A new species of blind skink of the genus Dibamus Duméril ET Bibron, 1839 (Squamata, Dibamidae) from Сambodia

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Abstract

We describe a new species of blind skink of the genus Dibamus Duméril et Bibron, 1839 based on five specimens collected from Bokor National Park, Kampot Province, southern Cambodia. Dibamus elephantinus sp. n. can be distinguished from its congeners by the following combination of morphological characters: snout-vent length (SVL) up to 129.3 mm; tail length comprises 17–22% of SVL; rostral suture incomplete; nasal and labial sutures complete; single postocular; three scales at the posteromedial edge of first infralabial; two scales at the posterior edge of second infralabial; the medial sublabial scale enlarged; 19 midbody scale rows; 22 transverse scale rows just posterior to head; 17–19 transverse scale rows just anterior to vent; 178–202 ventral scales; 46–52 subcaudal scales; relative size of frontal to frontonasal (FSW/FNSW) 127–136%; relative size of interparietal to surrounding scales (IPW/NSW) 111–140%; in males hindlimbs longer than head length (HLL/HL 74–78%); the light colored band on the body may be present or absent. We provide an osteological description of the new species based on micro-CT data. Genetically and morphologically Dibamus elephantinus sp. n. is most closely related to D. dalaiensis inhabiting the western part of the Cardamom Mountains in Cambodia. The new species inhabits montane evergreen forests of Damrei Range (also known as Elephant Mountains) at elevations of ca. 1000 m a. s. l. Our study brings the number of species in the genus Dibamus to 27; Dibamus elephantinus sp. n. is the second species of Dibamus to be recorded from Cambodia.

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About the authors

N. S. Kliukin

Lomonosov Moscow State University

Email: n.poyarkov@gmail.com

Department of Vertebrate Zoology

Russian Federation, Leninskiye Gory, GSP-1, Moscow, 119991

A. M. Bragin

Joint Vietnam – Russia Tropical Science and Technology Research Center

Email: n.poyarkov@gmail.com
Viet Nam, 63 Nguyen Van Huyen Road, Nghia Do, Cau Giay, Hanoi

Thy Neang

Wild Earth Allies

Email: n.poyarkov@gmail.com
Cambodia, #77a, St. Betong, Bayap Village, Sk. Phnom Penh Thmei, Kh. Sen Sok, Phnom Penh

V. A. Gorin

Lomonosov Moscow State University

Email: n.poyarkov@gmail.com

Department of Vertebrate Zoology

Russian Federation, Leninskiye Gory, GSP-1, Moscow, 119991

A. A. Lisenkova

Lomonosov Moscow State University

Email: n.poyarkov@gmail.com
Russian Federation, Leninskiye Gory, GSP-1, Moscow, 119991

V. Y. Bogatyreva

Zoological Museum, Moscow State University

Email: n.poyarkov@gmail.com
Russian Federation, Moscow, 2 Bolshaya Nikitskaya St., Moscow 125009

N. A. Poyarkov

Lomonosov Moscow State University; Joint Vietnam – Russia Tropical Science and Technology Research Center

Author for correspondence.
Email: n.poyarkov@gmail.com

Department of Vertebrate Zoology

Russian Federation, Leninskiye Gory, GSP-1, Moscow, 119991; 63 Nguyen Van Huyen Road, Nghia Do, Cau Giay, Hanoi, Vietnam

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Supplementary files

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2. Fig. 1. Distribution of representatives of the genus Dibamus in southern Indochina. The type territories of the species are indicated by the dot in the center of the locality marker. Abbreviations: CA – Cambodia, VN – Vietnam, LA – Laos, TA – Thailand. Localities: Laos: 1 – Paksong District, Champasak Province (FMNH 258662); Vietnam: 2 – Saola Nature Reserve, Aluoi District, Thua Tien–Hue Province (Nguyen et al., 2009); 3 – Son Tra Nature Reserve, Da Nang (Phan et al., 2021); 4 – Ngo Klinh Nature Reserve, Da Nang Province (Le et al., 1999); 5 – Conturang Nature Reserve and Cham Lap Village, Gia Lai Province (Darevsky, 1992); 6 – Buon Luoi, Da Nang Province. (Gia Lai, Vietnam) (Darevsky, 1992); (7) An To An Protected Forest, Binh Dinh Province (ZMMU NAP-16013); (8) Da Ban, Ninh Hoa District, Khanh Hoa Province (Greer, 1985; Darevsky, 1992); (9) Hon Ba Nature Reserve, Khanh Hoa Province (Bobrov, 2008); (10) Da Vạt Mountain and Nuoc Ngot River, Nuy Cua National Park, Ninh Thuan Province (Kliukin et al., 2023); (11) Nuy Cua Mountain, Nuy Cua National Park, Ninh Thuan Province (Kliukin et al., 2024); (12) Le Bosquet, Da Lat City, Vietnam Province. Lam Dong (Smith, 1921); 13 – Binh Chau-Phuoc Buu Nature Reserve, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province (Ineich, 1999); 14 – Con Dao National Park, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province (Honda et al., 2001); Cambodia: 15 – Phnom Bokor Mountain, Bokor National Park, Kampot Province (this article); 16 – Phnom Dalai Mountain, Phnom Samkos Nature Reserve, Pursat Province (Neang et al., 2011); Thailand: 17 – Khao Soi Dao Nature Reserve, Chanthaburi Province (Honda et al., 1997).

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3. Fig. 2. Dendrogram constructed using the maximum likelihood (ML) method and illustrating the phylogenetic relationships of the Dibamidae family based on the analysis of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene fragment sequences. The numbers in the dendrogram nodes correspond to the ML UFBS and BI PP support values, respectively.

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4. Fig. 3. Holotype of Dibamus elephantinus sp. n. (ZMMU Re-17894, male). Scale 10 mm. Photo by Klyukin N. S.

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5. Fig. 4. Photographs of the head (A–C) and a pholidosis diagram (D–F) of the holotype of Dibamus elephantinus sp. n. (ZMMU Re-17894, male); pholidosis diagram of the holotype of D. dalaiensis (G–I) (LSUHC09777, after Neang et al., 2011). The head is shown from the side (A, D, G), from the dorsal (B, E, H) and from the ventral (C, H, I) sides. Scale bar is 1 mm. Photographs A–C and pholidosis drawings (D–I) were made by Klyukin N. S.

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6. Fig. 5. Scheme of pholidosis of the cloacal region and limbs of Dibamus elephantinus sp. n. (A – holotype ZMMU Re-17894, male) and D. dalaiensis (B – holotype LSUHC09777, male, after: Neang et al., 2011). Drawings by Klyukin N. S.

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7. Fig. 6. Morphology of the skeleton of the holotype of Dibamus elephantinus sp. n. (ZMMU Re-17894, male) based on micro-CT data. General view of the skeleton (A); skull from the ventral side (B), from the dorsal side (C), from the side (D); elements of the skeleton of the cloacal region from the side (E) and from the ventral side (F), the vertebral column is shaded. Ossification designations are given according to Greer (1985) and Rieppel (1984). Notes: * – the bones are fused; ** – the compound bone is a fusion of the spleniale, articulare, angulare and supraangulare (see Greer, 1985); *** – parabasisphenoid complex (see Rieppel, 1984).

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