Tropidophorus microlepis Günther

Stuart Ko Sok Thy Neang, Bryan L., 2006, A Collection Of Amphibians And Reptiles From Hilly Eastern Cambodia, Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 54 (1), pp. 129-155 : 148

Tropidophorus microlepis Günther

Material examined. – O’Rang: FMNH 262972 , hilly evergreen forest, O Doeung Por Stream, near 12°18'08.4"N 107°03'08.1"E, 500 m elev., 2 Nov.2003 ; FMNH 262973 , hilly evergreen forest, O Ngeugn Stream, near 12°18'02.9"N 107°05'22.7"E, 440 m elev., 5 Nov.2003 .

Keo Seima: FMNH 262974 , bamboo forest mixed with evergreen, near 12°16'45.7"N 106°56'36.4"E, 180 m elev., 8 Nov.2003 .

Remarks. – These three specimens (SVL 57.0 – 69.0, mean ± SD 64.5 ± 6.5, N = 3) agree with Günther’s (1861) original description by having a single pair of frontonasals; keels on dorsal tail scales terminating in elevated spines; keels on dorsal body scales not terminating in elevated spines; smooth throat scales; median subcaudals wider than ventrals; and three large preanals, flanked by two smaller scales. The keels on the lateral body scales are arranged obliquely. FMNH 262972-73 have weak black spots on the chin scales and unmarked throats, but FMNH 262974 has distinct black spots on the chin scales and black spots arranged into five longitudinal stripes on the throat.

All were found in and along streams. Specifically, FMNH 262972 was taken at night (1840 hrs.) under a rock on a sandy bank 20 cm from a stream, FMNH 262973 was collected during the day (1515 hrs.) in a crevice of a wet rock face next to a 3 m high cascade of a 20 m wide stream, and FMNH 262974 was found at night (1927 hrs.) clinging to a submerged branch under 15 cm of water next to the bank of a 3.5 m wide rocky stream.

This is the first report of the species from Cambodia. Günther (1861) described this species in the same paper that he described other species collected by Mouhot in Cambodia. However, Smith (1935) placed the type locality as Khao Sebab in Chanthaburi Province, Thailand , which is close to the southwestern border with Cambodia.