Diploderma chapaense

Diploderma chapaense (Diploderma chapaense) is an agamid or gecko recorded for Vietnam in the project inventory. The supporting occurrence note is “Expert range list”. Its use of the exact scientific name is important because Southeast Asian lizard taxonomy changes frequently and several close relatives were described only recently. Where a familiar English name is present it is retained; otherwise the scientific name avoids inventing an unsupported vernacular name (project species data; Reptile Database taxonomy).

Diploderma are diurnal Asian forest dragons that perch on trunks, rocks and low vegetation and feed mainly on small invertebrates. Males often use contrasting throat or flank colours in territorial display. Species are frequently narrow-range montane forms separated by scalation, body proportions and genetics. These are genus-level ecological notes and not assumed local breeding measurements (general Diploderma ecology; Reptile Database).