Scale Rows Research Articles

A new small-sized Calotes Cuvier (Squamata: Agamidae: Draconinae) from the Subansiri river basin, Arunachal Pradesh, India

We describe a new species of small-sized Calotes from mid-elevation (~1270 m asl.), swidden or shifting cultivation areas in the Subansiri river basin, Upper Subansiri District, Arunachal Pradesh, India. Mitochondrial sequence data (ND2) recovers Calotes sinyik sp. nov. as the closely related sister taxon to an unnamed species from Medog, Tibet; the two falling in a broader clade including C. paulus + C. zolaiking and species of the C. emma and C. mystaceus groups. The new species is 7.8% divergent in ND2 sequence data from the unnamed lineage from Medog and deeply divergent (≥ 21.6–28.1%) from other congeners. The new species can easily be distinguished from regional congeners by its small adult body size (maximum snout to vent length of 65 mm) and heterogenous dorsal scales, and from its closest relatives C. paulus and C. zolaiking by having 54 or 55 midbody scale rows and 42 or 43 vertebral scales. It is likely that many more allied species remain to be discovered from Northeast India, which remains poorly surveyed across taxonomic groups.

Redescription of the terrestrial isopod Armadillo mayeti Simon, 1885 and its comparison with Armadillo officinalis Duméril, 1816 from Tunisian populations

ABSTRACT The genus Armadillo is represented by 26 species, three of which are recorded from Tunisia: the Mediterranean A. officinalis Duméril, 1816, and the endemic A. mayeti Simon, 1885 and A. pseudomayeti Mattern, 1999. In this paper, the endemic species A. mayeti is redescribed, its morphological diagnostic characters are illustrated, and its stridulation apparatus structure and biochemical composition are highlighted for the first time using optical and scanning electronic microscopy. The stridulation apparatus, visible dorsally on propodus of pereopods 4 and 5, is structured in a row of chain scales. Regarding its chemical composition, the scale contains numerous elements with a high carbon content (C = 58.71%) followed by calcium (Ca = 19.63%), oxygen (O = 13.98), aluminium (Al = 4.81), copper (Cu = 1.02), iron (Fe = 0.63), potassium (K = 0.43), and silicon (Si = 0.20). Its distribution is extended and its status on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List is reported. Armadillo mayeti is then compared with the widespread Mediterranean A. officinalis for diagnostic purposes on the bases of morphological features and the stridulation apparatus structure focusing on the chemical composition. The taxonomic status of A. pseudomayeti is discussed.

A New Species of Cyrtodactylus tibetanus Group (Reptilia: Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Xizang Autonomous Region, China.

A new Cyrtodactylus species, C. laevissp. nov., from the dry-hot valleys near the Yarlung Zangbo River in Re Village, Jindong Countryside, Lang County, Linzhi City, Xizang Autonomous Region, China, is described herein based upon the integrative taxonomic results combining molecular phylogenetic systematics and morphological characteristic comparisons. Our molecular phylogeny was inferred by combining three mitochondrial gene fragments (16S/CO1/ND2), and it indicated a distinct differentiation between the new species and C. tibetanus species complex, with obvious genetic distances (16S 9.9-11.8%/CO1 16.5-18.2%/ND2 16.6-18.5%) detected, supporting its validity. Morphologically, the new species can be easily distinguished from its congers by the following characters: (1) medium size (SVL 48.58-50.92 mm), (2) tubercles on dorsum sparse, (3) tail segments absent and tubercles on tails absent, (4) supralabials 10-12 and infralabials 8-10, (5) interorbital scales between anterior corners of the eyes 28-32, (6) scale rows at midbody 96-98, (7) ventral scales between mental and cloacal slit 145-153, (8) ventral scale rows 41-45, and (9) 4 to 5 white-yellow transverse bands with brown dots and black merges between the nape and sacrum. The description of C. laevissp. nov. increased the total species number of C. tibetanus group to three, and the total Cyrtodactylus species number in Xizang to six and in China to eleven. The new species is currently only known from the type locality with its extremely small populations and needs future surveys to reveal its distribution range, population status, natural history, and mechanisms so that the new species can coexist with Altiphylax medogense.

A new long-snouted vine snake species in the genus Ahaetulla Link, 1807 (Colubridae: Chrysopeleinae) from India

A new species of long-snouted arboreal snake of the genus Ahaetulla Link, 1807, is described from the Indian states of Bihar and Meghalaya. Molecular phylogenetic analysis using three mitochondrial genes recovered the new species as a member of the A. fusca clade and as a sister the species to A. laudankia. The new species differs from its congeners in bearing an elongate rostral appendage, green or ochre dorsum, orange-brown belly, and moderately keeled vertebral dorsal scale row. This description of a new reptile species highlights the need for systematic documentation of biodiversity in the region.

Ctenotus rungulla sp. nov. (Scincidae; Sphenomorphinae), a new sandstone-associated skink that highlights reptile endemism in Queensland's Gregory Range

Cuckoo wasp strip.jpg Open-access, online, rapid taxonomy Australian Journal of Taxonomy AJT Home | Taxonomy Australia Home https://doi.org/10.54102/ajt Ctenotus rungulla sp. nov. (Scincidae; Sphenomorphinae), a new sandstone-associated skink that highlights reptile endemism in Queensland's Gregory Range Stephen M. Zozaya, Dylan W. Case, & Conrad J. Hoskin Author details ⏷ Abstract We describe a new sphenomorphine skink, Ctenotus rungulla sp. nov., currently known only from sandstone habitats in the Gregory Range of inland northern Queensland. Ctenotus rungulla sp. nov. would be identified as C. brevipes or C. terrareginae using keys available at the time of publication. The new species differs most obviously from the regionally sympatric C. brevipes in having 5–6 distinct ear lobules, which are entirely absent in C. brevipes. The new species differs from the allopatric C. terrareginae in being smaller and in various aspects of colour-pattern. Mitochondrial DNA sequence data, however, indicate that C. rungulla sp. nov. is most closely related to the allopatric C. ingrami, from which the new species differs in being smaller, lacking a vertebral stripe, possessing a red-orange flush on the hindbody, and in having a higher midbody scale row count. Ctenotus rungulla sp. nov. is now the fourth reptile species known to be endemic to the Gregory Range, highlighting the biodiversity values of this remote rocky region.

Sexual Dimorphism of the Three Pit Viper Species (<i>Gloydius brevicaudus</i>, <i>G. ussuriensis</i>, <i>G. intermedius</i>) in South Korea

Sexual size dimorphism in snakes is closely related to mating behavior and fecundity selection. It provides important information on animal morphology and evolutionary ecology because it allows us to identify key morphological and functional traits between sexes and infer intraspecific competition. In this study, we measured the morphological characters of 147 individuals of three pit viper species stored in the archive of the National Institute of Biological Resources of the Ministry of Environment and confirmed interspecific differences and sexual size dimorphism of each species. We also identified important characters affecting identification using linear discriminant analysis. The results showed that the three pit viper species differed in body and head morphology, and the number of dorsal scale rows was the most important character for species identification. It was found that female red-tongued pit vipers and short-tailed pit vipers were larger than males of each species, while male Central Asian pit vipers were larger than females. Characters related to tail length and head length were confirmed as important characters for interspecific sex discrimination. We compared characters related to head morphology between sexes to find that red-tongued pit vipers showed differences in most characters, while short-tailed pit vipers and Central Asian pit vipers did not. Therefore, short-tailed pit vipers and Central Asian pit vipers are expected to have strong intraspecific competitive pressure. In future studies, it will be necessary to conduct a detailed research on intraspecific competition of short-tailed pit vipers and Central Asian pit vipers with little morphological differences between sexes by examining resource utilization (e.g., food sources and habitats) and ecological niche.

A new species of green pitviper of the Trimeresurus macrops complex (Reptilia: Serpentes: Viperidae) from South Central Coastal Region of Vietnam

We describe a new species of green pitviper from southern and central parts of coastal Vietnam based on morphological and molecular (2406 bp from cyt b, ND4, and 16S rRNA mitochondrial DNA genes) lines of evidence. Trimeresurus cyanolabris sp. nov. is distinguished from its congeners by the combination of the following morphological characters: small size, maximum known SVL of 638 mm; dorsal scales in 21 (rarely 23)–21–15 rows, moderately keeled except the outermost rows; ventral scales 166–178; subcaudal scales 52–75, all paired; hemipenis forked, calyculate, reaching the 8th subcaudal; eye bright yellow in both sexes; dorsal surface deep green lacking cross-bands; postocular white stripe missing in both sexes; ventrolateral stripe faintly present on the first few dorsal scale rows in males, absent in females; throat, chin, and lower labials in shades of blue. The new species forms a distinct clade on the phylogenetic tree of the genus Trimeresurus and differs from the morphologically similar T. rubeus by a significant divergence in cytochrome b mitochondrial DNA gene sequences (p = 6.0%). The new species is currently known from low- to mid-elevations (ca. 90–400 m a.s.l.) in tropical forests of central-southern Vietnam. This discovery further underlines the importance of this area as a local center of herpetofaunal diversity and endemism, which is under great threat of deforestation.

Okhotsk sculpin Icelus ochotensis (Cottiformes: Cottidae) is a complex; redescription of the type series

The genus Icelus Krøyer, 1845 includes 18 valid species from shelf and upper slope of the northern Pacific, Arctic and North Atlantic. The taxonomy of the genus is under development. To solve taxonomic problems, there is a need to clarify the diagnostic characters of already known species. As it turned out, information about the composition of the type series of the Okhotsk sculpin I. ochotensis Schmidt, 1927 from different sources is contradictory, and the diagnostic characters in the latest revision of the genus and in the keys for species identification diverge from the original description. The work clarifies the composition of the type series of the Okhotsk sculpin from the ZIN collection (36 specimens), provides a redescription and diagnosis; the Lectotype No. 21898 is designated. Icelus ochotensis, characterized by the presence of only two rows of large scales on the body (dorsal row Dl and lateral line Ll), was included in the group “I. bicornis”, along with I. spatula Gilbert et Burke, 1912, I. uncinalis Gilbert et Burke, 1912 and I. stenosomus Andriashev, 1937. Contrary to results of the latest revision of the genus and modern identifying keys, on the top of its head there is not one pair of spines, but two pairs (parietal and nuchal ones), in the form of blunt tubercles hidden in the skin. The dorsal row of scales (Dl) in front is complete (reaches the head); lateral line begins under scales 3rd–4th of the dorsal row and does not extend posteriorly onto caudal fin; scales Ll below the canal pore are immersed in the skin and usually not serrated (one or two tiny spinules may present); supraorbital cirrus (skin appendage) is simple. The urogenital papilla of males is cylindrical, in contrast to the spatulate one in I. spatula. Vertebrae 37–40, D VII–IX 15–19, A 13–16, P 17–18, Ll 38–40, Dl 29–34; axillary scales 6–13. The distribution of the Okhotsk sculpin requires revision, since modern keys for Icelus identification contain incorrect characters for this species (one pair of spines on the top of the head).

Taxonomic characterization of five species of emperor fishes (Actinopterygii: Eupercaria: Lethrinidae) based on external morphology, morphometry, and geographic distribution in the northwestern Indian Ocean

Species of the genus Lethrinus, commonly referred to as emperor fishes, mainly distributed in the Indo–West Pacific, including the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman are poorly known. It is difficult to characterize them morphologically, as there are no distinguishing meristic features for the majority of species. We studied the morphological features of 65 specimens representing the genus Lethrinus to define and identify the species involved. Among the morphological characters commonly considered in this type of study, we also included new, previously undescribed characters. The results of Tukey’s post hoc HSD test for metric and meristic variables, which showed significant differences between species in ANOVA, indicate that most metric traits and the number of scale rows above the lateral line differ significantly among the five morphotypes distinguished. Principal component analysis (PCA) and discriminant function analysis (DFA) effectively showed the morphometric variation between these morphotypes. The characteristics of body depth, head length, pectoral fin length, and caudal fin length are the most distinguishing diagnostic at the species level. We determined that the collected fish specimens represented: Lethrinus borbonicus Valenciennes, 1830, Lethrinus crocineus Smith, 1959, Lethrinus lentjan (Lacepède, 1802), Lethrinus microdon Valenciennes, 1830, and Lethrinus nebulosus (Forsskål, 1775). We also confirmed their validity as distinct species. Notably, L. crocineus, previously known only from the western Indian Ocean (Africa and Socotra), is now reported for the first time from the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. Lastly, a distribution map for the Lethrinus species is included.

Another new micro-endemic, limestone-dwelling leaf-toed gecko (Gekkonidae: Dixonius) from Phetchaburi Province, western Thailand

We describe Dixonius chotjuckdikuli sp. nov. from Khao Ebid (Mount Ibit), Khao Yoi District, Phetchaburi Province, western Thailand. The new, limestone-dwelling species differs from all currently recognized species of Dixonius by the following combination of morphological characters and pattern: maximal known snout-vent length of 45.6 mm, 18 (rarely 16) longitudinal rows of dorsal tubercles; 31 to 34 paravertebral scales; 18 (rarely 16) longitudinal rows of ventral scales across the abdomen; 20 to 22 interciliary scales; 5 or 6 precloacal pores in males, no pores in females; a marked canthal stripe extending beyond the shoulder; and a blotched dorsal pattern in males, females and juveniles. This description brings the number of Dixonius species to 17, among which seven species are endemic to Thailand.

A New Species of the Genus Takydromus (Squamata: Lacertidae) from Northeastern Guangxi, China.

During our collecting trip to Guangxi in 2016, we collected ten specimens of the genus Takydromus from the suburb of Guilin, northeastern Guangxi, South China, and found that they did not belong to any currently known species. Here, we described this new species, Takydromus guilinensis sp. nov., based on morphological and mitochondrial DNA (CO1 and cyt b) data. This new species is a sister taxon to T. intermedius with a p-distance of 0.070 in CO1 and 0.080 in cyt b. These two p-distances exceed not only the minimum value (0.067) between T. septentrionalis and T. stejnegeri but also the minimum value (0.079) between T. intermedius and T. yunkaiensis. Morphologically, this new species differs from other currently recognized Takydromus species from the same clade, more evidently in the longitudinal rows of dorsal scales, transverse rows of scales at the mid-body and mensural variables. The description of Takydromus guilinensis sp. nov. increases the total number of Takydromus species to 25, of which 16 can be found in China. Takydromus guilinensis sp. nov. is currently known only from Guilin, Guangxi, South China, where it is sympatric with the other four Takydromus species (T. septentrionalis, T. kuehnei, T. sexlineatus and T. intermedius).

A new species of karst-associated kukri snake (Reptilia: Squamata: Colubridae: Oligodon Fitzinger, 1826) from southern Thailand

Abstract We describe a new species of kukri snake (Oligodon Fitzinger, 1826) from the limestone karst formations of Satun and Trang Provinces in southern Thailand. Phylogenetic analyses based on three mitochondrial DNA fragments (12S–16S ribosomal rRNA and cytochrome b) recover the new species within the Oligodon cinereus species complex, where it forms a deeply divergent yet poorly supported clade sister to Oligodon saiyokSumontha et al., 2017 and another unnamed lineage currently referred to Oligodon cinereus (Günther, 1864) from southwest Myanmar. Morphologically, the new species is distinguished from all other members of the genus by the following combination of characters: ventral scales 189–193 with distinct lateral keeling; subcaudal scales 47–54, paired; anterior dorsal scale rows 17–19, with the reduction from 19 to 17 rows occurring above the 28th–30th ventral scale when present; maxillary teeth 8, blade-like and laterally compressed; dorsum olive–gray, plain; ventral surface white anteriorly, dark gray posteriorly; underside of tail dark gray, smeared with white. We briefly discuss the natural history and conservation status of this new species and provide observations of other kukri snakes inhabiting limestone karst habitats. Our study also incorporates genetic samples of four recently described Oligodon endemic to Thailand, all of which are recovered in the O. cinereus species complex. In agreement with previous studies, we demonstrate that species-level diversity within the O. cinereus species complex is underestimated, and additional sampling is necessary to revise this taxonomically challenging clade.

A new species of trout from the Köprüçay River, a drainage of Mediterranean Sea, Türkiye (Salmoniformes, Salmonidae)

Salmo ekmekciae, new species, is described from the Köprüçay River, a drainage of Mediterranean Sea. It is distinguished from Salmo species in adjacent water by having 9–10 parr marks on flank; 11–13 scale rows between end of base of adipose-fin and lateral line; 22–24 gill rakers on first gill arch; a shorter distance between adipose-fin and caudal-fin base; a slenderer caudal peduncle; and a slenderer body at adipose-fin origin. According to the Bayesian, and maximum likelihood analyses, Salmo ekmekciae cyt b gene resulted in coherent trees supported by high bootstrap values.

Another new species of karst-associated pitviper (Serpentes, Viperidae: Trimeresurus) from the Isthmus of Kra, Peninsular Thailand

We describe a new species of karst-dwelling pitviper from Chumphon Province of Peninsular Thailand, in the Isthmus of Kra, based on morphological and molecular data (2427 bp from cyt b, ND4 and 16S rRNA mitochondrial DNA genes). Morphologically, Trimeresurus kraensis sp. nov. is distinguished from other congeners by the following combination of morphological characters: a dark/bottle-green dorsum with reddish-brown or purple crossbands; pale green venter lacking dark dots; stripes present on the lateral sides of the ventrals; internasals generally in contact; one large supraocular scale on each side of the head; iris pale copper; tail brown with dark purplish-brown crossbars; dorsal scales in 21–21–15 rows; ventral scales 167 in a single male, 169–171 in females; subcaudal scales 62 in a single male, 52–54 in females, all paired. White vertebral spots present in males, located on approximately every two or four dorsal scales; dark brown spots forming discontinuous pattern present on 1–3 lateral dorsal scale rows; males with reddish-brown postocular stripe with jagged edges. The new species differs from the morphologically similar species Trimeresurus venustus s. str. by a notable divergence in cytochrome b mitochondrial DNA gene sequences (p = 5.9%).

Alienation and authoritarian appropriation – the spatiotemporality of political subjectivation under East German urban neoliberalism

This paper contributes to a growing field of spatial analyses of authoritarianism by asking how urban neoliberalization impacts authoritarian subjectivation. It analyses why working class long-term tenants in a gentrifying working class district of the East German city of Leipzig are susceptible to authoritarianism. It traces how their political subjectivation operates through space and time. The theoretical contribution is a spatio-temporally sensitive theorization of subjectivation between alienation and appropriation. Tenants’ experiences of alienation and their attempts of appropriation depend on processes of political economic restructuring in a row of scales from their flat to the reunited nation, and their classed position within these. The tenants in focus develop a nostalgic temporality of belonging, reminiscent of a lost past and devoid of present engagement or an imaginable future. This fosters ideological, authoritarian forms of appropriation, reproducing social hierarchies and scapegoating instead of encouraging practical engagement with present conditions.

Another New Species of the Cyrtodactylus annulatus Complex (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Maratua an Adjacent Island to Borneo, Indonesia

The region of Borneo is very interesting in its diversity of gekkonid lizards of the genus Cyrtodactylus. Until now, it is known to harbor 14 described species. Herein, we described a new member of this genus from the adjacent island of Maratua. Cyrtodactylus tehetehe sp. nov. is named after the specialty of the traditional cuisine of the Derawan Islands (sticky rice with coconut milk and a little salt wrapped in sea urchin skin, Echinoidea spp.). The new species forms a tight phylogenetic clade with Philippine taxa allied to C. annulatus and is sister to the Palawan species C. tautbatorum, a biogeographic surprise, given that C. jambangan and C. annulatus occur closer geographically, in the Sulu Archipelago. The new species can be distinguished from all other congeners by a combination of characters including maximum SVL, number of supralabials, infralabials, longitudinal dorsal tubercle rows, paravertebral tubercles, ventral scale rows, subdigital lamellae on fourth toe, by having tubercles on ventrolateral body folds, a single precloacal pore and enlarged precloacal scales, lacking tubercles on upper arm, enlarged femoral scales and respective pores, precloacal depression, and transversely enlarged median subcaudals.

Another new species of Dibamus Dumril & Bibron, 1839 (Squamata: Dibamidae) from Nui Chua National Park, Ninh Thuan Province, Vietnam.

A new species of dibamid lizard, Dibamus deimontis sp. nov., is described based on eight specimens collected from the highlands of Nui Chua Mountain within Nui Chua National Park, Ninh Thuan Province, southern Vietnam. Dibamus deimontis sp. nov. co-occurs with the recently described Dibamus tropcentr, but is recorded at higher elevations (670700 m a.s.l. vs. 200280 m a.s.l.), and in a different habitat and microhabitats than the previous species. Our study represents the first report on the near sympatric occurrence of two Dibamus species. The new species can be distinguished from other congeners by the following combination of characters: rostral, labial and nasal sutures incomplete; two to three postoculars; three to five scales on the posterior edge of infralabial; 2225 midbody scale rows; 193225 ventral scales; 4755 subcaudal scales; 115 presacral and 27 tail vertebrae (in a single male specimen examined); and maximum snout-vent length 136.2 mm. We suggest this species should be considered as Vulnerable (VU) following the IUCNs Red List categories. Our study brings the number of species in the genus Dibamus to 26; Dibamus deimontis sp. nov. is the eighth species of Dibamus recorded in Vietnam, and underlines the importance of the country as a local center of reptilian diversity in Southeast Asia.

Bridging the gap: A new species of arboreal Abronia (Squamata: Anguidae) from the Northern Highlands of Chiapas, Mexico.

The mountain forests of Middle America are renowned for their endemic biodiversity, and arboreal alligator lizards (genus Abronia) are high-profile vertebrates endemic to this region. In this work, we describe a new species of arboreal Abronia that is known only from the type locality in the Northern Highlands of Chiapas, Mexico. The new species is diagnosed from all other members of the genus Abronia by the following combination of characters: lack of protuberant or spine-like supra-auricular scales, lack of protuberant or casque-like posterolateral head scales, dorsum of head pale yellow with distinct dark markings, 35-39 transverse dorsal scale rows, lateralmost row of ventral scales enlarged relative to adjacent medial row, and dorsum brown with darker crossbands that are sometimes reduced to rows of spots. We provisionally include the new species in the subgenus Lissabronia based on genomic and morphological evidence, but our results also suggest a close relationship to the subgenus Abaculabronia. The new species is geographically separated from the nearest Lissabronia and Abaculabronia species by the lowland Central Depression of Chiapas. Ongoing habitat loss and other factors imperil the new species, leading us to propose its listing under multiple threatened species frameworks. Because the Northern Highlands have poor coverage of protected areas, we briefly comment on the potential of this new species for stimulating conservation in the region.

A new striped species of Brachychalcinus (Ostariophysi: Characiformes) from Amapá and Pará states, northern Brazil

Abstract A new species of Brachychalcinus is described from the rio Mapaoni, rio Jari basin, and the coastal rio Araguari, Amapá and Pará states, Brazil. The new species is distinguished from all congeners, except B. reisi, by possessing conspicuous longitudinal dark stripes across the body. It can be diagnosed from B. reisi by having longer predorsal and preanal spines, by having scales with few curved radii, and by having more scale rows between lateral line and midventral scale series. A single specimen from rio Tapajós (Pará, Brazil) bears all the diagnostic features of the new species and is herein tentatively identified as belonging to this taxon, extending its distribution to this river basin.

A new record and a novel morph description of Boigastoliczkae (Squamata, Colubridae) from China.

The Asian Cat Snake genus Boiga Fitzinger, 1826 includes 37 species, with high species diversity. Five species of Boiga have been recorded in China including B.multomaculata (Boie, 1827), B.kraepelini (Stejneger, 1902), B.cyanea (Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1854), B.guangxiensis (Wen, 1998) and B.siamensis (Nutaphand, 1971). Previously, the validity of the species Boigastoliczkae (Wall, 1909) was controversial. B.stoliczkae was considered in synonymy with B.ochracea. Currently, the taxonomy of B.multomaculata and B.ochracea (Theobald, 1868) was revised so that B.multomaculata and B.ochracea actually represent a single species and B.stoliczkae was recognised as a valid species. B.stoliczkae was previously known to be found in the west from central Nepal through Darjeeling, Sikkim and Bhutan to Arunachal Pradesh and Assam in north-eastern India. One adult female specimen of the Asian Cat Snake was collected from Gyirong County, near the China-Nepal border, Tibet, China during fieldwork on August 2023. We compared morphology and mitochondrial DNA sequence data with all the species of the genus Boiga. Both datasets strongly supported referring the Chinese specimens to B.stoliczkae (Wall, 1909) due to the 21 mid-dorsal scale rows and the uncorrected p-distance (mitochondrial DNA gene cytochrome b) between this specimen and B.stoliczkae which is 1.7%. We further described morphological characters of the Chinese specimen in detail and compared these with the specimens that had been previously described. The dorsal ground colour of the Chinese specimen is dark brown, with a black stripe distributed almost evenly across the tail. This is a novel morph of the species B.stoliczkae. The newly-collected Chinese specimen expands the distribution of the species on the Himalaya range.