Discovery of Cyrtodactylus ziegleri Nazarov, Orlov, Nguyen & Ho, 2008 (Reptilia, Squamata, Gekkonidae) in lava caves of Vietnam (Dak Nong UNESCO Global Geopark)

Abstract

During explorations conducted in lava caves within Dak Nong UNESCO Global Geopark, Dak Nong Province, Vietnam, from 2020 to 2023, we collected five specimens belonging to the genus Cyrtodactylus. Morphological and molecular analyses identified the population as C. ziegleri. This finding represents an important step in documenting the herpetofauna of Vietnam’s lava caves.