Herein, we describe a new cryptic snake species of the genus Xenopeltis from Central Highlands of Vietnam: Kon Plông District, Kon Tum Province based both on morphological and molecular data. Xenopeltis intermedius sp. nov. is distinguished from the two known species by a combination of the following morphological characters. Xenopeltis intermedius sp. nov. differs from X. unicolor and X. hainanensis by the number of ventrals and subcaudals. The skull is less elongated than in X. unicolor and somewhat more elongate than in X. hainanensis. X. intermedius demonstrates differences in size, shape proportions and relief of the parietal bone and the number of teeth from X. hainanensis and X. unicolor. We provide a COI-based estimation of diversity of the genus Xenopeltis. Genetic divergence (p-distance) between Xenopeltis sp. nov. from Kon Tum Province, Central Highlands region of Vietnam, and two other congeners was 5.7% (for X. hainanensis) and 12.9% (for X. unicolor). The new species is currently known only from one locality from Central Highland and was recorded from 1500 to 2500 m a.s.l. in the evergreen polydominant forests in the mountainous regions of Kon Tum Province. This is the third species of Xenopeltis from Vietnam.

A New Species of Cyrtodactylus Gray, 1827 (Squamata, Gekkonidae) from Southern Yunnan, China

Three new species of Diploderma are described from the Hengduan Mountain Region in south-western China, based on morphological and genetic data. The first new species from Yulong County, Yunnan Province is morphologically most similar and phylogenetically closely related to D. brevicauda, but it can be diagnosed from the latter by having a relatively longer tail; the second new species from Xiangcheng County, Sichuan Province is phylogenetically closely related to D. bowoense, but it can be diagnosed from the latter by the absence of a distinct gular spot; and the third new species from Yongsheng County, Yunnan Province is phylogenetically closely related to D. yulongense, but it can be diagnosed from the latter by having different colourations of the ventral and ventrolateral surfaces of the body. Taxonomy and diversity survey are the basis of species conservation, our discoveries contributing to better conservation of the species of this genus.

It has been noted that caudal autotomy as a way of defending against predators in recent reptiles is characteristic solely of lepidosaurs and is absent in crocodiles and turtles. It was found that, in the order Rhynchocephalia and in representatives of the majority of families of lizards, intravertebral (IntraVB) autotomy is a widespread phenomenon, whereas agamid lizards and some snakes do not have a break plane, and their tails break between adjacent vertebrae (intervertebral (InterVB) autotomy). The frequencies of occurrence of InterVB autotomy and regeneration in six species of agamas of the genus Paralaudakia were analyzed. Six types of regenerate’s characteristic of the studied group and the anatomical structure of the knob -shaped jagged regenerate are described on the basis of the results of computed microtomography (micro-CT). Phenomena of autotomy and regeneration are discussed in the phylogenetic context.

Four new species of Diploderma are described from Sichuan and Yunnan provinces, southwestern China, based on an integrative taxonomic approach, combining morphological and genetic data. The first new species from Danba County, Sichuan Province, is morphologically most similar and phylogenetically closely related to D. flaviceps, but it can be diagnosed from the latter by having a relatively much shorter tail and by a genetic distance of 4.4% in the ND2 gene; the second new species from Muli County, Sichuan Province, is phylogenetically closely related to D. daochengense, D. yongshengense, and D. yulongense, but it can be diagnosed from the latter three species by having a pale yellow gular spot and by genetic distances of 5.6–6.7% in the ND2 gene; the third new species from Jiulong County, Sichuan Province, is morphologically most similar and phylogenetically closely related to D. angustelinea, but it can be diagnosed from the latter by having a relatively much longer tail and by a genetic distance of 2.8% in the ND2 gene; and the last new species from Weixi County, Yunnan Province, is phylogenetically closely related to D. aorun, but it can be diagnosed from the latter by having a pale yellow gular spot and by a genetic distance of 2.9% in the ND2 gene. Our work brings the number of species within the genus Diploderma to 46.