Pseudocalotes kingdonwardi (Smith, 1935) Smith, 1935

Mahony, Stephen, 2010, Systematic and taxomonic revaluation of four little known Asian agamid species, Calotes kingdonwardi Smith, 1935, Japalura kaulbacki Smith, 1937, Salea kakhienensis Anderson, 1879 and the monotypic genus Mictopholis Smith, 1935 (Reptilia: Agamidae), Zootaxa 2514, pp. 1-23 : 12-14

Pseudocalotes kingdonwardi (Smith, 1935) new combination.

Figure 3

Calotes kingdon-wardi Smith, 1935a

Japalura kaulbacki Smith, 1937

Calotes kingdonwardi Wermuth, 1967

Calotes kingdonwardi bapoensis Yang & Su, 1979 Japalura bapoensis Yang & Rao, 2008

Pseudocalotes kaulbacki (above designation).

Examined material. Holotype NHM 1946.8.11.17 (formerly BMNH 1932.6.8.8), “Adung Valley, 7000ft, Burma-Tibet border”, Presented by Lord Cranbrook.

Etymology. The specific epithet is a patronym after Francis Kingdon-Ward (1885–1956). The specific name is a genitive based on a personal name and remains unchanged if the gender of the genus changes.

Distribution. P. kingdonwardi new comb. is currently known from the type locality Adung Valley [27°– 28º30’ N, 97°– 98º30’ E], 7000ft, Burma-Tibet border ( Smith 1935a); Hengduan Mountains, Quinghai-Xizang Plateau, China ( Zhao & Yang 1997). C. kingdonwardi bapoensis is known from the type locality Bapo (1450 m), Gongshan Xian, [Nujiang Prefecture],Yunnan Province, China (Yang & Su in Yang et al. 1979; Yang et al. 1983; Vindum et al. 2003). See also above distribution for the synonym P. kaulbacki new comb.

Redescription of holotype. Juvenile (unsexed––considered a “small male” in original description). Mensural and meristic data is summarised in Table 1 . General habitus moderately compressed. Snout bluntly pointed in profile, rostral hexangular, approximately two times longer than deep, contacted by first supralabials and four small scales dorsally. Nostril circular, laterally positioned, nasal large, suboval in shape, bordered by seven scales (right side) including supralabials one and two. Seven smooth, rectangular supralabials and infralabials on right side. Loreal region concave, scales of the loreal region heterogenous in size, flat, consisting of a single row of enlarged scales extending from the posterior edge of the nasal, along the upper edge of the supralabials, below the orbit, remaining loreal scales small. Posterior to the orbit is a row of two enlarged raised temporal scales extending to above the tympanum, orbital scales small and granular. Tympanum naked. Canthals enlarged, not overlapping, dramatically decreasing in size along the supraciliaries which are subimbricate.

Scales on the dorsal surface of the snout are heterogenous in size and shape, dominated by a series of two enlarged median scales, strongly keeled longitudinally, bordered posteriorly by a pair of larger keeled scales with keels directed posterolaterally, overall forming an inverted “Y” arrangement, remaining snout and supraorbital scales small and domed to weakly keeled. Supraorbital scales increase in size from the supraciliaries to the inner edges of the orbits. Between the enlarged scales of the inner orbits on the frontal area is a narrow row of small scales. A row of two small raised triangular spines between the tympanum and the nuchal crest and an additional small spine above the posterior border of the tympanum. Parietal scale small and longitudinally elongate with a distinct central depression, presumably of the pineal eye.

Mental subtriangular, approximately as wide as long, bordered posteriorly by a ventrolateral row of four elongated chin shields gradually decreasing in size and shape posteriorly to blend with surrounding rows of gular scales. The first three pairs of post-mental chin shields are in contact laterally with the infralabials, the remaining shield is separated from the infralabials by one row of small gular scales. Remaining gular scales smooth, subimbricate, increasing in size posteriorly and laterally across the jowls to the level of the tympanum, those of the central throat are the smallest. A small longitudinal gular pouch present, transverse gular fold absent.

Ventral scales subimbricate, strongly keeled, heterogenous in size and arranged in regular rows. Approximately 45 scales around mid body. Nuchal crest is composed of seven primary, broadly triangular spines, the posterior four separated from each other by a small secondary spine. Primary spines increase in size posteriorly and end abruptly, followed by a diastema of small scales. The remaining vertebral scales are not enlarged relative to adjacent rows but possess a more pronounced median keel providing a serrated appearance in profile. 44 middorsal scales in total. Dorsal scales are heterogenous in size and shape, all keeled, not arranged into regular rows, keels on those of the upper flanks are oriented obliquely upward, horizontal on the mid flanks and obliquely downward on the lower flanks. A distinct shallow oblique fold in front of the shoulder, extending from the posterior jaw. Scales of the forelimbs, hind limbs and digits are covered in regular scale arrangements on which the keels form parallel longitudinal rows, with the exception of keeled rows on ventral surface of the thighs which are obliquely transverse. Those on the outer surfaces of the forelimbs strongly keeled grading into weakly keeled scales on the inner surface. 20 4FinLam and 25 4ToeLam. Scales on the dorsal and ventral surfaces of the tail are strongly keeled. Precloacal and femoral pores absent.

Colouration in preservative. Loreal scales and enlarged subocular scale row, supralabials and infralabials, most of the gular region, and entire ventral surface of the body and limbs light brown. Four narrow light stripes radiate from below the eye on the orbit. Feint dark longitudinal stripes on the sides of the neck. No pigmented patch on the throat. Scales of the entire dorsal surface of the head, body, limbs and most of tail primarily appear a dark purple/brown, with five large transverse middorsal dark brown blotches. Feint banding is apparent on the tail and limbs.

Variation. See above description of an adult and variation for the species under P. k a u l b a c k i new comb.

Comparison. P. kingdonwardi new comb. differs from all congeners except P. flavigula , P. brevipes and P. austeniana new comb., by lateral scales of heterogenous size and shape and further from all congeners except P. brevipes and P. austeniana new comb. by presence (vs. absence) of an antehumeral fold. From the following species by dorsal and lateral scales forming irregular rows (vs. forming regular rows); P. dringi , P. floweri , P. larutensis , P. microlepis , P. saravacensis and P. tympanistriga . From the following species by MB scale number, 45–52 on P. kingdonwardi new comb.; P. brevipes (65–80), P. flavigula (38–40), P. khaonanensis (72–75), P. microlepis (65–80), P. poilani (56–60), P. saravacensis (68), from the following by lower number of SL, 7–8 on P. kingdonwardi new comb.; P. floweri (9–12), P. larutensis (10), P. tympanistriga (10–13), and from the following by the number of 4ToeLam, 25–28 on P. kingdonwardi new comb.; P. brevipes (20–23), P. flavigula (31–32), P. floweri (21–24) and P. saravacensis (20).

Pseudocalotes kingdonwardi new comb. can be distinguished from its similar congener P. austeniana new comb. (in parenthesis), based on the following characters; ventrals strongly keeled (vs. smooth), dorsal scales strongly keeled on adults, irrespective of size (vs. larger scales moderately keeled, smallest scales smooth to weakly keeled), enlarged scales on the dorsal surface of the snout and supraoculars strongly keeled on adults (vs. weakly keeled to rugose), scales on the dorsal surface of the limbs form uniform rows (vs. scales do not form distinct rows due to interspersed enlarged scales), nuchal crest is composed of long lanceolate spines, increasing in size posteriorly and ending abruptly with a diastema before the vertebral row of raised keels/ small spines (vs. nuchal crest consisting of moderate length spines, subequal to or slightly smaller than tympanum diameter, increasing gradually to its maximum length in line with the insertion of the forelimb, before gradually decreasing in length and grading into strongly keeled middorsals, diastema absent), males with a small longitudinal gular pouch (vs. gular pouch of males considerably large, extending posteriorly onto the chest, to the level of the shoulder) and obvious (vs. indistinct) hemipenal swelling of the tail base. The shoulder fold extends from the posterior jaw to above the shoulder (vs. crescentic in front of shoulder, not connected to the jaw). The arrangement of pits on the scales indicative of tactile buds described above (under description of P. kaulbacki new comb.) are similar to those observed on P. austeniana new comb.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Juvenile holotype of Pseudocalotes kingdonwardi new comb. (NHM 1946.8.11.17); dorsal view showing heterogenous dorsal and lateral scales (A), profile of head (B), adult holotype of Pseudocalotes kaulbacki new comb. (NHM 1946.9.4.72), profile of head showing identical scalation (C).