New Species of Lizards with Unusual Tongue Discovered in China## Conversation 3

Chinese zoologists have discovered and described a previously unknown species of lizards of the genus Diploderma, distinguished by an unusual light yellow shade of tongue. The new species was named Diploderma bifluviale and was found in the Hengduan mountain region, in the upper reaches of the Dadu River in southwestern China (Sichuan province). The journal ZooKeys reports on the results of the study.

The discovery site is characterized by pronounced relief: there are steep gorges, high-mountain valleys, and isolated areas of shrub vegetation, which contributes to the formation of isolated local animal forms.

The research began in 2018. The expedition collected several specimens that had morphological features not found in other representatives of the genus Diploderma. Further analysis using comparative morphology and molecular methods confirmed that the lizard found is a separate species.

The body length of the new species is six to seven centimeters. The lizard inhabits an altitude of 2100-2500 meters above sea level, preferring semi-arid shrubby slopes. Among the distinctive anatomical features is a light yellow, wheat-colored tongue, which distinguishes it from closely related species.

The name bifluviale is related to the geography of the finding: the first specimens were discovered in the area where two rivers converge - Chuosijia and Jiaomuzu. According to scientists, this species became the 47th officially registered representative of the genus Diploderma in China.