Herpetology Notes, volume 13: 675-678 (2020) (published online on 16 August 2020)

First record of Tropidophorus baviensis Bourret, 1939 (: Scincidae) from Lao PDR

Shinya Okabe1,*, Daosavanh Sanamxay2, Nguyen Quang Truong3,4, and Masaharu Motokawa5

The water Tropidophorus Duméril & Province (Nguyen et al., 2009), Ba Vi National Park in Bibron, 1839 is characterized by a superficial tympanum Hanoi (Bourret, 1939; Ngo et al., 2000), Cuc Phuong and mainly inhabiting the edges of forest streams National Park in Ninh Binh Province (Bobrov and Ho, (Hikida et al., 2002; Das, 2010). This genus currently 1993; Hikida et al., 2002), and Nghe An Province as contains 29 species (Pui et al., 2017). Two of these, T. the southernmost record (Fig. 1; Nguyen et al., 2010a). laotus Smith, 1923 and T. microlepis Günther, 1861, Therefore, the species has been considered an endemic are currently known from Lao PDR (Chuaynkern et al., of northern Vietnam. 2005). During our recent field survey in northeastern In Lao PDR, a single adult male specimen individual Laos, an individual of Tropidophorus was collected in (FES FES-KYOTO U 0633) (Fig. 2) was collected on Xiengkhouang Province. Closer examination of this 14 August 2019 in the forest of Phousabod-Pungchong specimen revealed it to be a representative of the Bavi National Protected Area, Kham District, Xiengkhouang Water Skink, T. baviensis, a species previously known Province (19.7436°N, 103.5733°E, elevation 1180 m; only from Vietnam. Fig. 1). The specimen was deposited in collection of the Tropidophorus baviensis was originally described Faculty of Environmental Sciences, National University by Bourret (1939) from Mt. Ba Vi, Ha Tay Province of Laos, Vientiane, and presents with the following (now Hanoi), Vietnam, based on a single holotype. The morphological characters: upper head scales feebly species was redescribed by Ngo et al. (2000) based on 23 rugose; prefrontals in contact with each other; frontonasal adults and eight juveniles collected at the type locality, undivided; postmental undivided; two loreals; five with a discussion of morphological variation. The supraciliaries, supraciliary row not completed along species has now been recorded from several localities the entire length of lateral edge of supraoculars; in northern Vietnam, including Muong Te in Lai Chau nuchals in 2 pairs; six supralabials; five infralabials; 30 Province (Hikida et al., 2002), Son La Province (Pham midbody scale rows, scales keeled; 48 ventral scales; 53 et al., 2018), Xuan Son National Park in Phu Tho paravertebral scales; two preanal shields; 12 scale rows at tenth subcaudal on tail; 17 subdigital lamellae under fourth toe (these listed characters follow diagnosis in Nguyen et al., 2010a). Morphological characters of this specimen were similar to those of 11 examined specimens from Son La 1 Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa- and Hoa Binh Provinces, northern Vietnam, which were Oiwakecho, Sakyo, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan. newly examined for this study in the collection of the 2 Faculty of Environmental Sciences, National University of Laos, Xaythany District, Vientiane Capital, Lao PDR. Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources (IEBR), 3 Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, Vietnam Hanoi (Table 1). The specimen collected in Lao PDR Academy of Science and Technology, 18 Hoang Quoc Viet also morphologically resembles T. baviensis specimens Road, Hanoi, Vietnam. reported in previous study (Nguyen et al., 2010a) (Table 4 Graduate University of Science and Technology, Vietnam 1). Academy of Science and Technology, 18 Hoang Quoc Viet Among the three species of Tropidophorus from Lao Road, Hanoi, Vietnam. PDR, T. baviensis differs from T. microlepis by having 5 The Kyoto University Museum, Kyoto University, Sakyo, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan. two preanal scales (three in T. microlepis; Chuaynkern * Corresponding author. E-mail: et al., 2005) and from T. laotus in having an undivided [email protected] frontonasal (divided in T. laotus), separated parietals (in 676 Shinya Okabe et al.

Figure 1. Distribution map of Tropidophorus baviensis in Vietnam (1)-(6), and in Lao PDR (7): (1) Lai Chau Province, (2) Son La Province, (3) Phu Tho Province, (4) Ba Vi National Park, Hanoi, (5) Ninh Binh Province, (6) Nghe An Province in Vietnam; and (7) Phousabod-Pungchong National Protected Area, Xiengkhouang Province, in Lao PDR. Filled circles indicate previously known localities and the star marks the new locality from Lao PDR.

Figure 2. Lateral view of Tropidophorus baviensis (FES FES-KYOTO U 0633) from Phousabod-Pungchong National Protected Area, Kham District, Xiengkhouang Province, Lao PDR. Photo by Daosavanh Sanamxay. First record of Tropidophorus baviensis from Lao PDR 677

Table 1. Scalation and measurements (in mm) of Tropidophorus baviensis (FES FES-KYOTO U 0633) from Xiengkhouang Province,Table 1. Lao Scalation PDR with and several measurements specimens (in from mm) Hoa of BinhTropidophorus and Son La baviensisProvinces, (FES Vietnam FES-KYOTO and data from U 633)Nguyen from et Xiengkhouangal. (2010a). Province, Lao PDR with several specimens from Hoa Binh and Son La Provinces, Vietnam and data from Nguyen et al. (2010a).

Characters FES FES-KYOTO U 0633 Hoa Binh, Son La (n = 11) Nguyen et al. (2010a) Upper head scales feebly rugose smooth or feebly rugose smooth Direction of scales on flanks straight backward straight backward straight backward Scales on dorsum Keeled feebly keeled or keeled keeled Parietals separated separated narrowly in contact or separated Scale rows at 10th subcaudal 12 11, rarely 12 or 13 11 Midbody scale rows 30 26–30 28–30 Ventral scales 48 44–49 44–49 Paravertebral scales 53 48–56 47–69 Supralabials 6 6–7 6 Infralabials 5 5–6 5 Supraciliaries 5 5–6 5–6 Lamellae under 4th finger 14 13–15 13–15 Lamellae under 4th toe 17 17–21 18–21 Snout-vent length 69.5 73.7–97.0 55.7–84.9 Hemipenis length 9.6 6.9–9.6 –

contact with each other in T. laotus), and keeled scales from Lao PDR was collected at much higher elevation on the dorsum and flanks (smooth in T. laotus; Nguyen (1180 m) than in Vietnam (400 m) (see Ngo et al., 2000). et al., 2010b). Therefore, our new record extends both the horizontal Tropidophorus baviensis from Lao PDR was slightly and vertical distribution of T. baviensis (Nguyen et al., differed from T. baviensis in Vietnam described by 2010a; Pham et al., 2018). Nguyen et al. (2010a) (Table 1) in having feebly rugose In reference to1 habitat, the specimen of T. baviensis scales on the dorsal surface of the head (smooth in the from Lao PDR was found on the ground in the leaf previous study), 12 scale rows at the tenth subcaudal litter beside a fallen tree, about 20 m distant from a (11 in the previous study), and 17 lamellae under small stream in evergreen forest. Indeed, T. baviensis the fourth toe (18–21 in the previous study). In our is known to inhabit roadsides at some distance (> 50 examination of the specimens of T. baviensis from Son m) from the nearest stream (Ngo et al., 2000). The La and Hoa Binh Provinces, Vietnam (Table 1), the Vietnamese specimens from Hoa Binh Province were following morphological variation was found, which also collected in rock crevices, about 200 m distant from has not been mentioned or clear in the previous study the nearest water source. These observations suggest (Chuaynkern et al., 2005; Nguyen et al., 2010a): upper that T. baviensis might be less strongly associated with head scales feebly rugose or smooth; 11 scale rows at flowing water than some of its congeners. tenth subcaudal, rarely 12 or 13; 17–21 lamellae under the fourth toe; supraciliary row interrupted by a large Acknowledgements. We are grateful to the staff of the supraocular or in a continuous line. Department of Forestry, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, This new record of T. baviensis represents the first Lao PDR, particularly Chitpasong Seanthammavong for his record from Lao PDR and shows that the distribution support of our field work and issuance of permits. We thank the staff of the Agriculture and Forestry Office, Kham District, of T. baviensis extends beyond northern Vietnam into Xiengkhouang Province, specifically Sangket Vongsoulith, northeastern Lao PDR. The new locality is approximately Somsanith Phankham, and Soutta Keomany for their help in the 185 km west of Nghe An Province, Vietnam (Nguyen et field. We further thank C.T. Pham, H.N. Ngo, and A.V. Pham for al., 2010a). In terms of altitudinal range, T. baviensis their assistance in the field in Vietnam. This study was supported 678 Shinya Okabe et al. by the JSPS Core-to-Core Program and a JSPS KAKENHI grant Ngo, A., Murphy, R.W., Orlov, N.L., Darevsky, I.S., Nguyen, V.S. JP18H03602. 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Accepted by Lukas Hartmann