@article {67827, title = {On the systematic status of the genus Oriocalotes G{\"u}nther, 1864~(Squamata: Agamidae: Draconinae) with the description of a new species from Mizoram state, Northeast India.}, journal = {Zootaxa}, volume = {4638}, year = {2019}, month = {2019 Jul 18}, pages = {zootaxa.4638.4.1}, abstract = {

The montane agamid lizard genus Oriocalotes is currently considered monotypic, represented by the species, O. paulus. The systematic status of this taxon has remained questionable since its initial descriptions in the mid-1800s. A detailed molecular and morphological study was carried out to assess the validity of this genus, and its systematic position within the Asian agamid subfamily, Draconinae. Freshly collected and historical museum specimens from the type locality of O. paulus were examined morphologically, along with additional samples collected from localities in Mizoram state, Northeast India. Utilising newly generated molecular sequences (two mitochondrial and three nuclear genes), combined with those previously published for representative genera from the subfamilies Draconinae and Agaminae, Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian phylogenetic trees were constructed. Phylogenetic results suggest that Oriocalotes is part of the widespread South and Southeast Asian radiation of Calotes. Comparative morphological studies (including external morphology, hemipenis and osteology) between Oriocalotes and related genera further support this systematic placement. Oriocalotes is herein regarded as a junior subjective synonym of Calotes. Calotes paulus comb. nov. is also assigned a lectotype and given a detailed redescription based on the lectotype, paralectotypes and additional topotypic material. Furthermore, the specimens collected from Mizoram populations are found to be morphologically and genetically distinct from Calotes paulus comb. nov., and are described herein as a new species, Calotes zolaiking sp. nov.

}, keywords = {Animals, Bayes Theorem, India, Lizards, Osteology, Phylogeny}, issn = {1175-5334}, doi = {10.11646/zootaxa.4638.4.1}, author = {Giri, Varad B and Chaitanya, R and Mahony, Stephen and Lalrounga, Samuel and Lalrinchhana, C and Das, Abhijit and Sarkar, Vivek and Karanth, Praveen and Deepak, V} } @article {36266, title = {Two new species of bent toed geckos, Cyrtodactylus Gray, 1827 (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Northeast India with comments on name-bearing types from the region }, journal = {ZOOTAXA}, volume = {4420 }, year = {2018}, month = {05/2018}, pages = {334-356}, abstract = {

Two new species of the genus Cyrtodactylus are described based on collections from Northeast India, and descriptions and diagnoses of previously described species and synonyms from the region are provided. One of the new species from lowland habitats in Tripura is medium sized, with a continuous series of precloacal pores, and is allied to C. ayeyarwadyensis from Myanmar; while the other new species from West Bengal is smaller, with both femoral and precloacal pores, and is related to C. gubernatoris from West Bengal and Sikkim. We designate a lectotype for Cyrtodactylus khasiensis and recognize the C. khasiensis synonym Gymnodactylus himalayicus as a valid species of Cyrtodactylus based on morphological evidence, and suggest the recognition of the last remaining subspecies of C. khasiensis, C. k. cayuensis, as a valid species based on geography and morphology. The stabilization of the taxa Cyrtodactylus khasiensis and C. gubernatoris with a limited subset of characters and specific distributional data, as well as the elevation of Cyrtodactylus himalayicus comb. nov. from synonymy, will allow the descriptions of many more Cyrtodactylus species from the region.

}, doi = {10.11646/zootaxa.4420.3.2 }, author = {Agarwal, I and Mahony, S and Giri, VB and Chaitanya, R and Bauer, AM} } @article {25696, title = {On the recent designation of a neotype for the taxon Calotes versicolor (Daudin, 1802) (Reptilia: Agamidae)}, journal = {Zootaxa}, volume = {4317}, year = {2017}, month = {09/2017}, pages = {585-587}, abstract = {

Calotes versicolor (Daudin, 1802) is a widespread species of agamid lizard found commonly in the Indian subcontinent and the Indo-Chinese region with a complicated taxonomic history (Uetz \& Hosek, 2016). The type locality of this species has been debatable (Smith, 1935, Amarasinghe et al. 2009) and the recent designation of a neotype from Pondicherry by Gowande et al. (2016) though much warranted, introduces additional complications that impede a thorough taxonomic resolution of this species complex.

}, doi = {10.11646/zootaxa.4317.3.10}, author = {Chaitanya, R and Giri, Varad B and Deepak, V.} } @article {26574, title = {On the taxonomic status of Eurylepis poonaensis (Squamata: Scincidae): resolving a long-standing conundrum}, journal = {SALAMANDRA}, volume = {53}, year = {2017}, month = {08/2017}, pages = {389-397}, abstract = {

The scincid genus Eurylepis was split off from the cosmopolitan genus Eumeces sensu lato, with Eurylepis taeniolatus
being the type species, which is taxonomically poorly understood. The other nominate species in this genus is
Eurylepis poonaensis, which was known only from its type locality and original description, and is the only known member
of the subfamily Scincinae from near the Western Ghats. However, earlier studies raised doubts about its specific validity,
often without examining type or other specimens. We collected fresh samples of this species from the type locality
and nearby areas. Based on the examination of the holotype and the new material, we provide a detailed redescription of
E. poonaensis, additional data on its skeletal structure, habitat, and natural history. We also provide a detailed redescription
of E. taeniolatus based on the holotype to avoid further taxonomic ambiguity.

}, author = {Datta-Roy, Aniruddha and Deepak, V. and Chaitanya, R and Murthy, Channakeshva and Harshal Bhosale and Lajmi, Aparna and Karanth, K. Praveen and Kunte, Krushnamegh and Giri, Varad} }