Another species of the Bent-toed geckos discovered in Vietnam

31/07/2024

Scientists from the Vietnam National Museum of Nature have discovered a new species of the Bent-toed geckos in Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park, Quang Binh Province. The new species is named Hang Va Bent-toed gecko, with the scientific name Cyrtodactylus hangvaensis. The new species is closely related to Cyrtodactylus roesleri living in Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park and Cyrtodactylus sommerladi living in the limestone mountains bordering Laos. The new species name “C. hangvaensis” refers to the cave near where the new species was found.

The Hang Va Bent-toed gecko. Photo by Tang Van Duong

The distribution range of the new species of the Hang Va Bent-toed gecko is still unknown, and it has only been recorded at the location where it was found. This discovery shows that the limestone ecosystem of Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park still has a lot of potential for biodiversity that needs to be explored.

The new research is within the framework of the project "Research on biodiversity of Son Doong cave system in Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park, Quang Binh province for conservation and sustainable development", Code: DTDL.CN-113/21 by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vu Van Lien; chaired by Vietnam Museum of Nature, VAST.

Source: TANG VAN DUONG, LIEN VAN VU, HIEN THI THU VU, Dan Mulcahy, ANDREY M. BRAGIN, NIKOLAY A. POYARKOV Jr. & L. LEE GRISMER, (2024). Another new species of Cyrtodactylus Gray, 1927 (Squamata: Gekkonidae) of the angularis group from the karstic landscape of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, central Vietnam. Zootaxa, 5471 (5): 555–571. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5471.5.3

News: Thu Hien, Vietnam National Museum of Nature, VAST
Link to Vietnamese version