VietNamNet Bridge - Researchers of the Kyoto University (Japan) and the Vietnam Museum of Nature have recently published their discovery of a new species of crocodile newt (tylototriton) on the journal Current Herpetology.

 

 

The new speices of crocodile newt.

The new species is described based on the results of comparison in terms of morphology and molecular biology with the tylototriton species recorded in Vietnam and its neighboring countries such as China and Laos.

The specimens of the new species were collected by the research group in the mountainous provinces of Ha Giang and Cao Bang.

The new species is named after Prof. Thomas Ziegler (Cologne Zoo, Germany), who has made significant contributions in the biodiversity study and conservation in Vietnam.

The Tylototriton Ziegleri Nishikawa, Matsui & Nguyen, 2013 species has the length of 54 - 68mm in males and 71mm in females, with rough skin and tiny nodules and bone edge on the head.

In the article published on the journal Current Herpetology, the authors also noted one more species of Tylototriton, the South Laos Tylototriton notialis.

So far, Vietnam has recorded a total of seven species of Tylototriton, in which there are three species that are only distributed in North Vietnam, including: Tam Dao Tylototriton Paramesotriton deloustali, Vietnam Tylototriton vietnamensis, and the new species Tylototriton Ziegleri.

SGTT