title: Evolution in karst massifs: Cryptic diversity among bent-toed geckos along the Truong Son Range with descriptions of three new species and one new country record from Laos.
abstract: Species designated as 'cryptic' share a similar morphotype, and are often only clearly separable by molecular data. Cyrtodactylus, the most diverse gecko genus of the family Gekkonidae, is a prime example, because many morphologically similar taxa have only recently been identified as new species as a result of available genetic evidence. However, while cryptic diversity of Cyrtodactylus is already well documented on the Vietnamese side of the Truong Son range, only scarce data is available from central Laos. In this study, we address this issue by means of an integrative approach, which employs morphological, molecular, and ecological data to distinguish cryptic species of the Cyrtodacylus phongnhakebangensis species group primarily distributed along the northern Truong Son Range. Our analyses based on 12 selected morphological characters, a partial mitochondrial gene (COI), and five ecological parameters revealed three undescribed cryptic Cyrtodactylus species from Hin Nam No National Protected Area, which are described as Cyrtodactylus calamei sp. nov., Cyrtodactylus hinnamnoensis sp. nov., and Cyrtodactylus sommerladi sp. nov. A fourth discovered Cyrtodactylus population in Hin Nam No proved to be the first country record of C. cryptus for Laos. Our results highlight the importance of applying an integrative approach to resolving the taxonomy of complex and cryptic species groups, and the role of the Truong Son Range in maintaining the high level of biodiversity over time.
authors.affiliation: Department of Wildlife, Faculty of Forest Resources and Environmental Management, Vietnam National University of Forestry, Xuan Mai, Chuong My, Hanoi, Vietnam. Institute of Zoology, Department of Terrestrial Ecology, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Street 47b, D-50674 Cologne, Germany. AG Zoologischer Garten Köln, Riehler Strasse 173, D-50735 Cologne, Germany.; Email: qvinhfuv@yahoo.com.au.
authors.forename: Vinh Quang
authors.initials: VQ
authors.lastname: Luu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Zoology, Department of Terrestrial Ecology, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Street 47b, D-50674 Cologne, Germany.; Email: m.bonkowski@uni-koeln.de.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bonkowski
authors.affiliation: Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 18 Hoang Quoc Viet Road, Hanoi, Vietnam.; Email: nqt2@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Truong Quang
authors.initials: TQ
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Environmental Sciences/Biology, Hanoi University of Science, Vietnam National University, 334 Nguyen Trai Road, Hanoi, Vietnam. Centre for Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, Hanoi National University, 19 Le Thanh Tong, Hanoi, Vietnam Department of Herpetology, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, New York 10024; Email: le.duc.minh@hus.edu.vn.
authors.forename: Minh Duc
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Le
authors.affiliation: Institute of Zoology, Department of Terrestrial Ecology, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Street 47b, D-50674 Cologne, Germany. AG Zoologischer Garten Köln, Riehler Strasse 173, D-50735 Cologne, Germany.; Email: unknown.
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Environmental Sciences/Biology, Hanoi University of Science, Vietnam National University, 334 Nguyen Trai Road, Hanoi, Vietnam.; Email: unknown.
authors.forename: Hanh Thi
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Ngo
authors.affiliation: Institute of Zoology, Department of Terrestrial Ecology, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Street 47b, D-50674 Cologne, Germany. AG Zoologischer Garten Köln, Riehler Strasse 173, D-50735 Cologne, Germany.; Email: ziegler@koelnerzoo.de.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ziegler
mesh_terms: D063147:Animal Distribution; D000818:Animals; D017753:Ecosystem; D005260:Female; D007812:Laos; D008116:Lizards / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D010802:Phylogeny; D013045:Species Specificity