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A new species of the genus Goniurosaurus is described based on three specimens collected from a limestone cave in Huaiji County, Guangdong Province, China. Based on molecular phylogenetic analyses, the new species is nested within the Goniurosaurus yingdeensis species group. However, morphological analyses cannot ascribe it to any known species of that group. It is distinguished from the other three species in the group by a combination of the following characters: scales around midbody 121-128; dorsal tubercle rows at midbody 16-17; presence of 10-11 precloacal pores in males, and absent in females; nuchal loop and body bands immaculate, without black spots; iris orange, gradually darker on both sides. The discovery of yet another limestone-adapted species of Goniurosaurus in Guangdong Province underscores a growing body of evidence for the high biodiversity of limestone habitats and brings into sharp focus the urgent need for their conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A definition of the Goniurosaurus yingdeensis group is presented in this study, on the basis of morphological and phylogenetic analyses based on a series of additional specimens. Moreover, a new species of this group, Goniurosaurus varius sp. nov., is proposed for northern Guangdong Province, China. The new species can be distinguished from the other two congeners of this group by the following unique characters: one or two internasals; enlarged supraorbital tubercles absent; paravertebral tubercles between limb insertions 27-29; dorsal tubercle rows at midbody 21-24; ten precloacal pores in males and absent in females; body bands with black spots; iris orange-red. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The taxonomic status of the previous record of Opisthotropis maculosa Stuart & Chuaynkern, 2007 from Guangdong and Guangxi, southern China, is revised based on the comparison of morphological and molecular data collected from the Chinese specimens and the holotype of O. maculosa from Thailand and O. haihaensis Ziegler, Pham, Nguyen, Nguyen, Wang, Wang, Stuart & Le, 2019 from Vietnam. Results reveal that the population from Shiwandashan Nature Reserve in southern Guangxi, China belongs to O. haihaensis, and represents the first national record for China; the populations from western Guangdong and southeastern Guangxi are described as a new species, Opisthotropis hungtai sp. nov. We suggest that O. maculosa should be removed from the Chinese herpetofauna checklist. The new national record of O. haihaensis and the description of the new species bring the total number of Opisthotropis to 13 in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species, Takydromus yunkaiensis J. Wang, Lyu, & Y.Y. Wang, sp. nov. is described based on a series of specimens collected from the Yunkaishan Nature Reserve located in the southern Yunkai Mountains, western Guangdong Province, China. The new species is a sister taxon to T. intermedius with a genetic divergence of 8.0-8.5% in the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene, and differs from all known congeners by a combination of the following morphological characters: (1) body size moderate, SVL 37.8-56.0 mm in males, 42.6-60.8 mm in females; (2) dorsal ground color brown; ventral surface green to yellow-green, but light blue-green on chin and throat, posteriorly green in adult males; (3) dorsolateral lines paired, strikingly yellowish-white bordered by black above and below, invisible or indistinct in juveniles and adult females; (4) flanks of body blackish brown with light brown marks in adult males; (5) presence of four pairs of chin-shields; (6) four supraoculars on each side; (7) presence of a row of supracilary granules that separate supracilaries from supraoculars; (8) two postnasals; (9) enlarged dorsal scales in six longitudinal rows on trunk of body, with strong keel; (10) enlarged ventral scales in six longitudinal rows, strongly keeled in males, smooth but outermost rows weakly keeled in females; (11) enlarged and keeled lateral scales in a row above ventrals; (12) femoral pores 2-3 on each side; (13) subdigital lamellae 20-23 under the fourth finger, 23-30 under the fourth toe; and (14) the first 2-3 subdigital lamellae under the fourth toe divided. The discovery of Takydromus yunkaiensis sp. nov. brings the total number of species of this genus to 24, of which nine occur in mainland China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]