Calotes vindumbarbatus, P. & F. & T. & M. & A. & W., 2021

Wagner, Philipp, Ihlow, Flora, Hartmann, Timo, Flecks, Morris, Schmitz, Andreas & Böhme, Wolfgang, 2021, Integrative approach to resolve the Calotes mystaceus Duméril & Bibron, 1837 species complex (Squamata: Agamidae), Bonn zoological Bulletin 70 (1), pp. 141-171 : 161-166

Calotes vindumbarbatus sp. n.

( Fig. 2 , Clade C)

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:202D3652-BF04-464E-87A2-E1A4611C0CA1

Holotype. CAS 232388 (adult male, Fig. 9 A-B, Clade C) from Myanmar, Kachin State, Myitkyina Township, Gat Shang Yang village [25.373421° N, 97.37475° E], collected by T.Z. Min on April 8 th 2003 .

Paratypes. CAS 232247 from Myanmar, Sagaing Division, Homalin Township, North of Swekawngaw [25.371694° N, 95.369028° E, 205 m.] ; CAS 232387 from Myanmar, Kachin State: Myitkyina, Gat Shang Yang village ; CAS 239206 from Myanmar, Sagaing Division, Hkanti District, Hkanti Township, Linpha village [25.803389° N, 95.528778° E, 155 m.] ; CAS 232819 from Myanmar, Kachin State, Mohnyin Township, Hepu village [25.094528° N, 96.401833° E, 254 m.] ; ZFMK 97990 (formerly CAS 232389 ) from Myanmar, Kachin State: Myitkyina, Gat Shang Yang village .

Diagnosis. Asmall Calotes species of the complex, males with a known maximum SVL of 77 mm, females with a SVL of 73 mm. Tail length short, up to 140 mm. It can be distinguished from the other species of the complex by the combination of the following characters: 1) head slender, not as distinctfrom the body as in other species of the complex; 2) body scales small and homogeneous, smooth, and arranged in regular rows around the body. 3) Upper dorsolateral scales pointing backwards; 4) body scales arranged in 50–54 rows around midbody; 5) 40–47 vertebral spines and scales in males, 44–48 in females; two short and well separated spines above the tympanum; 6) low nuchal and dorsal crest continuous to the midpoint between the limbs, composed of erect compressed scales, which are larger on the nuchal and smaller on the dorsal crest, gradually decreasing towards the end of the crest; 7) oblique skinfold in front of the fore limb; 8) extremities and tail long, but shorter than in C. mystaceus ; 9) bluish head and chest; 10) whitish stripe from about the nostril, along the upper lip to about the insertion of the fore limb, posteriorly the whitish stripe is laterally intersected by a dark reticulate pattern across vertebrae; 11) brownish blotches missing.

Description of the holotype. Small male (SVL 77 mm). Extremities relatively slender with the fourth finger and toe longest, tail incomplete. Head slightly distinct from the neck, area posterior of jaw angle slightly swollen. Tip of the snout blunt, rostral small, nostril in a single scale, separated from the rostral and the first supralabial scale by two scales in a row. Canthus rostralis of five scales, distinct and straight, canthus scales continuous with supraciliary scales. Lateral sides of the head flat with 9/9 supralabial scales separated from the orbit by three rows of small scales. Five feebly ridged scales from the orbit to above the tympanum. Tympanum distinct, one spiny scale posteriorly above the tympanum. Mental scale small, bordered by two postmental scales which are separated from each other, only the first pair is in contact with the infralabial scales; 10/10 infralabial scales. Lateral scales on the chin and throat smooth, becoming keeled towards the ventral part. Acontinuous vertebral crest of elevated spiny scales from above the tympanum to about mid-body, spine height gradually decreasing posterior of the neck, in total 40 vertebral scales from the nape to above the cloaca. Dorsal and lateral scales keeled, pointing back- and upwards, in 50 rows around midbody. Caudal scales parallel keeled, directed backwards. Ventral scales parallel keeled.

Male coloration. Brilliant coloration unknown ( Fig. 9 C). Head most probably blue, with a whitish stripe, less broad than in the other species of the C. mystaceus complex, from behind the nasal scale along the upper lips and the tympanum to the shoulders. Followed by one distinct and one or more indistinct lateral blotches of the same color.

Variation. Body measurements and meristic characters for adult individuals are given in Table 4 . Specimens ranged in size from the smallest female with a SVL of 47 mm (CAS 232247) and the largest female with a SVL of 73 mm (CAS 232387) to the largest male with a SVL of 77 mm (CAS 232388). Adult males are slightly larger than females, because of longer SVLs and tail lengths, and have fewer vertebral scales including the crest scales. However, proportionally males and females are equal. Dorsal coloration of females unknown, but most probably similar to other taxa of the species group with females having lighter coloration characters (lateral stripe, blotches) than males. Most probably, both sexes are able to change their coloration.

Etymology. The specific epithet is a patronym honoring Jens Vindum, retired staff of the California Academy of Sciences, in respect of his outstanding contributions to the herpetology of Myanmar and SE Asia. The patronym of his family name was used, in recognition of his impressive beard which has a direct link to “mystaceus” [Greek for bearded], together with the Latin word “barbatus” for bearded.

Distribution. This new species is so far only known from northern Myanmar.

Ecology. Calotes vindumbarbatus sp. n. is diurnal and arboreal to semi-arboreal. It inhabits forests and more open habitats with a dense canopy, but detailed habitat preference is unknown. As in other Calotes species the diet most likely consists predominantly of arthropods, but details are not known.

Calotes vindumbarbatus sp. n. (n = 6): CAS 232247 , CAS 232387 , CAS 232388 , CAS 232389 ( now ZFMK 97990 ), CAS 232819 , CAS 239206 .

Figures

Fig. 2. The Bayesian consensus tree based on 988 bp of mitochondrial DNA (12S rRNA and COI) shows six distinct lineages within Calotes mystaceus. Node support in terms of Bayesian posterior probabilities is indicated by circles at nodes (nodes with a BPP ≥ 0.90 are white, BPP ≥ 0.95 are grey, BPP ≥ 0.99 are black, values <0.90 are not marked). Outgroup (Calotes versicolor) not shown for clarity. Numbers in parentheses behind taxa refer to localities mapped in Fig. 1.

Fig. 9. Calotes vindumbarbatus sp. n. A. Holotype (CAS 232388, adult male) from Myanmar, Kachin State, Gat Shang Yang Village, general view from above. B. Holotype, lateral view. C. Living adult male (CAS 232819) from Myanmar, Kachin State, Mohnyin Township, Hepu village [25.094528° N, 96.401833° E, alt. 243 m.].