A new species of Parafimbrios from northern Vietnam (Squamata: Xenodermatidae).

A second species of the previously monotypic snake genus Parafimbrios is described from Lai Chau Province, northern Vietnam, based both on molecular and morphological evidences. Parafimbrios vietnamensis sp. nov. is characterized by a combination of the following characters: 1) rostral laterally with two raised, curved edges; the upper one, together with a horizontal curved ridge of tissue, separate the rostral from the internasals; 2) nasal in contact zone with rostral with curved raised edge; 3) nasal in contact zone with supralabials each with two small oblique, curved raised edges located above first and second as well as above second and third supralabials; 4) suture between the internasals much longer than that between the prefrontals; 5) supralabials 8, with the first four bearing raised edges; 6) infralabials 7; mental and anterior three to four infralabials with raised edges; 7) temporals 4+4-5; 8) 35-33-29 dorsal scale rows; 9) laterally rounded ventrals 164; 10) unpaired subcaudals 49; 11) total length of at least 266 mm in males (with a tail length of 44 mm, and a tail / total length ratio of 0. 165). This discovery brings the total number of taxa of the family Xenodermatidae in Vietnam to seven species: Achalinus ater, A. rufescens, A. spinalis, Fimbrios klossi, F. smithi, Parafimbrios lao, and P. vietnamensis.

Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans is the predominant chytrid fungus in Vietnamese salamanders.

The amphibian chytrid fungi, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) and B. salamandrivorans (Bsal), pose a major threat to amphibian biodiversity. Recent evidence suggests Southeast Asia as a potential cradle for both fungi, which likely resulted in widespread host-pathogen co-existence. We sampled 583 salamanders from 8 species across Vietnam in 55 locations for Bsal and Bd, determined scaled mass index as a proxy for fitness and collected environmental data. Bsal was found within 14 of the 55 habitats (2 of which it was detected in 2013), in 5 salamandrid species, with a prevalence of 2.92%. The globalized pandemic lineage of Bd was found within one pond on one species with a prevalence of 0.69%. Combined with a complete lack of correlation between infection and individual body condition and absence of indication of associated disease, this suggests low level pathogen endemism and Bsal and Bd co-existence with Vietnamese salamandrid populations. Bsal was more widespread than Bd, and occurs at temperatures higher than tolerated by the type strain, suggesting a wider thermal niche than currently known. Therefore, this study provides support for the hypothesis that these chytrid fungi may be endemic to Asia and that species within this region may act as a disease reservoir.

A new species of Theloderma (Amphibia: Anura: Rhacophoridae) from Vietnam.

We describe a new species of Theloderma from northwestern Vietnam based on morphological differences and molecular divergence. Theloderma annae sp. nov. is distinguishable from its congeners on the basis of a combination of the following characters:  Size small, SVL 27.1-28.5 mm in males, 30.3-32.6 mm in females; head longer than wide;  vomerine teeth absent; snout long (SL/SVL 0.16-0.19); spines on upper eyelid absent;  tibiotarsal projection absent; dorsal skin smooth; dermal fringes on forearm and tarsus absent; dorsal surface grayish green; and throat and ventral surface of arms and thighs brown with white spots.

Two new species of Cyrtodactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from the karst forest of Hoa Binh Province, Vietnam.

We describe two new species of the genus Cyrtodactylus on the basis of a new reptile collection from the limestone karst forest of Hoa Binh Province, northwestern Vietnam. Cyrtodactylus otai sp. nov. from Hang Kia-Pa Co Nature Reserve and Cyrtodactylus bobrovi sp. nov. from Ngoc Son-Ngo Luong Nature Reserve can be distinguished from each other and from their congeners by their genetic distinction and morphological differences in number of precloacal pores, femoral scales, ventral scales, lamellae, subcaudals and dorsal tubercle arrangement, as well as in size and color pattern. In phylogenetic analyses, both new species are nested in a clade containing taxa from northwestern and northcentral Vietnam and northern Laos, i.e., C. bichnganae and C. cf. martini from northwestern Vietnam, C. puhuensis from northcentral Vietnam, and C. spelaeus, C. vilaphongi, and C. wayakonei from northern Laos.