Discovered new lizards in Phu Yen

Scientists have just announced a new species of foot-lizard in the area of ​​Cape Dai Lanh, Phu Yen province.

The new lizard, scientifically named Cyrtodactylus kingsadai, was published in Zootaxa magazine this month by German and Vietnamese scientists. Phouthone Kingsada, named after animal researcher at the Lao National University - Phouthone Kingsada. Master Phouthone is the co-author of some recent announcements about this group of geckos, but he unfortunately died of dengue at the end of last year.

Cyrtodactylus kingsadai finger lizard.(Photo: Phung My Trung)

Phung My Trung, a member of the research team, said that the newly discovered lizard fingerlings have a large number, but they mainly appear when feeding at night. Normally, they are located deep in the mother caves piled up in coastal restoration forests around Ca pass and Dai Lanh cape in Phu Yen province to avoid heat and sunshine.

"The males almost appear only in mating season so the sampling of this species is very difficult. After 4 times of research here at 4 different times of the year, the research team only obtained three male specimens. to do research template " , Mr. Trung said.

Kingsadai finger lizard has 94mm head and body length, the body is light brown with a dark streak behind the nape and 4 dark streaks across the body. This is the 29th finger lizard species recorded in Vietnam. Finger-legged lizards are the most recently published species with about 25 species of science in recent two decades in Vietnam.