron- shaped patterns are present along the dorsal midline of the body between the neck and the base of the tail. The dorsal surfaces of the limbs and tail are Pale Pinkish Buff (Color 3) to Light Flesh Color (Color 250). Light Buff (Color 2) transverse bands with incomplete Jet Black (Color 300) edges are present on the forelimbs, where such bands are indistinct and close to the background color of the limbs. A single Pale Buff (Color 1) circular patch with Jet Black (Color 300) is present on the elbow on each side. The dorsal surface of the tail is mostly uniform Pale Pinkish Buff (Color 3) to Light Flesh Color (Color 250), with a few faint bands with slightly darker color. The ventral surface of the head is uniform white. The ventral surface of the body, limbs, and tail are faint Light Flesh Color (Color 250) with no distinct ornamentations (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. |
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