A third new Cyrtodactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, Truong Son Range, Vietnam

Abstract

We describe a third cryptic species of the genus Cyrtodactylus from Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park, Quang Binh Province, Vietnam. Cyrtodactylus roesleri sp. nov. is distinguished from the remaining Indochinese bent-toed geckos by a combination of the following characters: size small, with a maximum SVL of 75.3 mm; dorsal pattern consisting of dark nuchal band and 4–5 sometimes irregularly shaped dark transversal bands between limbs; ventrals in 34–40 longitudinal rows at midbody; continuous series of 20–28 precloacal and femoral pores in males; subcaudal scales transversally enlarged. It is the 15 th new reptilian taxon described as new from the karst forests of Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park in the past decade. In addition, it is the 19 th species of Cyrtodactylus known from Vietnam and the third Cyrtodactylus occurring in sympatry in the karst forests of Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park.