title: Cyrtodactylus rufford, a new cave-dwelling bent-toed gecko (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Khammouane Province, central Laos.
abstract: We describe a new species of the gekkonid genus Cyrtodactylus from Khammouane Province, central Laos based on morphological and molecular data. Morphologically, Cyrtodactylus rufford sp. nov. differs from its congeners by a unique combination of the following characters: medium size, SVL reaching 72.5 mm; dorsal pattern with three or four light transverse bands between limb insertions; one intersupranasal; 14-16 irregular dorsal tubercle rows at midbody, weakly developed in the paravertebral region; 27-29 ventral scale rows between ventrolateral folds; 42-43 precloacal and femoral pores in a continuous row in males, enlarged femoral and precloacal scales present; 4 or 5 postcloacal tubercles on each side; dorsal tubercles present at base of tail; medial subcaudal scales enlarged. Molecular analyses show that the new species is closely related to C. khammouanensis, which was originally described from Khammouane Province.
authors.affiliation: Department of Wildlife, Faculty of Forest Resources and Environmental Management, Vietnam Forestry University, Xuan Mai, Chuong My, Hanoi, Vietnam.; Email: qvinhfuv@yahoo.com.au.
authors.forename: Vinh Quang
authors.initials: VQ
authors.lastname: Luu
authors.affiliation: WWF Greater Mekong, House No. 39, Unit 05, Ban Saylom, Vientiane, Lao PDR.; Email: calame@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Calame
authors.affiliation: Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 18 Hoang Quoc Viet, Hanoi, Vietnam. Zoological Institute, Department of Terrestrial Ecology, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Strasse 47b, D-50674 Cologne, Germany.; Email: nqt2@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Truong Quang
authors.initials: TQ
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Hanoi University of Science, Vietnam National University, 334 Nguyen Trai Road, Hanoi,Vietnam.; Email: le.duc.minh@hus.edu.vn.
authors.forename: Minh Duc
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Le
authors.affiliation: Zoological Institute, Department of Terrestrial Ecology, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Strasse 47b, D-50674 Cologne, Germany.; Email: m.bonkowski@uni-koeln.de.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bonkowski
authors.affiliation: Zoological Institute, Department of Terrestrial Ecology, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Strasse 47b, D-50674 Cologne, Germany.; Email: m.bonkowski@uni-koeln.de.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ziegler
mesh_terms: D063147:Animal Distribution; D000825:Animal Structures / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development; D000818:Animals; D049628:Body Size; D059552:Caves; D017753:Ecosystem; D005260:Female; D007812:Laos; D008116:Lizards / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D010802:Phylogeny