A new species of Dixonius Bauer, Good, & Branch, 1997 (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from a karstic archipelago in Western Cambodia

L. Lee Grismer and Pablo Sinovas and Evan S. H. Quah and Sothearen Thi and Phyroum Chourn and Sophea Chhin and Seiha Hun and Anthony Cobos and Christian Ching and Matthew L. Murdoch and Jeren J. Gregory and Eddie Nguyen and Alex P. Hernandez and Amanda Kaatz and Jesse L. Grismer (2025) A new species of Dixonius Bauer, Good, & Branch, 1997 (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from a karstic archipelago in Western Cambodia. Zootaxa, 5653. pp. 501-523. ISSN 1175-5326

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Abstract

An integrative taxonomic analysis was used to delimit and diagnose a new species of Dixonius from a karstic archipelago in western Cambodia. Dixonius noctivagus sp. Nov. was recovered as the sister species to an undescribed species from eastern Cambodia and southwestern Vietnam based on 1,396 bp of the mitochondrial ND2 gene. A statistically robust diagnosis was established through multivariate and univariate analyses of morphometric, meristic, and categorical color pattern characters separating D. noctivagus sp. Nov. from all other congeners. Although Dixonius is a common and widespread genus, the description herein brings the total number of Dixonius in Cambodia to two—far fewer than the eight species from both neighboring Thailand and Vietnam. this disparity underscores the need for systematic biodiversity surveys in the many understudied regions of Cambodia, particularly focusing on its herpetofauna. the discovery of D. noctivagus sp. Nov. alongside recently described Cyrtodactylus and Hemiphyllodactyus species from the same karst formations highlights the urgent need for legal protection of these fragile habitats in the region.

Item Type:	Article
Keyword:	Conservation, Gekkota, genetics, integrative taxonomy, limestone, phylogeny, Southeast Asia
Subjects:	Q Science > QH Natural history > QH1-278.5 Natural history (General) > QH1-(199.5) General Including nature conservation, geographical distribution T Technology > TN Mining engineering. Metallurgy > TN1-997 Mining engineering. Metallurgy > TN950-997 Building and ornamental stones
Department:	INSTITUTE > Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation
Depositing User:	JUNAINE JASNI -
Date Deposited:	21 Oct 2025 12:42
Last Modified:	21 Oct 2025 12:42
URI:	https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/45492

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