Latest news with #KampingPoi
Miami Herald
01-07-2025
- Science
- Miami Herald
‘Leaf-toed' creature found ‘wandering' at night in Cambodia. It's a new species
Night stretched across western Cambodia, coaxing a 'leaf-toed' creature from its hiding place and onto the boulders. Its 'reddish'-gold eyes scanned the surrounding landscape, but it wasn't the only one searching. Nearby scientists noticed the spotted animal — and discovered a new species. A team of researchers visited some poorly known karstic rock formations in Battambang Province in March 2024 to survey reptiles and amphibians. Karstic habitats generally have high levels of biodiversity so the team expected to find some interesting animals, according to a study published June 30 in the peer-reviewed journal Zootaxa. During their visit, researchers encountered over a dozen unfamiliar-looking geckos, the study said. Intrigued, they took a closer look at the lizards, analyzed their DNA and quickly realized they'd discovered a new species: Dixonius noctivagus, or the Battambang leaf-toed gecko. Battambang leaf-toed geckos are considered 'small,' reaching just over 4 inches in length, the study said. They have 'flat' snouts and 'moderate'-sized eyes with a 'reddish'-gold mosaic-like pattern. Its 'short' fingers and toes have 'expanded,' 'leaf'-like pads. Photos show the new species' coloring. Overall, its body is light brown with darker brown blotches almost resembling leopard spots. Battambang leaf-toed geckos were found on karstic boulders, 'a cement wall' and on the ground nearby, the study said. Several female geckos were found pregnant with 'two eggs, indicating that breeding probably occurs in February and March.' Researchers said they named the new species after the Latin words for 'night' and 'vagrant or wandering' because of its 'nocturnal activity.' The new species' common name refers to the site in Battambang Province where it was first discovered and, so far, the only place where it has been found. The range of these geckos 'undoubtedly extends farther in all directions,' researchers said. Battambang Province is in western Cambodia and along the border with Thailand. Cambodia also borders Laos and Vietnam. The new species was identified by its scale pattern, coloring, pores and other subtle physical features, the study said. DNA analysis found the new species had at least 7% genetic divergence from other related geckos. The research team included L. Lee Grismer, Pablo Sinovas, Evan Quah, Sothearen Thi, Phyroum Chourn, Sophea Chhin, Seiha Hun, Anthony Cobos, Christian Ching, Matthew Murdoch, Jeren Gregory, Eddie Nguyen, Alex Hernandez, Amanda Kaatz and Jesse Grismer. The team also discovered two more new species of gecko in the same rocky habitat: the Kamping Poi bent-toed gecko and Khpoh slender gecko. 'Small and cryptic species like these newly described geckos often escape notice,' study co-author Sinovas said in a June 30 news release from Flora & Fauna. 'Bringing them to light is just the beginning of an exciting journey, one we hope will lead to the protection of these remarkable karst landscapes.' 'Cambodia's karst landscapes remain largely uncharted, their vast biodiversity still underreported, yet they face increasing pressure from human activities — from tourism development to industrial-scale destruction caused by mining for building materials,' Sinovas said in the release. 'We must prioritise the protection of these fragile karst ecosystems before rare species are lost forever.'
Miami Herald
04-06-2025
- Science
- Miami Herald
Pregnant creature with ‘large' golden eyes found in Cambodia. It's a new species
On a rock formation in western Cambodia, a pregnant creature with a 'long' tail went about its afternoon. Its 'large' golden eyes scanned the surrounding landscape, but it wasn't the only one looking around. Passing scientists noticed the patterned animal — and discovered a new species. A team of researchers visited several 'unexplored' rock formations in Banan District in March 2024 to survey amphibians and reptiles, according to a study published June 4 in the peer-reviewed journal ZooKeys. The team suspected these hills might hold thus far undocumented biodiversity, and they were right. During their surveys, researchers found dozens of unfamiliar-looking lizards, the study said. Intrigued, they took a closer look at the animals, analyzed their DNA and realized they'd discovered a new species: Cyrtodactylus kampingpoiensis, or the Kamping Poi bent-toed gecko. Kamping Poi bent-toed geckos have 'long' bodies and 'long' tails, reaching about 7 inches in total length, the study said. Their heads are 'somewhat flattened' with 'large' golden eyes. Their fingers and toes are 'bent' with 'well-developed' claws. Photos show the brown coloring of the new species, which varies in hue and detail but has a relatively consistent pattern. Dark brown bands run across its back, each one 'slightly wavy-edged' and lined 'with bright-white' bumps, researchers said. Some geckos have higher contrast in their coloring, while others appear more faded. Some geckos have an almost black and white pattern on their tails, photos show. Kamping Poi bent-toed geckos live on rocky karst hills at elevations of around 300 to 800 feet, the study said. The geckos were found on rocks, in or around caves, at the bases of trees and on the ground. During their visits, researchers saw young geckos, or hatchlings, fully grown adult geckos and a few pregnant geckos, indicating the new species breeds in March. Researchers said they named the new species after Phnom Kamping Poi, the rocky hill where it was first discovered. Kamping Poi bent-toed geckos were found at four nearby but isolated hills in the Banan District, the study said. These four populations showed some variation in looks and had minor DNA differences, but researchers concluded they weren't quite unique enough to be described as separate species. Banan District is in western Cambodia and near the border with Thailand. Cambodia also borders Laos and Vietnam. The new species was identified by its scale pattern, size, body proportions, toe shape, finger pads, coloring and other subtle physical features, the study said. DNA analysis found the new species had at least 5% genetic divergence from other related species. The research team included Evan Quah, L. Lee Grismer, Pablo Sinovas, Phyroum Chourn, Sophea Chhin, Seiha Hun, Anthony Cobos, Peter Geissler, Christian Ching, Matthew Murdoch, Sothearen Thi, Jeren Gregory, Eddie Nguyen, Alexis Hernandez, Amanda Kaatz and Jesse Grismer.
