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Issue: Vol. 5875 No. 2: 3 Sept. 2026
Type: Article
Published: 2026-09-03
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5875.2.2
Page range: 144-156
Abstract views: 285
PDF downloaded: 12

A new species of Sun Skink (Reptilia: Scincidae: Eutropis) from Hainan Province, China

Forestry Department of Hainan Province; Haikou 570203; China
National Forestry and Grassland Administration; Beijing 100010; China
Forestry Department of Hainan Province; Haikou 570203; China
Hainan Academy of Forestry; Haikou 570203; China
Forestry Department of Hainan Province; Haikou 570203; China
School of Breeding and Multiplication; Hainan University; Sanya 572000; China
Reptilia sun skink integrative taxonomy molecular phylogeny morphology Eutropis nanhaiensis sp. nov

Abstract

A new species of Scincidae, Eutropis nanhaiensis sp. nov., is described based on two specimens from Hainan Province, China. This new species can be distinguished from its congeners by significant genetic divergence (>7.8% in the mitochondrial ND2 gene) and morphological characters, including a large body size (SVL 98.9–102.6 mm, n = 2), internasals in contact with each other, a single pair of nuchals; dorsal scales with two keels; midbody scale rows 28; paravertebral scale rows 45; ventral scales 25–26; lamellae under the fourth toe 25; tail length more than twice the snout-vent length; presence of a dark postocular stripe; brown dorsum, dark flanks speckled with white; and a green-yellow venter. Furthermore, Eutropis longicaudata should be treated as a species complex, and future studies are needed to reassess the taxonomic status of the specimens corresponding to each lineage.

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How to Cite

Zhou, R.-B., Liu, Q.-M., Li, S.-Y., Chen, K.-Z., Zhou, C. & Zhou, H.-X. (2026) A new species of Sun Skink (Reptilia: Scincidae: Eutropis) from Hainan Province, China. Zootaxa, 5875 (2), 144–156. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5875.2.2