Cite this article as:
Solovyeva E. N., Dunayev E. A., Nazarov R. A., Abduraupov T. V., Poyarkov N. A. Filling gaps in the taxonomy of the Phrynocephalus helioscopus species complex (Reptilia, Squamata, Agamidae) with description of two new subspecies. Current Studies in Herpetology, 2025, vol. 25, iss. 1, pp. 53-78. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18500/1814-6090-2025-25-1-2-53-78
Filling gaps in the taxonomy of the Phrynocephalus helioscopus species complex (Reptilia, Squamata, Agamidae) with description of two new subspecies
Phrynocephalus helioscopus species complex have been thoroughly studied during recent years, but several lineages remained unassigned. Based on the morphological differences and divergence in COI (mtDNA) gene sequences, two new subspecies are described in the present article within the Phrynocephalus helioscopus species complex: Ph. helioscopus karatauensis ssp. nov. from the environs of Karatau Ridge in Kazakhstan and Ph. saidalievi orlovae ssp. nov. from the right bank of the Amu-Darya river in Fergana valley in Uzbekistan. The two new subspecies can be distinguished from other members of the species complex by a combination of several morphological features.
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