Black-eyed mountain creature found under debris in Vietnam. It's a new species
As night settled over a mountain in southern Vietnam, a black-eyed creature with a 'pointed' snout waited under some debris. But its hiding spot wasn't so hidden.
Visiting scientists found the lurking animal — and discovered a new species.
Researchers headed up Hon Ba Mountain in 2017 to survey wildlife, according to a study published May 14 in the peer-reviewed European Journal of Taxonomy. While 'removing tile debris' near the ranger station at the top of the mountain, they found an unfamiliar-looking lizard.
Intrigued, researchers took a closer look at the lizard, analyzed its DNA and realized they discovered a new species: Scincella honbaensis, or the Hon Ba ground skink.
The Hon Ba ground skink is considered 'relatively small,' reaching about 4 inches long, the study said. It has a 'rather compressed and slender' body with a 'relatively long and pointed' snout.
Photos show the orange-brown coloring of the new species. Two rows of black spots run down its back, and its limbs look covered in white and black polka dots. Its stomach has a paler creamier hue.
Much about the Hon Ba ground skink's lifestyle remains unknown. Only one skink was found at night in an 'evergreen forest with scattered rocks and thick layer of leaf litter' at an altitude of about 4,950 feet, the study said.
Researchers said they named the new species after Hon Ba Mountain where it was discovered and, so far, the only place where it has been found.
A 2015 YouTube video shared by Alex WelcomeTravel shows Hon Ba Mountain, which is a roughly 260-mile drive northeast from Ho Chi Minh City.
The new species was identified by its scale pattern, finger and toe shape, coloring and other subtle physical features, the study said. DNA analysis found the new species had at least about 17% genetic divergence from other related species.
The research team included Sang Ngoc Nguyen, Luan Thanh Nguyen, Manh Van Le, Vu Dang Hoang Nguyen, Khanh Duy Phan, Thi-Dieu-Hien Vo, Robert Murphy and Jing Che.
The team also discovered a second new species: the orange-tailed ground skink.
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