Discovered a species of gecko from Vietnam

The description of a brand new species of geckos from northern Vietnam was revealed in Zootaxa (No. 2329, 2010) by the scientists from the Zoological Museum Dresden, Cologne Zoo (Germany); Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, and Vietnam National Museum of Nature (Vietnam).
The type specimens were collected from Huu Lien Nature Reserve (Lang Son Province) and from Sa Pa (Lao Cai Province). The new species, Gekko canhi Roesler, Nguyen, Doan, Ho, Nguyen & Ziegler, 2010, was given once the name of Assoc. Prof. Le Xuan Canh (Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, Hanoi), in recognition of his support and contribution towards biodiversity analysis in Vietnam.

Beside the Catba leopard gecko Goniurosaurus catbaensis from Cat Ba Island (Hai Phong) and Huulien leopard gecko Goniurosaurus huulienensis from Huu Lien (Lang Son), each were described in 2008, this can be the third new species of geckos from northern Vietnam within the past of 2 years.

Gekko canhi is characterised by a mix of the subsequent morphological features: body size moderate (snout-vent length 85–99 mm); 12–14 supralabials, 10–13 infralabials; 47–50 interorbital scales; 10–13 dorsal tubercle rows; 164–170 midbody scales; 13–16 subdigital lamellae underneath the primary toe, 14–17 lamellae underneath the fourth toe; tibial tubercles present; five precloacal pores; caudal tubercles present; subcaudals enlarged.

The new species is comparable to Gekko japonicus, however, it differs from the latter species by having a beer size, higher range of interorbital scales, additional scales round the middle of the body, additional ventral scales, additional lamellae below the primary toe, however fewer precloacal pores. this can be additionally eighth species of geckos known from Vietnam.

Source: MSc. Nguyen Quang Truong
Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources
Editor: Minh Tam