Dopasia harti (Boulenger, 1899)

Nguyen, Truong Quang, Böhme, Wolfgang, Nguyen, Tao Thien, Le, Quyet Khac, Pahl, Kristian Robert, Haus, Tanja & Ziegler, Thomas, 2011, Review of the genus Dopasia Gray, 1853 (Squamata: Anguidae) in the Indochina subregion, Zootaxa 2894, pp. 58-68 : 63-64

Dopasia harti (Boulenger, 1899)

Lectotype: BMNH 1946.8.3.81 (designated by Brygoo 1987); syntypes: BMNH 1946.8.3.80–1946.8.3.81, BMNH 99.4.24.6–99.4.24.7. Type locality: Kuatun, Fukien (now Guadun, Fujian Province), China.

Common name. Hart’s Glass Lizard.

Diagnosis. Maximum SVL 270 mm; ear opening equal or smaller than nostril; nasal separated from frontonasal by 2 scales; dorsal scales strongly keeled; longitudinal scale rows between lateral folds 16–18 (rarely 14); scales along lateral fold 88–99; vertebrae from atlas to remnants of hind leg bones 50–54; dark dorsolateral stripe present, from one head-length behind ear opening to tail tip, indistinct anteriorly, progressively broader and more distinct posteriorly; ventrolateral stripe absent; lateral sides of young dark brown with saw-tooth pigmentation only present on dorsolateral region of neck and shoulder (Brygoo 1987; Lin et al. 2003; pers. obs.) ( Figs. 3 A, 3B, 5B).

Specimens examined. China: ZFMK 9471 (juvenile), ZFMK 9472–9473 (adult males), ZFMK 9474 (adult female); ZSM 477.1979A (adult female) and ZSM 477.1979B (adult male) collected by Johannes Klapperich from 10 April to 1 June 1938 from Kuatun, Fukien (now Guadun, Fujian).

Description. Body cylindrical and without limbs, SVL 201–236 mm (n = 5), TaL 326–343 mm (n = 4); ear opening equal or smaller than nostril; prefrontals in contact or separated; nasal separated from frontonasal by 2 scales; supraoculars 5; supraciliaries 6; supralabials 9–10, first and second bordering nostril; infralabials 9; dorsal scales strongly keeled; longitudinal scale rows between lateral folds 16–18 (rarely 14); ventral scales in 10 longitudinal rows; number of scales along lateral fold 88–97; number of vertebrae from atlas to remnants of hind leg bones 52–54.

Coloration in preservative. Dorsal head and body gray brown; dorsum of trunk with or without a series of dark spots in females or irregular cross bars in males; dark dorsolateral stripe present, from one head-length behind ear opening to tail tip, indistinct anteriorly, progressively broader and more distinct posteriorly; ventrolateral stripe absent; lateral sides of young dark brown with saw-tooth pigmentation only present on dorsolateral region of neck and shoulder.

Distribution. In Vietnam, D. harti is known from Lao Cai (Sa Pa), Cao Bang (Nguyen Binh), Bac Kan (Ngan Son), Vinh Phuc (Tam Dao), Son La (Moc Chau, Chieng Di, Xuan Nha), Ha Tay (Ba Vi), Nghe An (Ky Son, Pu Mat). Elsewhere, it has been reported from China (Fujian, Jiangxi), Taiwan, and Laos (Müller & Hellmich 1940; Zhong 1993; Nguyen et al. 2009).

Remarks. Bain and Nguyen (2004) reported D. harti from Ha Giang, Vietnam (IEBR 890), however, that specimen is re-identified as D. gracilis in this study. The previous records of D. harti from Tam Dao (Vinh Phuc Province) should be verified as they may be D. hainanensis (see remarks above).

Figures

FIGURE 3. Dopasia harti: A) An adult (sex unknown) from Sa Pa, Lao Cai Province photograph Cuc T. Ho; B) Juvenile (ZFMK 9471) from Fujian, China, photograph Truong Q. Nguyen; and Dopasia ludovici: C & D) Subadult (sex unknown) from Ba Vi NP, Hanoi, photograph Craig Robson.