title: First molecular verification of Dixonius vietnamensis Das, 2004 (Squamata: Gekkonidae) with the description of a new species from Vinh Cuu Nature Reserve, Dong Nai Province, Vietnam.
abstract: Based on near-topotypic specimens of Dixonius vietnamensis from Khanh Hoa Province in southern Vietnam genetic analyses showed that the recently described D. taoi is sister to D. vietnamensis and several separate forms exist which previously have been misidentified as D. vietnamensis and D. siamensis. The Dixonius population from Vinh Cuu Nature Reserve, Dong Nai Province, Vietnam, represents an undescribed species. Dixonius minhlei sp. nov. can be distinguished from its congeners based on the following diagnostic characters: small size (up to 47.5 mm SVL); 7-9 supralabials; 14-15 rows of keeled tubercles on dorsum; 20-23 ventral scale rows; 7 or 8 precloacal pores in males; a canthal stripe running from rostrum through the eye and terminating at back of head; lateral second pair of postmentals maximum one quarter the size of first pair; dorsum olive gray with more or less discernible brownish olive blotches. This is the sixth species of Dixonius known to occur in Vietnam.
authors.affiliation: AG Zoologischer Garten Köln, Riehler Straße 173, D-50735 Köln, Germany Zoological Institute, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Strasse 47b, D-50674 Cologne, Germany Vietnam National Museum of Nature, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 18 Hoang Quoc Viet, Hanoi, Vietnam; Email: ziegler@koelnerzoo.de.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ziegler
authors.affiliation: AG Zoologischer Garten Köln, Riehler Straße 173, D-50735 Köln, Germany.; Email: unknown.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Botov
authors.affiliation: Vietnam National Museum of Nature, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 18 Hoang Quoc Viet, Hanoi, Vietnam; Email: unknown.
authors.forename: Tao Thien
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Villanova University, 800 Lancaster Avenue, Villanova, Pennsylvania 19085, USA; Email: unknown.
authors.forename: Aaron M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Villanova University, 800 Lancaster Avenue, Villanova, Pennsylvania 19085, USA Evolution, Ecology, and Genetics, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia; Email: unknown.
authors.forename: Ian G
authors.initials: IG
authors.lastname: Brennan
authors.affiliation: Faculty of 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 Ecology and Biological Resources, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 18 Hoang Quoc Viet, Hanoi, Vietnam.; Email: unknown.
authors.forename: Truong Quang
authors.initials: TQ
authors.lastname: Nguyen
mesh_terms: D063147:Animal Distribution; D000825:Animal Structures / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000254:growth & development; D000818:Animals; D049628:Body Size; D017753:Ecosystem; D005260:Female; D008116:Lizards / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D010802:Phylogeny; D014744:Vietnam