Discover new lizard species in Da Nang

Scientists have just announced a new lizard species in Ba Na - Nui Chua Nature Reserve (Da Nang).

>>>Discover new lizard species in Cao Bang

Foot lizard half a Ba Na leaf.(Photo: Vast.ac)

According to information on the website of the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, the Ba Na half-leaf lizard has the scientific name Hemiphyllodactylus banaensis sp. nov. Ngo, Grismer, Pham & Wood Jr. 2014 . This species is common in evergreen forest on the top of Ba Na Mountain.

They have the largest body length of females of 51mm, chin scales with 7 horizontal scales, 18-20 rows of long dorsal scales in the middle within the width of the eye diameter; 9–12 rows of abdominal scales.

Males with 20–21 scales carry anterior ventricular pores and continuous subclinical scales, and females with 0–20 scales carry anterior hole of the vented and thigh scales. Their heads have small black spots, interspersed with white dots; body is brown with horizontal stripes; horizontal tail.

The findings are published in this month's international journal Zootaxa.