A new species of the genus Scincella Mittleman, 1950 (Squamata: Scincidae) from Sichuan Province, Southwest China
Ru‐Wan Jia, Zong-Yuan Gao, Di-Hao Wu, Jin‐Long Ren, Dechun Jiang, Wei Wu
Abstract
The genus Scincella Mittleman, 1950, within the family Scincidae, is a diverse group comprising 39 described species. The taxonomy of the genus is complex due to morphological similarities among species, which often obscures the true extent of biodiversity, resulting in several undescribed species requiring further exploration. In China, particularly within the unique ecosystems of the Hengduan Mountains, the diversity of Scincella is notably underestimated, with only 12 species currently recognized. In the present study, we describe a new species of the genus Scincella, Scincella liangshanensis sp. nov., from Sichuan Province, Southwest China. Morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analyses revealed that the putative new species is distinct from all other known congeners. This discovery not only expands the known diversity of Scincella but also emphasizes the inadequacies in our current understanding of herpetological diversity in China. The addition of this species to the scientific record highlights the necessity for ongoing biodiversity assessments to uncover hidden species and enhance our understanding of the intricate web of life in one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots.