Pseudocalotes kaulbacki Smith 1937, new combination
Creators: name: Mahony, Stephen
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2010
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Chordata
Reptilia
Squamata
Agamidae
Pseudocalotes
Pseudocalotes kaulbacki

description: Pseudocalotes kaulbacki (Smith, 1937) new combination.
Figures 1–2
Japalura kaulbacki Smith, 1937
Examined material. NHM 1940.6.3.40, “Pangnamdim, Triangle, Upper Burma ”, collector R. Kaulback; NHM 1940.6.3.45, “Ahke, Triangle, Upper Burma ”, collector R. Kaulback.
Additional material. Holotype NHM 1946.9.4.72 (formerly BMNH 1936.7.4.13), “Nam Tamai Valley, Burma /Tibet border”, presented R. Kaulback; topotypes NHM 1940.4.26.4, “Nam Tamai Valley, Upper Burma ”, collector F. Kingdon Ward; NHM 1924.842–843, “3000’, Pangnamdin, 27°42’ N, 97°54’ E, N. Burma ”, collector R. Kaulback; NHM 1940.6.3.41–44, “Pangnamdim, Triangle, Upper Burma ”, collector R. Kaulback.
Etymology. The specific epithet is a patronym after Mr. Ronald Kaulback, an accomplished explorer and collector of the holotype and most other known specimens of this species. The specific name is a genitive based on a personal name and remains unchanged if the gender of the genus changes.
Distribution. P. kaulbacki new comb. is currently known from Pangnamdim, Nam Tamai Valley (27°42’ N, 97°54’ E) and Ahke (26°58’ N, 97°43’ E), Upper Burma Triangle, both currently located in the Kachin State of northernmost Myanmar. A third population of this species has been recently found in northeast India (Manthey in prep.). A brief collection note accompanies two gravid female specimens (NHM 1924.842–843), both were collected on the ground, one amongst dead leaves and the other from under a stone in thick jungle.
Description of topotype (NHM 1940.6.3.40). Adult male (internal organs removed, but hemipenal bulge distinct). Mensural and meristic data is summarised in Table 1. General habitus moderately compressed. Snout bluntly pointed in profile, rostral hexangular, approximately two times longer than deep, contacted by first supralabials, nasals and four small scales dorsally. Nostril circular, laterally positioned, nasal large, oval in shape, bordered by seven scales (left side) including rostral and supralabials one and two. Eight smooth, rectangular supralabials and infralabials on left side. Loreal region concave, scales of the loreal region heterogenous in size, flat, consisting of a single row of enlarged scales extending from the posterior edge of the nasal, along the upper edge of the supralabials, below the orbit and curving upward along the posterior border of the orbit and ending with a slightly larger postorbital plate, remaining loreal scales small. Posterior to the postorbital plate is a row of two enlarged raised temporal scales extending to above the tympanum, orbital scales small and granular. Tympanum naked. Canthals enlarged, not overlapping, dramatically decreasing in size along the supraciliaries which are subimbricate, forming a laterally protruding supraorbital ridge.
Scales on the dorsal surface of the snout are heterogenous in size and shape, dominated by a series of two enlarged median scales, strongly keeled longitudinally, bordered posteriorly by a pair of larger keeled scales with keels directed posterolaterally, overall forming an inverted “Y” arrangement. Remaining snout scales small and keeled. Supraorbital scales all longitudinally keeled, increase in size from the supraciliaries to the inner edges of the orbits, of which the enlarged scales follow the curvature of the orbit posterolaterally, separated from the enlarged temporal ridge by three small granular scales. A narrow row of small scales separates the enlarged suprorbitals at the narrowest point on the frontal area. A single enlarged, posteriorly keeled scale on the upper temporal region, surrounded by a patch of small granular scales. Posterior to this is a row of three small raised triangular spines between the tympanum and the nuchal crest and an additional small spine above the posterior border of the tympanum. Parietal scale small and longitudinally elongate with a distinct central depression, presumably of the pineal eye.
Mental subtriangular, approximately as wide as long, bordered posteriorly by a ventrolateral row of four elongated chin shields gradually decreasing in size and shape posteriorly to blend with surrounding rows of gular scales. The first two pairs of post-mental chin shields are in contact laterally with the infralabials, the remaining shields are separated from the infralabials by one to two rows of small gular scales. Remaining gular scales smooth, subimbricate, increasing in size posteriorly and laterally across the jowls to the level of the tympanum, those of the central throat are the smallest. A small longitudinal gular pouch present, transverse gular fold absent.
Ventral scales subimbricate, strongly keeled, heterogenous in size and arranged in regular rows. Approximately 52 scales around mid body. Nuchal crest is composed of seven primary lanceolate spines, the posterior four separated from each other by a small secondary spine. Primary spines longer than the tympanum diameter, increasing in size posteriorly and ending abruptly, followed by a diastema of small scales. The remaining vertebral scales are not enlarged relative to adjacent rows but possess a more pronounced median keel providing a serrated appearance in profile. 42 middorsal scales in total. Dorsal scales are heterogenous in size and shape, all keeled, not arranged into regular rows, keels on those of the upper flanks are oriented obliquely upward, horizontal on the mid flanks and obliquely downward on the lower flanks. A distinct shallow oblique fold in front of the shoulder, extending from the posterior jaw. Scales of the forelimbs, hind limbs and digits are covered in regular scale arrangements on which the keels form parallel longitudinal rows, with the exception of keeled rows on ventral surface of the thighs which are obliquely transverse. Those on the outer surfaces of the forelimbs strongly keeled grading into weakly keeled scales on the inner surface. 22 4FinLam and 28 4ToeLam. Scales on the dorsal and ventral surfaces of the tail are strongly keeled. Obvious hemipenal swelling on the tail base. Precloacal and femoral pores absent. Minute pits indicative of tactile buds are visible on scales of the head, body, limbs and tail. Larger scales on the head (e.g., labials, rostral, mental, chin shields etc.) with numerous pits randomly arranged, whereas all scales covering the gular, dorsal and ventral surfaces of the body, limbs and tail each have a single pit on their posterior apex. Presence of tactile hairs in these pits could not be assessed due to magnification limitations of available equipment.
Colouration in preservative. Loreal scales and enlarged subocular scale row white. Supralabials and infralabials, most of the gular region, and entire ventral surface of the body and limbs white with a slight bluish tint. Patch of small throat scales with a hint of faded red. Scales of the entire dorsal surface of the head, body, limbs and tail primarily appear brownish blue, however where the outer layer of scales is sloughed/ removed, the revealed inner layer is vivid light blue to greenish blue. There is no distinguishable dorsal pattern.
Variation. Mensural and meristic variation is primarily summarized in Table 1. The male NHM 1940.6.3.45 differs by possessing eight scales surrounding the nasal (left and right sides), including SL one and two, but narrowly separated from the rostral by a small intervening scale on each side. Middorsals form a row of short oblique spines posterior to the elongate nuchal spines which are separated by a short diastema. Tail base swollen to accommodate hemipenes and covered with distinctly enlarged subimbricate scales. The posterior two nuchal spines on two specimens, NHM 1974.842–843, decrease in size from anterior spines. Gravid females measured between 85.2–100 mm, the smallest contained 6 eggs (14 x 8.5 mm), a larger female, SVL 97.7, was reported on the specimen label to have laid a single egg (14 x 9.5 mm).
Smith (1940) described the colouration in life as follows; “Male – Upper surface of head, body and limbs brown with indistinct green transverse bars; chin bright yellow; gular pouch pale blue in front, scarlet behind; belly and under-surfaces of limbs bluish-green. Females – Greenish above with darker markings and crossbars; lips and throat yellowish.”
Comparison. This species does not differ in any significant scalation characters from P. kingdonwardi new comb. and thus is here considered a synonym. Pseudocalotes kaulbacki new comb. differs from all known congeners as described below in the comparison of P. kingdonwardi new comb.
description: Published as part of Mahony, Stephen, 2010, Systematic and taxomonic revaluation of four little known Asian agamid species, Calotes kingdonwardi Smith, 1935, Japalura kaulbacki Smith, 1937, Salea kakhienensis Anderson, 1879 and the monotypic genus Mictopholis Smith, 1935 (Reptilia: Agamidae), pp. 1-23 in Zootaxa 2514 on pages 8-12, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.293300