Neodon kulakangria Wang & Liu, 2025

Wang, Xuming, Pan, Xuan, Liu, Yingxun, Murphy, Robert W., Peng, Buqing, Duan, Chao, Liao, Rui, Wang, Xin & Liu, Shaoying, 2025, Three new species of Neodon (Rodentia, Cricetidae) from Sichuan and Xizang, China, Zoosystematics and Evolution 101 (3), pp. 999-1012 : 999-1012

Neodon kulakangria Wang & Liu sp. nov.

Note.

Unnamed clade N. sp 2

Holotype.

An adult female, field number XZ 23162 (Museum number SAF 230542 ), collected from Luozha (Lhozhag) County, Xizang (Tibet), by Xuming Wang on August 23, 2023 . Specimen preserved as a skin with a cleaned skull and deposited at the Sichuan Academy of Forestry.

Type locality.

East of Kulagangri (Kula Kangri) Mountains , Lajiao Village, Luozha County, Xizang, China; 28.081162°N, 91.029954°E; 3,200 m a. s. l.

Measurements of holotype.

Weight, 45 g; HBL, 120 mm; TL, 60 mm; HFL, 22 mm; EL, 16 mm; SGL, 28.82 mm; SBL, 26.83 mm; CBL, 28.76 mm; ZB, 15.63 mm; IOW, 4.11 mm; MB, 13.01 mm; SH, 9.94 mm; ABL, 8.11 mm; LMxT, 6.75 mm; LMbT, 6.62 mm; M-M, 5.62 mm; ML, 19.65 mm; and LEPILM, 8.21 mm.

Paratypes.

Twelve specimens (6 ♂♂, 6 ♀♀), with skins with skulls, including male specimens with glans penis. Six specimens (XZ 23138 [ SAF 230518 ], ♂; XZ 23140 [ SAF 230520 ], ♀; XZ 23141 [ SAF 230521 ], ♀; XZ 23158 [ SAF 230538 ], ♂; XZ 23159 [ SAF 230539 ], ♀; XZ 23161 [ SAF 230541 ], ♂) are topotypes, and six (XZ 23174 [ SAF 230554 ], ♂; XZ 23176 [ SAF 230556 ], ♀; XZ 23187 [ SAF 230567 ], ♂; XZ 23189 [ SAF 230569 ], ♂; XZ 23190 [ SAF 230570 ], ♀; and XZ 23192 [ SAF 230572 ], ♀) were collected from 10 km northeast of the type locality. All specimens were collected by Xuming Wang, Rui Liao, and Buqing Peng.

Geographic distribution.

Known only from two sites in Luozha County, west of the Kulagangri Mountains.

Etymology.

The name is derived from the Kulagangri Mountains. Common names: Kulagangri Mountain Vole, 库拉岗日松田鼠 (Kulagangri Songtianshu).

Diagnosis.

An arvicoline with a typical palate of Neodon . First lower molar typically with five closed triangles, six inner angles, and five outer angles. First upper molar with three closed triangles and a posterior inner angle, forming four inner and three outer angles. Second upper molar with a posterior inner angle, three inner angles, and three outer angles. Third upper molar with four inner and three outer angles. Larger individuals with HBL averaging over 117 mm, tail comparatively long, accounting for nearly 50 % of the HBL. First lower molar with five closed triangles as in N. linzhiensis , N. clarkei , and N. bershulaensis . However, first upper molar of N. kulakangria sp. nov. with four inner and three outer angles, whereas N. linzhiensis and N. clarkei possess three inner and three outer angles, and N. bershulaensis with first upper molar having four inner and three outer angles in 70 % of specimens, while the other 30 % with three inner and three outer angles. Neodon kulakangria sp. nov. differs from N. bershulaensis by having a much larger second upper molar posterior inner angle. HBL of N. kulakangria sp. nov. greater than that of N. bershulaensis .

Description.

General pelage color of the holotype gray-brown. Fur fine and approximately 10 mm long, with proximal part being black-gray and distal part brown. Color boundary between dorsal and ventral fur present but indistinct. Ventral fur gray-white with black-gray base, displaying a uniform color from throat to belly and anus. Pelages of paratypes consistent with those of the holotype. Mystacial vibrissae mostly white, with some having black proximal and white distal parts, approximately 20 on each side, shortest approximately 4 mm, and longest was approximately 27 mm. Ears protrude slightly above pelage, with a dense black-gray fur rim on front and entire backside. Dorsal tail black-gray, ventral part gray-white, lacking a clear color boundary. Hairs on tip of tail slightly longer. Both forelimb and hindlimb pelages black-gray. Claws yellow-white, with long, stiff hairs (Fig. 4 A 1 – A 3 ). Five palmar pads and six plantar pads. Females with two pectoral and one inguinal pair of mammae. Skull sturdy (Fig. 5 A ), with straight dorsal profile and braincase slightly oblate. Nasal bones anteriorly and narrow posteriorly. Posterior and anterior frontal broad at ends but narrow in middle. Interparietal broad and irregular. Faint ridges present in interorbital space; older specimens with two approaching ridges not usually forming a crest. Two ridges formed behind temporal joint above auditory bulla. Zygomatic arches sturdy, and auditory bullae large. Posterior palate typical of Arvicolinae , continuing as a narrow bridge and separating two lateral pits. Numerous foramina in palatines and pterygoids. Mandibles robust, and lip-sides of upper incisors orange. First upper molar with three closed triangles after anterior transverse space (two inner and one outer) and a posterior inner angle, forming four inner and three outer angles. Second upper molar with two closed triangles after anterior transverse space (one inner and one outer) and a posterior inner angle, forming three inner and three outer angles. Third upper molar with three closed triangles after the anterior transverse space (two inner and one outer) and a C-shaped loop, forming four inner and three outer angles. Lower incisors relatively long, and the lip-sides orange. First lower molar with five closed triangles in front of posterior transverse space, anterior space large and anomalistic, forming two inner and two outer angles, with six inner and five outer angles overall. Second lower molar with four closed triangles (two larger inner and two smaller outer) in front of posterior transverse space; front outer closed triangles created one inner and one outer angle, yielding four inner and three outer angles. Third lower molar with two closed triangles (one inner and one outer) in front of posterior transverse space; front closed triangles form one inner and one outer angle, resulting in three inner and three outer angles. Glans penis (Fig. 6 A ) sturdy, exterior stick-shaped with a ventral groove and two larger outer crater papillae on each side near dorsal flap. Urethral lappet having three branches, with very short middle branch. Conical dorsal papilla with two cusps arranged anteroposteriorly. Proximal, distal, and lateral bacula bony. Distal part of the proximal baculum enlarged and snake-head-shaped. Basal part of distal baculum enlarged, with a distal point and a terminal concave shape. Lateral baculum stick-shaped.

Habitat.

This species inhabited mixed coniferous-broadleaved forests at elevations of 3,100 –3,300 m, where trees reach approximately 15 m in height, and around 30 % of the area was covered with dense herbaceous vegetation. This species was also observed in shrublands near farmlands.

Figures

Figure 4. Dorsal, ventral, and lateral views of N. kulakangria sp. nov. (A 1 – A 3), N. konggordous sp. nov. (B 1 – B 3), and N. minor sp. nov. (C 1 – C 3).

Figure 5. Dorsal, ventral, and lateral views of the skull and dorsal and lateral views of the mandible of N. kulakangria sp. nov. (A), N. konggordous sp. nov. (B), and N. minor sp. nov. (C).

Figure 6. Penis of N. kulakangria sp. nov. (A), N. konggordous sp. nov. (B), and N. minor sp. nov. (C). Numbered structural features are as follows: 1. penis; 2. midventral cut view of glans; 3. urethral papilla; 4. dorsal papilla. Lowercase letter structural features are as follows: a. distal baculum; b. outer crater papillae; c. outer crater; d. urethral papilla; e. ventral groove; f. glans; g. prepuce; h. body of penis; i. tip of distal baculum; j. site of dorsal papilla; k. lateral baculum; l. proximal baculum; m. the base of proximal baculum.