A new species of mountain vole (Rodentia, Cricetidae, Neodon) from South Xizang, China

During a survey of small mammals on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau in August 2023, we collected 43 specimens of a distinctive, unidentified Neodon species from high-altitude shrub and grassland habitats at elevations of 2 800–4 000 m in Lhozhag County, Xizang, China. We integrated molecular and morphological evidence to assess the taxonomic status of this species. The results indicated that the specimens collected from Lhozhag County represent a new species, formally described here as Neodon lhozhagensis sp. nov.. The new species is distinguishable from other Neodon species by its larger body size, longer tail, five closed triangles in the first lower molar, and an obvious interorbital crest. Molecular analysis strongly supported Neodon lhozhagensis sp. nov. as a monophyletic clade that diverged from its sister taxon, Neodon tsonaensis, approximately 0.89–1.68 million years ago (Ma). The Kimura-2-parameter genetic distances of the complete cytochrome b (CYTB) gene between Neodon lhozhagensis sp. nov. and other nominal Neodon species ranged from 9.3% to 12.8%.