new amphibian and reptile records from ha giang …...herpetology notes, volume 7: 185-201 (2014)...

17
Introduction Although Vietnam is in the focus of herpetological research since decades (e.g., Nguyen, 2006; Nguyen et al., 2009), there still remains a considerable number of new records and even species descriptions regularly being published from this country (e.g., Bain, Nguyen and Doan, 2007; Ziegler and Nguyen, 2010). Recent research in the Vietnamese-Chinese border region has revealed a number of species descriptions (e.g., David et al., 2012; Nguyen et al., 2010a, 2011b, 2012, 2013a, b) which clearly underlines the poor research state of these forested regions. One of these poorly studied regions in northeastern Vietnam near the Vietnamese-Chinese border is Ha Giang Province. Only a few studies have been conducted in this province so far. Most important is the recent overview of Bain and Nguyen (2004), describing two new species from that province including a first provincial herpetofaunal list with 36 recorded species of amphibians (33 identified and 3 unknown species) and 16 recorded species of reptiles. Further new herpetofaunal records for Ha Giang Province were published by Ziegler et al. (2006b), Le and Ziegler (2009), Nguyen, Ho and Nguyen (2009) and Nguyen et al. (2010b). Most recently, Ohler et al. (2011) described the megophryid anuran species Leptolalax nyx from Ha Herpetology Notes, volume 7: 185-201 (2014) (published online on 16 April 2014) New amphibian and reptile records from Ha Giang Province, northern Vietnam Thomas Ziegler 1,2 , Dao Thi Anh Tran 3,4 , Truong Quang Nguyen 2,5 , Ronith Gila Bina Perl 2,6 Lea Wirk 2 , Magdalena Kulisch 2 , Tanja Lehmann 1,7 , Anna Rauhaus 1 , Tao Thien Nguyen 8 , Quyet Khac Le 9,10 and Thanh Ngoc Vu 9 1 Cologne Zoo, Riehler Straße 173, 50735 Cologne, Germany. 2 Zoological Institute, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Str. 47 b, 50674 Cologne, Germany. 3 University of Science, Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, 227 Nguyen Van Cu, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. 4 Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum Alexander Koenig, Adenauerallee 160, 53113 Bonn, Germany 5 Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 18 Hoang Quoc Viet, Hanoi, Vietnam. 6 Zoological Institute, Technical University of Braunschweig, Mendelssohnstr. 4, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany. 7 Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, Germany. 8 Vietnam National Museum of Nature, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 18 Hoang Quoc Viet, Hanoi, Vietnam. 9 Faculty of Biology, University of Science, Vietnam National University, 334 Nguyen Trai Str., Thanh Xuan, Hanoi, Vietnam. 10 University of Colorado Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA. Abstract. Based on herpetological surveys conducted between December 2006 and May 2008 in the Tung Vai forest, Quan Ba District, Ha Giang Province, northern Vietnam we recorded eight amphibian species (Hyla annectans, Babina chapaensis, Odorrana cf. jingdongensis, O. junlianensis, Gracixalus cf. jinxiuensis, Rhacophorus duboisi, R. feae, and R. robertingeri) and twelve reptile species (Gekko cf. palmatus, Sphenomorphus indicus, Cyclophiops major, C. multicinctus, Euprepiophis mandarinus, Lycodon meridionalis, Oligodon chinensis, Oreocryptophis porphyraceus, Orthriophis taeniurus, Pseudoxenodon macrops, Rhabdophis subminiatus, and Sinomicrurus macclellandii) for the first time for that province. Based on our recent findings together with literature surveys we provide an updated herpetofaunal list for Ha Giang Province, in total comprising 102 species (50 species of amphibians, and 52 species of reptiles). Keywords. Herpetofauna, northern Vietnam, Ha Giang Province, morphology, taxonomy, distribution, first record.

Upload: others

Post on 20-May-2020

3 views

Category:

Documents


0 download

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: New amphibian and reptile records from Ha Giang …...Herpetology Notes, volume 7: 185-201 (2014) (published online on 16 April 2014) New amphibian and reptile records from Ha Giang

Introduction

Although Vietnam is in the focus of herpetological research since decades (e.g., Nguyen, 2006; Nguyen et al., 2009), there still remains a considerable number of new records and even species descriptions regularly being published from this country (e.g., Bain, Nguyen and Doan, 2007; Ziegler and Nguyen, 2010). Recent research in the Vietnamese-Chinese border region has revealed a number of species descriptions (e.g., David et al., 2012; Nguyen et al., 2010a, 2011b, 2012, 2013a, b) which clearly underlines the poor research state of these forested regions. One of these poorly studied regions in northeastern Vietnam near the Vietnamese-Chinese border is Ha Giang Province. Only a few studies have been conducted in this province so far. Most important is the recent overview of Bain and Nguyen (2004), describing two new species from that province including a first provincial herpetofaunal list with 36 recorded species of amphibians (33 identified and 3 unknown species) and 16 recorded species of reptiles. Further new herpetofaunal records for Ha Giang Province were published by Ziegler et al. (2006b), Le and Ziegler (2009), Nguyen, Ho and Nguyen (2009) and Nguyen et al. (2010b). Most recently, Ohler et al. (2011) described the megophryid anuran species Leptolalax nyx from Ha

Herpetology Notes, volume 7: 185-201 (2014) (published online on 16 April 2014)

New amphibian and reptile records from Ha Giang Province, northern Vietnam

Thomas Ziegler1,2, Dao Thi Anh Tran3,4, Truong Quang Nguyen2,5, Ronith Gila Bina Perl2,6 Lea Wirk2, Magdalena Kulisch2, Tanja Lehmann1,7, Anna Rauhaus1, Tao Thien Nguyen8, Quyet Khac Le9,10

and Thanh Ngoc Vu9

1 Cologne Zoo, Riehler Straße 173, 50735 Cologne, Germany.2 Zoological Institute, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Str. 47

b, 50674 Cologne, Germany.3 University of Science, Vietnam National University, Ho Chi

Minh City, 227 Nguyen Van Cu, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

4 Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum Alexander Koenig, Adenauerallee 160, 53113 Bonn, Germany

5 Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 18 Hoang Quoc Viet, Hanoi, Vietnam.

6 Zoological Institute, Technical University of Braunschweig, Mendelssohnstr. 4, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany.

7 Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, Germany.8 Vietnam National Museum of Nature, Vietnam Academy

of Science and Technology, 18 Hoang Quoc Viet, Hanoi, Vietnam.

9 Faculty of Biology, University of Science, Vietnam National University, 334 Nguyen Trai Str., Thanh Xuan, Hanoi, Vietnam.

10 University of Colorado Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA.

Abstract. Based on herpetological surveys conducted between December 2006 and May 2008 in the Tung Vai forest, Quan Ba District, Ha Giang Province, northern Vietnam we recorded eight amphibian species (Hyla annectans, Babina chapaensis, Odorrana cf. jingdongensis, O. junlianensis, Gracixalus cf. jinxiuensis, Rhacophorus duboisi, R. feae, and R. robertingeri) and twelve reptile species (Gekko cf. palmatus, Sphenomorphus indicus, Cyclophiops major, C. multicinctus, Euprepiophis mandarinus, Lycodon meridionalis, Oligodon chinensis, Oreocryptophis porphyraceus, Orthriophis taeniurus, Pseudoxenodon macrops, Rhabdophis subminiatus, and Sinomicrurus macclellandii) for the first time for that province. Based on our recent findings together with literature surveys we provide an updated herpetofaunal list for Ha Giang Province, in total comprising 102 species (50 species of amphibians, and 52 species of reptiles).

Keywords. Herpetofauna, northern Vietnam, Ha Giang Province, morphology, taxonomy, distribution, first record.

Page 2: New amphibian and reptile records from Ha Giang …...Herpetology Notes, volume 7: 185-201 (2014) (published online on 16 April 2014) New amphibian and reptile records from Ha Giang

Thomas Ziegler et al.186

Giang Province, and Nishikawa, Matsui and Nguyen (2013) described a new salamander species, Tylototriton ziegleri, from the northern provinces of Cao Bang and Ha Giang pointing again towards the necessity of ongoing research in these regions. As a result of recent field work in the Tung Vai forest in Ha Giang between 2006 and 2008 we herein provide new records of amphibians and reptiles including an updated checklist of the herpetofauna known from Ha Giang.

Material and methods

Field surveys were conducted by Quyet Khac Le and Thanh Ngoc Vu in the Tung Vai forest, Quan Ba District, Ha Giang Province (Fig. 1), northern Vietnam between December 2006 and May 2008. The typical habitat consisted of evergreen broad-leaved forest on limestone affected by cultivation of cardamom (Amomum tsaoko). Surveys were taken place along forest paths and streams. Specimens were photographed in the field and

subsequently released, or collected and photographed prior to preservation. Specimens were fixed in 4% formalin or in 40-60% ethanol (amphibians) and 90% ethanol (reptiles) and subsequently transferred in 70 % ethanol for permanent storage. Specimens referred to in this paper were deposited in the following collections: Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources (IEBR), Hanoi, Vietnam; Zoological Museum, Vietnam National University Hanoi (VNUH), Vietnam; Vietnam National Museum of Nature (VNMN), Hanoi, Vietnam; and Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum Alexander Koenig, Bonn (ZFMK), Germany.

A total of 25 specimens of amphibians were collected (Leptobrachium chapaense IEBR A.2013.94, ZFMK 95471; Xenophrys major ZFMK 95472; Hyla annectans IEBR A.2013.93, ZFMK 95473; Limnonectes cf. bannaensis IEBR A.2013.95, A.2013.96, VNUH 19.11.04-1, ZFMK 95474; Quasipaa spinosa IEBR A.2013.97, VNUH 19.11.04-2, ZFMK 95475; Babina chapaensis IEBR A.2013.98, ZFMK 95476; Odorrana

Figure 1. (A) Map showing the location of Ha Giang Province in northern Vietnam; (B, C) Tung Vai forest, Quan Ba District, Ha Giang Province, where surveys were conducted.

Page 3: New amphibian and reptile records from Ha Giang …...Herpetology Notes, volume 7: 185-201 (2014) (published online on 16 April 2014) New amphibian and reptile records from Ha Giang

chloronota ZFMK 95477; Odorrana cf. jingdongensis ZFMK 95478; Odorrana junlianensis ZFMK 95479; Gracixalus gracilipes ZFMK 93670; G. cf. jinxiuensis IEBR A.2013.99, ZFMK 93668-9; Rhacophorus duboisi IEBR A.2013.100, ZFMK 95481; R. robertingeri ZFMK 95480; Theloderma asperum IEBR A.2013.101, ZFMK 95482) and 10 specimens of reptiles (Acanthosaura lepidogaster ZFMK 95483; Sphenomorphus indicus ZFMK 95484; Cyclophiops major ZFMK 95485; Oligodon chinensis ZFMK 95486; Pseudoxenodon macrops IEBR A.2013.102, ZFMK 95487; Rhabdophis subminiatus ZFMK 95488; Ovophis tonkinensis ZFMK 95489-95490; Sinomicrurus macclellandii VNMN 899) (see Tables 1-3).

Taxonomic identifications were based on Boulenger (1893), Smith (1943), Bourret (1936, 1942, 2009), Liu (1950), Taylor (1962), Schulz (1996), Ohler et al. (2000), Ziegler (2002), Bain et al. (2003), Bain and Stuart (2006), Ziegler et al. (2006a, 2007), Bourret (2009), Chuaynkern et al. (2010), Nguyen et al. (2011a), and Orlov et al. (2012). Nomenclature for amphibians followed Bain et al. (2009), McLeod (2010), Yu, Zhang and Yang (2010), Ohler et al. (2011), Frost (2013), and Nishikawa et al. (2013); for reptiles Nguyen et al. (2009), Rösler et al. (2011), and Luu et al. (2013). Systematics and common names followed Nguyen et al. (2009) and Tran et al. (2010) unless otherwise stated.

For amphibians, all measurements for morphological analyses were taken with a digital caliper to the nearest 0.1 mm. Measurements of anurans were performed as follows: snout-vent length (SVL), from tip of snout to urostyle; head length (HL); head width (HW); snout length (SNL); horizontal eye diameter (ED); horizontal tympanum diameter (TD); interorbital distance (IO); width of upper eyelid (UEW); thigh length (THL); tibia length (TBL); webbing formula followed Myers and Duellman (1982). For reptiles, all measurements except for body and tail lengths were taken with a caliper to the nearest 0.1 mm. Body and tail lengths were measured with a caliper to the nearest 1.0 mm. Abbreviations are as follows: snout-vent length (SVL), from tip of snout to vent; tail length (TaL), from vent to tip of tail; dorsal scale formula (DSF): dorsal scale rows one head length behind the head : at midbody : one head length anterior to the vent. The number of ventral scales was counted according to Dowling (1951). Bilateral scales counts are given as right/left.

Scale counts and measurements are lacking for those specimens which were photographed and directly released into the field afterwards. Sex was determined by examination of secondary sexual characters and sex of collected specimens lacking distinct secondary sexual characters was determined by gonad inspection.

New amphibian and reptile records from Ha Giang Province, northern Vietnam 187

SVL HL HW SNL ED TD IO/UEW THL TBL

Hyla annectans

(n = 2) 35.4–38.2 11.2–11.6 12.0–13.3 4.9–5.1 4.0–4.4 2.3–2.3 1.1–1.2 17.1–18.3 19.2–18.44

Babina chapaensis

(n = 2) 42.1–48.8 19.7–21.0 15.2–17.6 6.9–8.6 5.7–5.9 4.6–4.8 1.2–1.4 18.3–21.1 20.5–25.4

Odorrana

cf. jingdongensis

(n = 1)

38.6 15.4 13.4 6.3 5.8 2.4 0.9 20.2 23.1

O. junlianensis

(n = 1) 70.4 28.3 26.1 11.6 10.1 3.8 1.1 42 47.455

Gracixalus cf.

jinxiuensis

(n = 2)

30.9–32.0 11.1–11.5 11.7–12.6 5.4 4.4 1.8–1.9 1.2–1.3 13.3–14.5 15.2–15.7

Rhacophorus duboisi

(n = 2) 60.3–61.5 21.9–23.4 20.8–21.8 9.2–10.7 7.1–8.3 4.9–5.1 1.2–1.3 30.8–30.9 29.6–29.8

R. robertingeri

(n = 1) 40.3 16.5 16.8 7.4 5.6 2.7 1.5 22.22 22.57

Table 1. Measurements (in mm) of newly recorded anuran species from Ha Giang Province, northern Vietnam (n: number of investigated specimens).

Page 4: New amphibian and reptile records from Ha Giang …...Herpetology Notes, volume 7: 185-201 (2014) (published online on 16 April 2014) New amphibian and reptile records from Ha Giang

Thomas Ziegler et al.188

Taxon Status Data source

Order Caudata

Salamandridae

1 Tylototriton ziegleri Nishikawa, Matsui & Nguyen, 2013 1, 3, 4

Order Anura

Bombinatoridae

2 Bombina maxima (Boulenger, 1905) 1, 2

Bufonidae

3 Duttaphrynus melanostictus (Schneider, 1799) 1, 2

Megophryidae

4 Brachytarsophrys cf. feae (Boulenger, 1887) 2, 3

5 Leptobrachium chapaense (Bourret, 1937)*

1, 2, 3

6 Leptolalax nyx Ohler, Wollenberg, Grosjean, Hendrix, Vences,

Ziegler & Dubois, 20111, 2

7 Leptolalax sp. 2

8 Xenophrys major (Boulenger, 1908) 1, 2, 3

9 Xenophrys palpebralespinosa (Bourret, 1947) 1, 2

10 Xenophrys parva (Boulenger, 1894) 1, 2

11 Ophryophryne microstoma Boulenger, 1904 1, 2

Microhylidae

12 Microhyla butleri Boulenger, 1900 2

13 Microhyla heymonsi Vogt, 1911 1,2, 3

14 Microhyla pulchra (Hallowell, 1861) 1, 2

15 Microhyla sp. 1

Hylidae

16 Hyla annectans (Jerdon, 1870) 3

Dicroglossidae

17 Fejervarya limnocharis (Gravenhorst, 1829) *

1, 2

18 Hoplobatrachus rugulosus (Wiegmann, 1834) 1, 2

19 Limnonectes cf.bannaensis Je, Fei & Jiang, 2007 *

1, 2, 3

20 Nanorana delacouri (Angel, 1918) 1, 2

21 Quasipaa boulengeri (Günther, 1889) EN 1, 2

22 Quasipaa spinosa (David, 1875) VU 2, 3

23 Quasipaa verrucospinosa (Bourret, 1947) NT 2

Ranidae

24 Amolops iriodes (Bain & Nguyen, 2004) 1, 2

25 Amolops ricketti (Boulenger, 1899) 1, 2

26 Babina chapaensis (Bourret, 1937) 3

Table 2. List of amphibian species recorded from Ha Giang Province, Vietnam (new provincial records in bold. Data sources: 1: Bain and Nguyen (2004), 2: Nguyen et al. (2009), 3: This study, 4: Nishikawa et al. (2013), 5: Ohler et al. (2011),*: species considered as complex of cryptic species; IUCN categories: EN: Endangered; NT: Near Threatened; VU: Vulnerable); **: R. calcaneus (see chapter of R. robertingeri) was listed as NT; nomenclature followed Bain et al. (2009), McLeod (2010), Yu et al. (2010), Ohler et al. (2011), Frost (2013), Luu et al. (2013) and Nishikawa et al. (2013).

27 Hylarana guentheri (Boulenger, 1882) 1, 2 28 Hylarana macrodactyla Günther, 1858 2 29 Hylarana maosonensis Bourret, 1937 1, 2 30 Hylarana taipehensis (Van Denburgh, 1909) 1, 2 31 Odorrana geminata Bain, Stuart, Nguyen, Che & Rao, 2009 1 32 Odorrana chloronota (Günther, 1876) * 1, 2, 3 33 Odorrana cf. jingdongensis Fei, Ye & Li, 2001 3 34 Odorrana junlianensis Huang, Fei & Ye, 2001 VU 3 35 Odorrana tiannanensis (Yang & Li, 1980) * 1, 236 Rana johnsi Smith, 1921 2

Rhacophoridae37 Gracixalus gracilipes (Bourret, 1947) 1, 2, 3 38 Gracixalus cf. jinxiuensis (Hu, 1978)* VU 3 39 Kurixaluscf. bisacculus (Taylor, 1962)* 2, 340 Philautus maosonensis Bourret, 1947* 1, 2 41 Polypedates megacephalus Hallowell 1861* 1, 2 42 Raorchestes parvulus (Boulenger, 1894) 1, 2 43 Rhacophorus duboisi Ohler, Marquis, Swan & Grosjean, 2000 3 44 Rhacophorus feae Boulenger, 1894 3 45 Rhacophorus hoanglienensis Orlov, Lathrop, Murphy & Ho, 2001 1 46 Rhacophorus puerensis (He, 1999) * 1, 2

47 Rhacophorus robertingeri Orlov, Poyarkov, Vassilieva, Ananjeva, Nguyen, Nguyen & Geissler, 2012** 3

48 Theloderma asperum (Boulenger, 1886) 1, 2, 3 49 Theloderma cf. corticale (Boulenger, 1903) 2, 3 50 Theloderma rhododiscus (Liu& Hu, 1962) NT 1, 2

Page 5: New amphibian and reptile records from Ha Giang …...Herpetology Notes, volume 7: 185-201 (2014) (published online on 16 April 2014) New amphibian and reptile records from Ha Giang

New amphibian and reptile records from Ha Giang Province, northern Vietnam 189

Table 3. List of reptile species recorded from Ha Giang Province, Vietnam (new provincial records in bold. Data sources: 1: Bain and Nguyen (2004), 2: Nguyen et al. (2009), 3: This study, 4: Ziegler et al. (2006b), 5: Le and Ziegler (2009), 6: Nguyen et al. (2010b), *: species considered as complex of cryptic species; IUCN categories: EN: Endangered; NT: Near Threatened; VU: Vulnerable); nomenclature followed Nguyen et al. (2009, 2011a), Rösler et al. (2011), and Luu et al. (2013).

Taxon Status Data source Order Squamata Gekkonidae

1 Gekko gecko Linnaeus, 1758* 2 2 Gekko cf. palmatus Boulenger, 1907 3 3 Hemidactylus frenatus Duméril & Bibron, 1836 2 Agamidae 4 Acanthosaura lepidogaster (Cuvier, 1829)* 1, 2 5 Physignathus cocincinus Cuvier, 1829 1, 2 Lacertidae 6 Takydromus sexlineatus Daudin, 1802 2 Scincidae 7 Ateuchosaurus chinensis Gray, 1845 2 8 Eutropis longicaudatus (Hallowell, 1856) 2 9 Eutropis multifasciatus (Kuhl, 1820) 2 10 Plestiodon chinensis (Gray, 1838) 2 11 Plestiodon tamdaoensis (Bourret, 1937) 2, 4 12 Scincella reevesii (Gray, 1838) 1, 2 13 Sphenomorphus indicus (Gray, 1853) 3 14 Tropidophorus hainanus Smith, 1923 6 Anguidae 15 Dopasia harti (Boulenger, 1899) 1, 2 Order Serpentes Colubridae 16 Ahaetulla prasina (Boie, 1827) 1, 2 17 Amphiesma modestum (Günther, 1875) 1, 2 18 Amphiesma khasiense (Boulenger, 1890) 1, 2 19 Calamaria septentrionalis Boulenger, 1890 1, 2 20 Coelognathus radiatus Boie, 1827 2 21 Cyclophiops major (Günther, 1858) 3 22 Cyclophiops multicinctus (Roux, 1907) 3 23 Dendrelaphis ngansonensis (Bourret, 1935) 2 24 Dendrelaphis pictus (Gmelin, 1789) 1 25 Enhydris plumbea (Boie, 1827) 2 26 Euprepiophis mandarinus (Cantor, 1842) 3 27 Lycodon meridionalis (Bourret, 1935) 2, 328 Oligodon chinensis (Günther, 1888) 3

29 Oligodon taeniatus (Günther, 1861) 1, 2

30 Oreocryptophis porphyraceus (Cantor, 1839) 3

31 Orthriophis taeniurus (Cope, 1861) 3

32 Pareas hamptoni (Boulenger, 1905) 1, 2, 3

33 Pseudoxenodon bambusicola Vogt, 1922 2, 4

34 Pseudoxenodon karlschmidti Pope, 1928 1, 2

35 Pseudoxenodon macrops (Blyth, 1854) 3

36 Ptyas korros (Schlegel, 1837) 1, 2

37 Rhabdophis subminiatus (Schlegel, 1837) 3

38 Sinonatrix aequifasciata (Barbour, 1908) 1, 2

39 Sinonatrix percarinata (Boulenger, 1899) 1, 2

40 Xenochrophis flavipunctatus (Hallowell, 1860) 2

Elapidae

41 Sinomicrurus macclellandii (Reinhardt, 1844) 3

Viperidae

42 Ovophis tonkinensis (Bourret 1934) 2

43 Protobothrops cornutus (Smith, 1930) NT 2, 5

44 Protobothrops mucrosquamatus (Cantor, 1839) 2, 3, 4

45 Trimeresurus stejnegeri Schmidt, 1925 1

Order Testudines

Platysternidae

46 Platysternon megacephalum Gray, 1831 EN 2

Geoemydidae

47 Cuora mouhotii (Gray, 1862) EN 2

48 Mauremys mutica (Cantor, 1842) EN 2

49 Sacalia quadriocellata (Siebenrock, 1903) EN 2

50 Testudinidae

51 Manouria impressa (Günther, 1882) VU 2

Trionychidae

52 Palea steindachneri (Siebenrock, 1906) EN 2

Page 6: New amphibian and reptile records from Ha Giang …...Herpetology Notes, volume 7: 185-201 (2014) (published online on 16 April 2014) New amphibian and reptile records from Ha Giang

Results

Anura

Hylidae

Hyla annectans (Jerdon, 1870)Assam Treefrog / Nhai ben dinh (Fig. 2)

Specimens examined (n = 2): adult females (IEBR A.2013.93, ZFMK 95473).

Distribution: Vietnam: Lao Cai, Vinh Phuc, and Thua Thien-Hue provinces. Elsewhere: India, China, Myanmar, and Thailand (Nguyen et al., 2009).

Morphological features of examined specimens: SVL 35.4–38.2 mm; head broader than long; snout

rounded anteriorly, its length longer than eye diameter; interorbital space broader than upper eyelid width; tympanum distinct, half the diameter of the eye, but larger than the interorbital distance; supratympanic fold distinct, granular; tongue slightly notched posteriorly;

tips of fingers and toes with discs; fingers webbed at base and bearing lateral fringes, formula: I2–2½II2–3III2½–2IV; webbing between toes more developed than between fingers, formula: I2–2¼II1½–3III2–3IV2¾–2V; relative lengths of fingers: I=II<IV<III, and of toes: I<II<III<V<IV; dorsal skin smooth; throat smooth, belly and underside of thigh with round granules.

Coloration in life: Dorsal surface of head, body and limbs green; green patches on dorsum, lower arm, wrist, tibia, and tibiotarsal articulation edged by whitish or yellowish discontinuous lines; green patches on the limbs ending at wrist and tibiotarsal articulation; a greyish golden stripe extending from tip of snout through nostril, eye, and upper part of tympanum to shoulder; anterior part of flank whitish grey; groin, anterior and posterior aspects of thigh bright yellow with black spots; throat and belly grey (identification after Liu, 1950 and Taylor, 1962).

Remarks: The specimens from Ha Giang differ from the description provided by Liu (1950) in the following features: nostril located in the middle between tip of

Thomas Ziegler et al.190

Figure 2. (A) Hyla annectans; (B) Babina chapaensis; (C, D) Odorrana junlianensis.

Page 7: New amphibian and reptile records from Ha Giang …...Herpetology Notes, volume 7: 185-201 (2014) (published online on 16 April 2014) New amphibian and reptile records from Ha Giang

snout and eye (versus nostril closer to tip of snout than to eye); diameter of tympanum twice the distance between tympanum and eye (versus diameter of tympanum slightly exceeding its distance from the eye); and the relative lengths of the fingers I=II<IV<III (versus I<II<IV<III).

Ranidae

Babina chapaensis (Bourret, 1937)Chapa Frog / Chang sa pa (Fig. 2)

Specimens examined (n = 2): adult female (ZFMK 95476) and adult male (IEBR A.2013.98).

Distribution: Vietnam: Lao Cai, Bac Giang, Ha Tinh, Kon Tum, Gia Lai, and Dak Lak provinces. Elsewhere: Laos and Thailand (Nguyen et al., 2009).

Morphological features of examined specimens: SVL 42.1 mm in the male and 48.8 mm in the female;

head longer than wide; snout slightly pointed in dorsal view and lower jaw distinctly projecting in lateral view; nostril being midway between tip of snout and eye; eye diameter 0.7–0.8 times of snout length; tympanum distinct; supratympanic fold indistinct; tips of fingers and toes dilated, with marginal grooves; relative finger lengths: II<I≤IV<III; fingers free of webbing; first finger of male with nuptial pad, divided into two separated clusters; relative toe lengths: I<II<V<III<IV, webbing formula: I2–2½II1¾–3III2½–3¾IV3–2V; inner metatarsal tubercle prominent and elongated, its length 0.4–0.6 times of first toe length; metatarsal tubercle present; heel overlapping when legs held at right angles to body; skin above and beneath body smooth, some spinules on back and thigh present close to vent; a distinct fold, along upper jaw, terminating above level of insertion of forearm.

Coloration in life: Dorsum and flanks brown or dark yellowish green, sometimes with few large black spots; mid-dorsal stripe thin, whitish; tympanum reddish; pupil black and surrounding iris golden; fold along upper lip golden; legs with transverse bars (identification after by Bourret, 1942 and Chuaynkern et al., 2010).

Remarks: The specimens from Ha Giang disagree with the previous descriptions in the following characters: tympanum diameter 0.8 times of eye diameter (versus as large as or larger than eye diameter, see Bourret, 1942); tibiotarsal articulation only reaching to eye (versus tibiotarsal articulation reaching to snout, see Bourret, 1942 and Chuaynkern et al., 2010); tiny spinules present

on dorsum of tibia (versus spinules only present on back and thigh, see Bourret, 1942).

Odorrana cf. jingdongensis Fei, Ye and Li, 2001Jingdong Frog / Ech ging-dong

Specimen examined (n = 1): adult male (ZFMK 95478).

Distribution: Vietnam: Lao Cai Province. Elsewhere: China (Nguyen et al., 2009 ; Fei, Ye and Jiang, 2010).

Morphological features of examined specimen: SVL 38.6 mm; head longer than wide; snout blunt in dorsal view; eye large, 0.9 times of the snout length; interorbital space slightly narrower than upper eyelid width (IO/UEW = 0.9); tympanum visible, round, nearly half of eye diameter (TD/ED = 0.4); supratympanic fold distinct; body dorsoventrally compressed; discs of fingers and toes enlarged, with circummarginal grooves; relative finger lengths: II<I<IV<III; fingers free of webbing; nuptial pad present; relative toe lengths: I<II<III<V<IV; toes fully webbed to discs, except for webbing on fourth toe, which appears as a fringe from the distal subarticular tubercle, webbing formula: I1–2II1–2III1–2IV2–1V; dermal ridges along outside of first and fifth toes present; inner metatarsal tubercle oval, elongate; outer metatarsal tubercle absent; tarsal fold absent; skin dorsally with pustules, ventrally smooth.

Coloration in life: Dorsum and dorsal surface of limbs brown with large green patches, cross-bars on limbs present; light stripe along upper lip absent; eye with brown iris and black pupil, bordered by a yellow copper circle; flank brown with black spots; belly and throat cream, marbled with brown (identification followed Bain et al., 2003).

Remarks: Rana hmongorum Bain, Lathrop, Murphy, Orlov and Ho, 2003 was synonymized with O. jingdongensis by Ohler (2007). Compared with descriptions of Bain et al. (2003) and Fei, Ye and Jiang (2010), the male specimen from Ha Giang is smaller: SVL 38.6 mm versus 54–65 mm in R. hmongorum or 62–81 mm in R. jingdonensis (see Bain et al., 2003) and 62–82 mm in O. jingdongensis (see Fei, Ye and Jiang, 2010); nostrils located nearly in the middle of distance between eye and tip of snout (NS/SNL = 0.4) (versus nostrils closer to eye than to tip of snout, see Bain et al., 2003).

New amphibian and reptile records from Ha Giang Province, northern Vietnam 191

Page 8: New amphibian and reptile records from Ha Giang …...Herpetology Notes, volume 7: 185-201 (2014) (published online on 16 April 2014) New amphibian and reptile records from Ha Giang

Odorrana junlianensis Huang, Fei and Ye, 2001Junlian Odorous Frog / Ech giun-li-an (Fig. 2)

Specimen examined (n = 1): adult male (ZFMK 95479).

Distribution: Vietnam: Lao Cai Province. Elsewhere: China and Laos (Nguyen et al., 2009).

Morphological features of examined specimen: SVL 70.4 mm; head slightly longer than wide; snout

truncated in dorsal view, projecting beyond lower jaw in lateral view; nostril in the middle between tip of snout and eye; tympanum distinct, 0.5 times as large as eye diameter, and separated from eye by a distance of 0.7 times of its diameter; tympanic rim with small grains, elevated relative to temporal region; supratympanic fold distinct; tips of fingers and toes enlarged into discs with grooves; narrow dermal fringes present on preaxial sides of second and third fingers; two distinct palmar tubercles, oval, in contact; nuptial pad on dorsolateral part of first finger; webbings between toes extending to

bases of discs, formula: I0–1½ II 0–1½III0–2IV2–0V; lateral fringes present on fingers I and V; inner metatarsal tubercle elongated, half of the length of the first toe; outer metatarsal tubercle absent; tarsal fold absent; tibiotarsal articulation far beyond tip of snout; skin on anterior part of dorsum smooth; posterior part of dorsum, posterior of upper eyelid, upper part of flank, and dorsal surface of thigh granular with white spinules; ventral surface smooth; a cluster of tiny, white spinules forming an 8-shaped figure on chest.

Coloration in life: Dorsum green grey; throat and chest brown grey; anterior part of belly cream with brown grey marbling; posterior of belly and ventral surface of thigh cream colored; upper part of flank green grey, lower part of flank cream with grey marbling (identification followed Bain and Stuart, 2006).

Remarks: The specimen differs from the description of Bain and Stuart (2006) by having an eye diameter 0.9 times of snout length (vs. 0.63–0.7 times); interorbital distance slightly broader than upper eyelid width

Figure 3. (A) Gracixalus cf. jinxiuensis; (B) Rhacophorus duboisi; (C) R. feae; (D) R. robertingeri.

Thomas Ziegler et al.192

Page 9: New amphibian and reptile records from Ha Giang …...Herpetology Notes, volume 7: 185-201 (2014) (published online on 16 April 2014) New amphibian and reptile records from Ha Giang

(versus narrower); fingers I<II (versus I>II); and heels overlapping when legs held at right angles to body (versus heels only meeting).

Rhacophoridae

Gracixalus cf. jinxiuensis (Hu, 1987)Jinxiu Bubble-nest Frog / Nhai cay gin-xiu (Fig. 3)

Specimens examined (n = 2): adult males (IEBR A.2013.99, ZFMK 93668-93669).

Distribution: Vietnam: Lai Chau, Lao Cai, and Lang Son provinces. Elsewhere: China (Nguyen et al., 2009).

Morphological features of examined specimens:Small rhacophorid (SVL 30.9–32.0 mm); head wider

than long; snout rounded from dorsal view, its length longer than eye diameter; interorbital distance broader than upper eyelid; nostril closer to tip of snout than to eye; tympanum distinct, rounded; supratympanic fold distinct, extending from behind of eye to axilla; pineal ocellus absent; spinules on upper eyelid absent; vomerine teeth absent; tongue deeply notched posteriorly; arm short, dermal fringe along outer side of forearm absent; relative finger lengths: I<II<IV<III; tips of all fingers with well developed disks with distinct circummarginal grooves, disk of finger III as wide as tympanum diameter; fingers free of webbing; nuptial pads prominent; palmar turbercles small; heels overlapping when held at right angles to the body; tibia longer than thigh; relative toe lengths I<II<III≤V<IV; tips of toes with well developed disks with distinct circummarginal grooves; webbing formula I2–2½II1½–2½III2–3IV3–2V; inner metatarsal tubercle distinct, small; dermal ridges along outer sides of tibia and tarsal fold absent; dorsal surface of head, body and thigh with small granules; dorsolateral fold absent; throat and chest smooth, belly and ventral surface of thigh granular; dermal appendage at vent absent.

Coloration in preserved state: Snout and dorsum grey with dark brown pattern forming an inverse Y marking; a triangular pattern between eyes bifurcating into two bands continuing posteriorly; lateral side of head and flank grey without spots; tympanum brown; forelimb, dorsal surface of thigh, tibia and foot grey with some darker bars; throat, chest and belly immaculate cream to white; ventral part of forelimbs white; ventral surface of thighs white to grey; webbing grey. For coloration in life see Fig. 3 (identification followed Nguyen et al., 2008).

Remarks: The previous record of G. jinxiuensis from Quang Binh Province was reassigned to G. quyeti (Nguyen et al., 2008). Phylogenetic analysis by Rowley et al., (2011) showed that G. jinxiuensis is a species complex.

Rhacophorus duboisi Ohler, Marquis, Swan and Grosjean, 2000Dubois’ Whipping Frog / Ech cay duy-boa (Fig. 3)

Specimens examined (n = 2): adult males (IEBR A.2013.100, ZFMK 95481).

Distribution: Vietnam: Lao Cai Province. Elsewhere: expected in Yunnan, China (Nguyen et al., 2009).

Morphological features of examined specimens:SVL 60.3–61.5 mm; head slightly longer than wide;

snout pointed in dorsal view, its length larger than eye diameter; nostril round, closer to eye than to tip of snout; interorbital distance broader than upper eyelid width; tympanum distinct, round, its diameter about 0.6–0.7 times of eye diameter, and 1.9–2.4 times of space between tympanum and eye; supratympanic fold distinct; vomerine teeth in two oblique rows, connected to choanae; tips of fingers and toes enlarged into discs with distinct circum-marginal grooves; two palmar tubercles flat and oval; finger webbing formula: I2¼–2

½II1½–3III2–2IV; toe webbing formula: I0–1II0–1III1–2IV2–1IV; outer side of toe V with dermal fringe; inner metatarsal tubercle slightly prominent, its length 0.3–0.4 times of the first toe length; outer metatarsal tubercle absent; dorsal surface of head, body, and limbs granular; flank slightly granular; throat, chest, belly, and ventral aspect of thigh with small round flat granules.

Coloration in life: Dorsal head, body and limbs green with dark large copper brown spots, edged in black and some small white spots; flank and posterior surface of thigh white with dark brown marbling; belly grey-white with numerous small, medium grey spots (identification followed Ohler et al., 2000).

Remarks: Both specimens agreed with the original description of Ohler et al. (2000) except for the following features: finger I as long as II (versus finger I<II); fringe along fifth toe extending to first subarticular tubercle and ending as a fold at base of tarsus (versus fringe along fifth toe terminating at first subarticular tubercle), a similar but narrower dermal fringe present along outside of first finger, from base of disc to inner metatarsal tubercle not mentioned by Ohler et al. (2000);

New amphibian and reptile records from Ha Giang Province, northern Vietnam 193

Page 10: New amphibian and reptile records from Ha Giang …...Herpetology Notes, volume 7: 185-201 (2014) (published online on 16 April 2014) New amphibian and reptile records from Ha Giang

and dorsal surfaces of head and body granular without spinules (versus with horny spinules). R. duboisi is very similar to R. puerensis, which was formerly reported as R. dugritei from Ha Giang Province by Bain and Nguyen (2004). Li et al. (2012) considered R. puerensis to be a valid species and referred the specimens of the R. dugritei complex from northern Vietnam to R. puerensis. The specimens differ from R. puerensis by the larger size (SVL of males 60.3–61.5 mm vs. 32–47 mm), and the more developed webbing on the first toe of the specimens reaching to base of disc (versus the webbing ending between the subarticular tubercle and intercalary cartilage of the first toe of R. puerensis, see Liu, 1950, Bain and Nguyen, 2004).

Rhacophorus feae Boulenger, 1893Brown-folded Treefrog / Ech cay phe (Fig. 3)

Specimen examined (n = 1): photographic record only.

Distribution: Vietnam: Lai Chau, Lao Cai, Kon Tum, Dak Lak, and Dong Nai provinces (Nguyen et al., 2009).

Morphological features of photographed specimen:Photographs of the individual resembled Rhacophorus

feae in the following attributes: Fingers and toes with large discs and well webbed.

Coloration in life: Dorsal surface uniformly green; a golden stripe running from tip of snout, along to canthus rostralis, border of upper eyelid, and supratympanic fold to shoulder; webbing whitish (identification after Boulenger, 1893 and Orlov et al., 2012).

Rhacophorus robertingeri Orlov, Poyarkov, Vassilieva, Ananjeva, Nguyen, Nguyen and Geissler, 2012Robert Tree frog / Ech cay ro-bot-in-go (Fig. 3)

Specimen examined (n = 1): adult female (ZFMK 95480).

Distribution: Vietnam: in Thua Thien-Hue, Da Nang, Quang Nam, Kon Tum, and Gia Lai provinces (Orlov et al., 2012).

Morphological features of examined specimen: SVL 40.3 mm; head as long as wide; snout pointed; eye large, its diameter about 0.76 times of snout length; interorbital space 1.5 times of upper eyelid width; tympanum visible, with a diameter smaller than half

of eye diameter; supratympanic fold distinct; tips of fingers and toes enlarged to discs; fingers and toes well webbed, finger webbing formula: I2–2½II1½–2½III2–

1½IV and toe webbing formula: I1½–2II1–2½III1–1IV1–1V; tibiotarsal articulation with a long pointed projection; dermal appendage at vent present; skin smooth dorsally and granular ventrally.

Coloration in life: Dorsal head, body, and limbs yellow brown; a darker cross-bar present between eyes; posterior part of dorsum with some darker patches or bars; side of head yellow brown; eye with golden iris and horizontal black pupil; transverse bars on limbs present; webbings whitish (identification followed Orlov et al., 2012).

Remarks: Nostrils located midway between tip of snout and eye (versus nostrils closer to tip of snout than to eye, see Orlov et al., 2012). Orlov et al. (2012) also reidentified the Vietnamese specimens that were formerly regarded as Rhacophorus calcaneus Smith, 1924, as a distinct species, R. robertingeri and simultaneously synonymized Rhacophorus chuyangsinensis Orlov, Nguyen, and Ho, 2008 with R. calcaneus. The IUCN Red List status of this species should be “Near Threatened” as that of the former R. calcaneus.

Squamata: Sauria

Gekkonidae

Gekko cf. palmatus Boulenger, 1907Palm Gecko / Tac ke chan vit (Fig. 4)

Specimen examined (n = 1): photographic record only.

Distribution: Vietnam: Yen Bai, Lang Son, Vinh Phuc, Quang Ninh, and Quang Binh provinces. Elsewhere: China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, and Cambodia (Nguyen et al., 2009, Uetz, 2013).

Morphological features of photographed specimen:The photograph of this gecko largely resembles Gekko

palmatus in the following characters: tubercles present on dorsum; one pair of dark, roundish or somewhat enlarged spots in the occipital region; smaller, but more distinct dark spots in the nuchal region and light broken middorsal stripe evident on body (identification based on Ziegler et al., 2006a and Nguyen et al., 2013b).

Thomas Ziegler et al.194

Page 11: New amphibian and reptile records from Ha Giang …...Herpetology Notes, volume 7: 185-201 (2014) (published online on 16 April 2014) New amphibian and reptile records from Ha Giang

Scincidae

Sphenomorphus indicus (Gray, 1853)Indian Forest Skink / Than lan phe-no an do (Fig. 4)

Specimen examined (n = 1): adult female (ZFMK 95484).

Distribution: Vietnam: from Lao Cai, Cao Bang, Bac Kan, and Son La provinces in the North southwards to Dak Lak and Dong Nai. Elsewhere: India, Bhutan, China, Taiwan, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, and Indonesia (Nguyen et al., 2009).

Morphological features of examined specimen: SVL 68 mm; loreals 2; temporals 2+1; supralabials

8, 5th and 6th separated from the eye by small scales; supraciliaries 11, first largest; scale rows around midbody 34; cloacal scale divided; lamellae beneath the fourth toe 19, keeled; one pair of nuchals; conical tubercles on palmar and plantar surfaces of hands and feet.

Coloration in preserved state: dorsum and tail base brown with black spots; upper limbs the same as back, with dark bordered pale spots; lower parts of limbs greyish to brown; upper lateral zone with a dark stripe from eye to tail base; light dorsolateral stripe present on neck and shoulder; labials with dark vertical bars; belly and under tail cream (identification after Smith, 1943; Ziegler, 2002; Bourret, 2009).

Squamata: Serpentes

Colubridae

Cyclophiops major (Günther, 1858)South China Green Snake / Ran dai lon

Specimen examined (n = 1): subadult (ZFMK 95485).

Distribution: Vietnam: Lao Cai, Cao Bang, Vinh Phuc, Ha Tay, and Quang Binh provinces. Elsewhere: China, Taiwan, and Laos (Nguyen et al., 2009).

Figure 4. (A) Gekko cf. palmatus; (B) Sphenomorphus indicus; (C) Cyclophiops multicinctus; (D) Euprepiophis mandarinus.

New amphibian and reptile records from Ha Giang Province, northern Vietnam 195

Page 12: New amphibian and reptile records from Ha Giang …...Herpetology Notes, volume 7: 185-201 (2014) (published online on 16 April 2014) New amphibian and reptile records from Ha Giang

Morphological features of examined specimen:SVL 208 mm, TaL 59 mm; loreal 1; preocular 1;

postoculars 2; anterior temporal 1, posterior temporals 2; supralabials 8, 4th and 5th in contact with the eye; DSF 15:15:15; ventral scales 2+175; cloacal scale divided; subcaudals 84, divided.

Coloration in preserved state: Dorsum uniformly dark grey (determination after Bourret, 1936; Ziegler et al., 2007).

Cyclophiops multicinctus (Roux, 1907)Many-banded Green Snake / Ran nhieu dai (Fig. 4)

Specimens examined (n = 2): photographic records only.

Distribution: Vietnam: in several provinces of northern, central and southern Vietnam. Elsewhere: China and Laos (Nguyen et al., 2009; Uetz, 2013).

Morphological features of photographed specimens:loreal 1; preocular 1; postoculars 2; anterior temporal

1, posterior temporals 2; supralabials 7, 3rd and 4th in contact with the eye.

Coloration in life: Back green anteriorly and turning into brown posteriorly (determination after Bourret, 1936; Ziegler et al., 2007).

Euprepiophis mandarinus (Cantor, 1842)Mandarin Rat Snake / Ran soc quan (Fig. 4)

Specimen examined (n = 1): photographic record only.

Distribution: Vietnam: Lai Chau, Lao Cai, Tuyen Quang, Lang Son, Vinh Phuc, Son La, Ha Tinh, and Dak Lak provinces. Elsewhere: India, China, China, Taiwan, Myanmar, and Laos (Nguyen et al., 2009).

Morphological features of photographed specimen:Supralabials 7, 3rd and 4th touching eye; anterior

temporal 1.Coloration in life: Light brown to greyish above with

a series of large, oval yellow spots, broadly edged with

Figure 5. (A) Lycodon meridionalis; (B) Oligodon chinensis; (C) Oreocryptophis porphyraceus; (D) Orthriophis taeniurus.

Thomas Ziegler et al.196

Page 13: New amphibian and reptile records from Ha Giang …...Herpetology Notes, volume 7: 185-201 (2014) (published online on 16 April 2014) New amphibian and reptile records from Ha Giang

black, 22-25 on body; head above with black markings, namely a band across the snout, a crescentic mark on top of head passing through eye whrere it divides into two, and a V shaped mark, its apex located on the frontal shield and passing back on the sides of the head behind the mouth to the throat (identification followed Smith, 1943).

Lycodon meridionalis (Bourret, 1935)Southern Big-Tooth Snake / Ran lech dau kinh tuyen (Fig. 5)

Specimen examined (n = 1): photographic record only.

Distribution: Vietnam: Hai Duong, Quang Nam, Lam Dong, and Ninh Thuan provinces. Elsewhere: China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, and Cambodia (Nguyen et al., 2009; Uetz, 2013).

Morphological features of photographed specimen:Black colored dorsum with 85 to 95 yellow narrow

cross-bars, bifurcate on the sides, enclosing dark spots; head black with symmetrical light markings, the most conspicuous being one running from the eye to the margin of the snout and another stretching from the hind margin of the parietals; labials edged in black (identification followed Smith, 1943).

Remarks: Lycodon meridionalis was formerly treated as Dinodon meridionalis. Only recently, based on molecular findings, Siler et al. (2013) provided evidence that Dinodon in fact is synonymous with Lycodon.

Oligodon chinensis (Günther, 1888)Chinese Kukri Snake / Ran khiem trung quoc (Fig. 5)

Specimen examined (n = 1): adult male (ZFMK 95486).

Distribution: Vietnam: from Lao Cai and several north-eastern provinces southwards to Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, and Gia Lai provinces. Elsewhere: China (Nguyen et al., 2009).

Morphological features of examined specimen: SVL 459 mm; TaL 119 mm; loreal 1, squarish;

presubocular 1; subocular 1; postoculars 2; anterior temporal 1, posterior temporals 2; supralabials 8/7, 4th and 5th in contact with eye; the anterior chin shield in contact with 5/4 lower labials; DSF 17:17:15; ventral scales 2+176; cloacal scale undivided; subcaudals 62, divided.

Coloration in life: Above pale gray-brown, with 11 transversal blackish brown equidistant bands on trunk and four on the tail; a black band running from one eye to the other, which touches the 4th and 5th lower labials; distinctive arrow-shaped black spot in the neck (determination followed Bourret, 1936; Smith, 1943; Ziegler, 2002; Ziegler et al., 2007).

Oreocryptophis porphyracea (Cantor, 1839) Black-banded Trinket Snake / Ran soc dom do (Fig. 5)

Specimen examined (n = 1): photographic record only.

Distribution: Vietnam: in several northern provinces southwards to Quang Binh Province. Elsewhere: India, Nepal, China, Taiwan, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia and Indonesia (Nguyen et al., 2009; Uetz, 2013).

Morphological features of photographed specimen: Ground color reddish-brown; body and tail with dark

bands, bordered in black; two narrow black stripes extending from immediately behind eyes along entire length of the body; top of head marked with a black line (identification after Schulz, 1996).

Orthriophis taeniurus (Cope 1861)Taiwan Beauty Snake / Ran soc duoi (Fig. 5)

Specimen examined (n = 1): photographic record only.

Distribution: Vietnam: from several northern provinces southwards to Gia Lai Province. Elsewhere: Russia, India, China, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia and Indonesia (Nguyen et al., 2009; Uetz, 2013).

Morphological features of photographed specimen: preocular 1, large; postoculars 2; anterior temporals 2;

ventral scales feebly keeled; dorsal scales keeled.Coloration in life: Species specific colour pattern

consists of a black stripe on both sides of head; dorsum anteriorly with large, dark, butterfly-shaped patches, which turn into longitudinal bands posteriorly; sides with yellow bordered dark rings; venter yellow (determination after Ziegler, 2002).

New amphibian and reptile records from Ha Giang Province, northern Vietnam 197

Page 14: New amphibian and reptile records from Ha Giang …...Herpetology Notes, volume 7: 185-201 (2014) (published online on 16 April 2014) New amphibian and reptile records from Ha Giang

Pseudoxenodon macrops (Blyth 1854)Big-eyed Bamboo Snake / Ran ho xien mat to (Fig. 6)

Specimens examined (n = 2): adult female (ZFMK 95487) and adult male (IEBR A.2013.102).

Distribution: Vietnam: from several northern provinces southwards to Quang Binh, Da Nang, Kon Tum and Lam Dong provinces. Elsewhere: Nepal, China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand and Malaysia (Nguyen et al., 2009; Uetz, 2013).

Morphological features of examined specimens: SVL 495 mm in male and 735 mm in female; loreal

1, large; preocular 1, not in contact with frontal; postoculars 3/4 in male and 3/2 in female; anterior temporals 2, posterior temporals 3 in male and 2 in female; supralabials 9/8 in male, 8 in female, 5th and 6

th

entering orbit in male and 4th and 5th in female; DSF 19:17:15, dorsal scales keeled; ventral scales in male 1+153 and in female 1+160; cloacal scale divided;

subcaudals 60 in male and 54 in female. This species is able to flatten its neck to mimic a cobra.

Coloration in life: Dorsum brownish to reddish with pale spots along vertebral ridge and with a dorso-lateral series of black spots; neck with black chevron, its apex pointed toward the head; yellowish below, anterior part of the belly with large quadrangular dark brown to black spots, sometimes united to form cross-bars; posterior part of belly and tail speckled dark grey to black (deter-mination followed Smith, 1943; Bourret, 1936; Ziegler et al., 2007).

Rhabdophis subminiatus (Schlegel 1837)Red-necked Keelback / Ran hoa co nho

Specimen examined (n = 1): adult female (ZFMK 95488).

Distribution: Vietnam: from several northern provinces southwards to Gia Lai Province. Elsewhere:

Figure 6. (A, B) Pseudoxenodon macrops; (C) Sinomicrurus macclellandii (only photographed and subsequently released specimen).

Thomas Ziegler et al.198

Page 15: New amphibian and reptile records from Ha Giang …...Herpetology Notes, volume 7: 185-201 (2014) (published online on 16 April 2014) New amphibian and reptile records from Ha Giang

India, Nepal, China, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia (Nguyen et al., 2009; Uetz, 2013).

Morphological features of examined specimen: SVL 626 mm; loreal 1; preocular 1; postoculars 3;

anterior temporal 2, posterior temporals 3; supralabials 8, 3rd–5th in contact with eye; dorsal scales in 19 rows at midbody; dorsals distinctly keeled except for outermost row; ventral scales 3+165; cloacal scale divided.

Coloration in preserved specimen: Body uniformly olive green; a black line running from the eye to supralabials; venter grey (identification followed Ziegler, 2002; Ziegler et al., 2007).

Elapidae

Sinomicrurus macclellandi (Reinhardt, 1844)Macclelland´s Coral snake / Ran la kho thuong (Fig. 6)

Specimen examined (n = 1): adult male (VNMN 899).

Distribution: Vietnam: from several northern and central provinces southwards to Thua Thien-Hue, Kon Tum, Lam Dong, and Dong Nai provinces. Elsewhere: India, Nepal, southern China, Taiwan, Japan, Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand (Nguyen et al., 2009; Uetz, 2013).

Morphological features of examined specimen: SVL 683 mm, TaL 66 mm; preocular 1; postoculars 2;

anterior temporal 1, posterior temporal 1; supralabials 7, 3rd and 4th in contact with eye; DSF 13:13:13; vertebral scales not enlarged; ventral scales 215; cloacal scale di-vided; subcaudals 29, divided.

Coloration in preserved state: reddish brown above, with 29 black crossbands (framed with thin light cross-bands) on back and four on tail; head black with wide, white crossband; ventral surface cream with black bands and black squarish marks (determination after Smith, 1943; Ziegler et al., 2007).

Discussion

Based on our recent herpetological surveys we can add eight newly recorded species of amphibians (Hyla annectans, Babina chapaensis, Odorrana cf. jingdongensis, O. junlianensis, Gracixalus cf. jinxiuensis, Rhacophorus duboisi, R. feae, and R. robertingeri) and twelve species of reptiles (Gekko cf. palmatus, Sphenomorphus indicus, Cyclophiops major, C. multicinctus, Euprepiophis mandarinus, Lycodon

meridionalis, Oligodon chinensis, Oreocryptophis porphyraceus, Orthriophis taeniurus, Pseudoxenodon macrops, Rhabdophis subminiatus, and Sinomicrurus macclellandii) to the herpetofaunal list of Ha Giang. Together with recently published new species records and species descriptions, the herpetofauna of Ha Giang currently comprises 50 species of amphibians and 52 species of reptiles (see Tables 2, 3). Six (or seven, including R. robertingeri, previously known as R. calcaneus) species of amphibians and 7 species of reptiles are listed in the IUCN Red List. A number of cryptic species complexes will still be the focus of revision work. The diversity of amphibians and reptiles from this region might still be underestimated because most of the surveys of this study as well as the surveys of Bain and Nguyen (2004) were conducted at the beginning of the rainy season, where at least only part of the amphibian fauna can be recorded. Further herpetological research in Ha Giang Province and adjacent areas in different seasons of the year certainly will lead to a number of new records and most probably also to the discovery of so far undescribed species. Such comprehensive herpetofaunal list then only can serve for further studies, dealing with distribution, population status, and ecological adaptations as basis for a proper evaluation of the current threat status and implementation of appropriate conservation measures.

Acknowledgements. QKL and TNV are grateful to the Ha Giang Provincial Forest Protection Department, Quan Ba District Forest Protection Unit, Tung Vai Border Station, Quan Ba District People’s Committee, People’s Committees of Tung Vai, Ta Van and Cao Ma Po communes (Quan Ba District), Fauna and Flora International (FFI) – Vietnam Conservation Support Programme and the University of Science (Vietnam National University, Hanoi) for their support of our field work. We also would like to thank N.V. Hoang, T. V. Hoang (Ha Giang Provincial Forest Protection Department), T. T. Luu, Q. D. Vien, K. C. Nguyen (Quan Ba District Forest Protection Department), C. C. Luc, B. V. Cheng, N. Q. Chuong, T. D. Chuong, T. D. Chuong, A. X. Lu (Tung Vai Commune), C. X. Dang, C. P. Tan and S. D. Tan (Cao Ma Po Commune) for their support of field work.

References

Bain, R.H., Lathrop, A., Murphy, R.W., Orlov, N.L., Ho, C.T. (2003): Cryptic species of a cascade frog from southeast Asia: taxonomic revisions and descriptions of six new species. American Museum Novitates 3417: 1-60.

Bain, R.H., Nguyen, T.Q. (2004): Herpetofaunal diversity of Ha Giang Province in Northeastern Vietnam, with descriptions of two new species. American Museum Novitates 3453: 1-42.

Bain, R.H., Nguyen, T.Q., Doan, V.K. (2007): New herpetological records from Vietnam. Herpetological Review 38(1): 107-117.

New amphibian and reptile records from Ha Giang Province, northern Vietnam 199

Page 16: New amphibian and reptile records from Ha Giang …...Herpetology Notes, volume 7: 185-201 (2014) (published online on 16 April 2014) New amphibian and reptile records from Ha Giang

Bain, R.H., Stuart, B.L. (2006): Significant new records of the Junlian Odorous frog, Odorrana julianensis Huang, Fei, and Ye, 2001. Hamadryad 30: 151-156.

Bain, R.H., Stuart, B.L., Nguyen, T.Q., Che, J., Rao, D.-Q. (2009): A New Odorrana (Amphibia: Ranidae) from Vietnam and China. Copeia 2: 348-362.

Boulenger, G. A. (1893): Concluding report on the reptiles and batrachians obtained in Burma by Signor L. Fea dealing with the collection made in Pegu and the Karin Hills in 1887–88. Annali del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Genova 2: 304-347.

Bourret, R. (1936): Les serpents de l’Indochine. I. Etudes sur la faune. Henri Basuyau et Cie, Toulouse, 141 pp.

Bourret, R. (1942): Les batraciens de l’Indochine. Institute Océanographic de l’Indochine, 547 pp.

Bourret, R. (2009): Les lézards de l’Indochine. Frankfurt am Main, Edition Chimaira.

Chuaynkern, Y., Ohler, A., Inthara, C., Duengkae, P., Makchai, S., Salangsingha, N. (2010): A revision of species in the subgenus Nidirana Dubois, 1992, with special attention to the identity of specimens allocated to Rana adenopleura Boulenger, 1909, and Rana chapaensis (Bourret, 1937) (Amphibia: Anura: Ranidae) from Thailand and Laos. The Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 58: 291-310.

David, P., Nguyen, T. Q., Nguyen, T. T., Jiang, K., Chen, T., Teynié, A., Ziegler, T. (2012): A new species of the genus Oligodon Fitzinger, 1826 (Squamata: Colubridae) from northern Vietnam, southern China and central Laos. Zootaxa 3498: 45-62.

Dowling, H. G. (1951): A proposed standard system of counting ventrals in snakes. British Journal of Herpetology 1(5): 97-99.

Fei, L., Ye, C.Y., Jiang, J.P. (2010): Colored Atlas of Chinese Amphibians. Chengdu, Sichuan Publishing House of Science and Technology, 519 pp.

Frost, D. R. (2013): Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 5.6. Available at: http://research.amnh.org/herpetology/amphibia/index.html. Last accessed on 9 January 2013.

IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. Available at: <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 09 February 2012.

Le, Q.K., Ziegler, T. (2009): Geographic Distribution: Protobothrops cornutus (Smith’s horned pit viper). Herpetological Review 40(1): 115.

Li, J.-T., Liu, J., Chen, Y.-Y., Wu, J.-W., Murphy, R. W., Zhao, E.-M., Wang, Y.-Z., Zhang, Y.-P. (2012): Molecular phylogeny of treefrogs in the Rhacophorus dugritei species complex (Anura: Rhacophoridae), with descriptions of two new species. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 165: 143-162.

Liu, C.-C. (1950): Amphibians of western China. Fieldiana Zoology 2: 400 pp.

Luu, V.Q., Nguyen, T.Q., Pham, C.T., Dang, K.N., Vu, T.N., Miskovic, S., Bonkowski, M., Ziegler, T. (2013): No end in sight? Further new records of amphibians and reptiles from Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park, Quang Binh Province, Vietnam. Biodiversity Journal 4(2): 285-300.

McLeod D.S. (2010): Of least concern? Systematics of a cryptic species complex: Limnonectes kuhlii (Amphibia: Anura: Dicroglossidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 56: 991-1000.

Myers, C.W., Duellman, W.E. (1982): A new species of Hyla from Cerro Colorado, and other tree frog records and geographical notes from western Panama. American Museum Novitates 2752: 1-32.

Nguyen, S.V., Ho, C.T., Nguyen, T.Q. (2009): Herpetofauna of Vietnam. Edition Chimaira, Frankfurt am Main.

Nguyen, T.Q. (2006): Herpetological collaboration in Vietnam. In: Herpetologia Bonnensis II. Proceedings of the 13th Congress of the Societas Europaea Herpetologica, held at Bonn, 2005, Vences, M., Köhler, J., Ziegler, T. , Böhme, W. (eds).

Nguyen, T.Q., Böhme, W., Nguyen, T.T., Le, Q.K., Pahl, K.R., Haus, T., Ziegler, T. (2011a): Review of the genus Dopasia Gray, 1853 (Squamata: Anguidae) in the Indochina subregion. Zootaxa 2894: 58-68.

Nguyen, T.Q., Hendrix, R., Böhme, W., Vu, T.N., Ziegler, T. (2008): A new species of the genus Philautus (Amphibia: Anura: Rhacophoridae) from Truong Son Range, Quang Binh Province, central Vietnam. Zootaxa 1925, 1-13.

Nguyen, T.Q., Le, M.D., Pham, C.T., Nguyen, T.T., Bonkowski, M., Ziegler, T. (2012): A new species of Gracixalus (Amphibia: Anura: Rhacophoridae) from northern Vietnam. Organisms Diversity & Evolution DOI 10.1007/s13127-012-0116-0.

Nguyen. T.Q., Nguyen, S.V., Böhme, W., Ziegler, T. (2010a): A new species of Scincella (Squamata: Scincidae) from Vietnam. Folia Zoologica 59(2): 115-121.

Nguyen, T.Q., Nguyen, S.V., Orlov, N., Hoang, T.N., Böhme, W., Ziegler, T. (2010b): A review of the genus Tropidophorus (Squamata: Scincidae) from Vietnam with new species records and additional data on natural history. Zoosystematics and Evolution 86(1): 5-19.

Nguyen, T.Q., Phung, T. M., Le, M.D, Ziegler, T., Böhme, W. (2013a): First record of the genus Oreolalax (Anura: Megophryidae) from Vietnam with description of a new species. Copeia 2: 213-222.

Nguyen, T.Q., Schmitz, A., Nguyen, T.T., Orlov, N. L., Böhme, W., Ziegler, T. (2011b): Review of the genus Sphenomorphus Fitzinger, 1843 (Squamata: Sauria: Scincidae) in Vietnam, with description of a new species from northern Vietnam and southern China and the first record of Sphenomorphus mimicus Taylor, 1962 from Vietnam. Journal of Herpetology 45(2): 145-154.

Nguyen, T.Q., Wang, Y.-Y., Yang, J.-H., Lehmann, T., Le, M.D., Ziegler, T., Bonkowski, M. (2013b): A new species of the Gekko japonicus group (Squamata: Sauria: Gekkonidae) from the border region between China and Vietnam. Zootaxa 3652(5): 501-518.

Nishikawa, K., Matsui, M., Nguyen, T.T. (2013): A New Species of Tylototriton from Northern Vietnam (Amphibia: Urodela: Salamandridae). Current Herpetology 32(1): 34-49.

Ohler, A. (2007): New synonyms in specific names of frogs (Raninae) from the border regions between China, Laos and Vietnam. Alytes 25: 55-74.

Ohler, A., Marquis, O., Swan, S., Grosjean, S. (2000): Amphibian biodiversity of Hoang Lien Nature Reserve (Lao Cai Province, northern Vietnam) with description of two new species. Herpetozoa 13: 71-87.

Ohler, A., Wollenberg, K.C., Grosjean, S., Hendrix, R., Vences, M., Ziegler, T., Dubois, A. (2011): Sorting out Lalos: description of

Thomas Ziegler et al.200

Page 17: New amphibian and reptile records from Ha Giang …...Herpetology Notes, volume 7: 185-201 (2014) (published online on 16 April 2014) New amphibian and reptile records from Ha Giang

new species and additional taxonomic data on megophryid frogs from northern Indochina (genus Leptolalax, Megophryidae, Anura). Zootaxa 3147: 1-83.

Orlov, N.L., Poyarkov, N. A., Vasilieva, A.B., Ananjeva, N.B., Nguyen, T.T., Nguyen, N.S., Geissler, P. (2012): Taxonomic notes on Rhacophorid frogs (Rhacophorinae: Rhacophoridae: Anura) of southern part of Annamite mountains (Truong Son, Vietnam), with description of three new species. Russian Journal of Herpetology 19(1): 23-64.

Rösler, H., Bauer, A.M., Heinicke, M.P., Greenbaum, E., Jackman, T., Nguyen, T.Q., Ziegler, T. (2011): Phylogeny, taxonomy, and zoogeography of the genus Gekko Laurenti, 1768 with the revalidation of G. reevesii Gray, 1831 (Sauria: Gekkonidae). Zootaxa 2989: 1-50.

Rowley, J.J.L., Dau, V.Q., Nguyen, T.T., Cao, T.T., Nguyen, S.V. (2011): A new species of Gracixalus (Anura: Rhacophoridae) with a hyperextended vocal repertoire from Vietnam. Zootaxa 3125: 22–38.

Schulz, K.D. (1996): Monograph of the Colubrid snakes of the genus Elaphe Fitzinger. Koeltz Scientific Books, Havlickuv Brod.

Siler, C.D., Oliveros, C.H., Santanen, A., Browne, R.M. (2013): Multilocus phylogeny reveals unexpected diversification patterns in Asian wolf snakes (genus Lycodon). Zoologica Scripta, doi:10.1111/zsc.12007.

Smith, M.A. (1943): The Fauna of British India, Ceylon and Burma, including the whole of the Indo-Chinese Sub-Region, Vol.III Serpentes. London, Taylor and Francis Ltd.

Taylor, E.H. (1962): The amphibian fauna of Thailand. University of Kansas Science Bulletin 43: 265-599.

Tran, D.T. A., Le, Q.K., Le, K.V., Vu, T.N., Nguyen, T.Q., Böhme, W., Ziegler, T. (2010): First and preliminary frog records (Amphibian: Anura) from Quang Ngai Province, Vietnam. Herpetology Notes 3: 111-119.

Uetz, P. (2013): The reptile database. Available at: http://reptile-database.reptarium.cz. Last accessed on 28 November 2013.

Yu, G.-H., Zhang, M.-W., Yang, J.-X. (2010): A species boundary within the Chinese Kurixalus odontotarsus species group (Anura: Rhacophoridae): new insights from molecular evidence. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 56: 942-950.

Ziegler, T. (2002): Die Amphibien und Reptilien eines Tieflandfeuchtwald-Schutzgebietes in Vietnam. Natur & Tier Verlag, Münster, 342 pp.

Ziegler, T., Hendrix, R., Vu N.T., Vogt, M., Forster, B., Dang, N.K. (2007): The diversity of a snake community in a karst forest ecosystem in the central Truong Son, Vietnam, with an identification key. Zootaxa 1493: 1-40.

Ziegler, T., Nguyen, T.Q. (2010): New discoveries of amphibians and reptiles from Vietnam. Bonn zoological Bulletin 57(2): 137-147.

Ziegler, T., Ohler, A., Vu, N.T., Le, K.Q., Nguyen, X.T., Dinh, H.T., Bui, N.T. (2006a): Review of the amphibian and reptile diversity of Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park and adjacent areas, central Truong Son, Vietnam. In: Herpetologia Bonnensis II. Proceedings of the 13th Congress of the Societas Europaea Herpetologica, held at Bonn, 2005, pp. 247-262, Vences, M., Köhler, J., Ziegler, T. , Böhme, W. (eds).

Ziegler, T., Vu, N.T., Le, K.Q., Nguyen, Q.T., Hallermann, J., Le, V.K., Hoang, T.M. (2006b): Neue Verbreitungsgebiete einiger wenig bekannter vietnamesischer Amphibien und Reptilien. Sauria 28(2): 29-40.

Accepted by Philip de Pous

New amphibian and reptile records from Ha Giang Province, northern Vietnam 201