Taxonomic re-evaluation of the monotypic genus Pararhabdophis Bourret, 1934 (Squamata: Colubridae: Natricinae) with discovery of its type species, P. chapaensis, from China (original) (raw)
Related papers
Taxonomic Status of the Taiwanese Populations of Rhabdophis tigrinus (Squamata: Colubridae)
Japanese journal of herpetology
Taxonomic treatment of the Taiwanese populations of Rhabdophis tigrinus has been controversial. Some authors adopt a subspecific name, R. t. formosanus, whereas others negate taxonomic subdivision of R. tigrinus. We compared external characters and karyotype between the Taiwanese and other populations. Results indicate that the former has a unique W chromosome, which is metacentric and distinctly smaller than the Z chromosome. The Taiwanese populations also differ from others, the former). All these characters, as well as deduced East Asian paleogeography, strongly suggest that the Taiwanese populations have been constituting an independent evolutionary unit by themselves since their entry into this island from the southeastern continent. Thus, we consider that they deserve recognition as a distinct taxon and tentatively retain them at the subspecific status as R. t. formosanus.
A new natricid snake of the genus Opisthotropis Günther, 1872, Opisthotropis laui sp. nov., is described from Mt. Gudou, Jiangmen City, Guangdong Province, China. The new species can be distinguished from other congeners by the combination of the following characters: dorsal scales weakly keeled throughout, in 25:23:23 rows; 10 supralabials; 11 infralabials; two internasals, longer than wide, not touching the loreal; one loreal, not touching the eye; one preocular; two postoculars; one anterior temporal scale; 152 ventrals; 53 subcaudals; body and tail dark olive above, with light yellow crossbars.
A new species of Calamaria (Squamata: Colubridae) from Guangdong Province, southern China
A new species of the genus Calamaria Boie, 1827, Calamaria arcana sp. nov., is described based on a single male specimen collected from Mt. Dadongshan, Guangdong, southern China. The new species can be distinguished from all known congeners by the significant genetic divergence in the mitochondrial cytochrome-b gene fragment (p-distance ≥ 13.9%), and morphologically by the combination of the following characters: (1) ten modified maxillary teeth; (2) four supralabials, second and third supralabials entering orbit; (3) preocular present; (4) mental not touching anterior chin shields; (5) six scales and shields surrounding the paraparietal; (6) 170 ventral scales; (7) 22 paired subcaudals; (8) tail not gradually tapering, abruptly tapering at the tip; (9) dorsal scales reduced to five rows above last subcaudal at tail; (10) dorsum of body and tail brownish; (11) dark collar on nuchal region absent; (12) two outermost dorsal scale rows light yellow with upper margins partly dark pigmented; (13) ventral scales immaculate, without dark outermost corners and pigmentation anteriorly; and (14) absence of distinct dark longitudinal line or scattered spots on the underside of tail. Calamaria arcana sp. nov., represents the fifth species of the genus recorded in China. Following the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria, we propose the new species to be listed as Data Deficient.
Tropical Zoology, 2010
The Asian colubrid species related to Lycodon ruhstrati are revised on the basis of their morphology, pattern and colouration, in combination with DNA analyses. Lycodon ruhstrati auctorum is revealed to be a species complex. We restrict this specific nomen to populations of Taiwan. The mainland populations thus far gathered under this name form two taxa. For the first one, with dorsal scales entirely smooth, the name Lycodon futsingensis (Pope 1928) is available. The second taxon is described here as Lycodon ruhstrati abditus n. subsp. This subspecies is genetically close to the nominate form restricted here to Taiwan but differs by some morphological characters. In addition to the differences in ventral and subcaudal scale counts, and maxillary teeth formula, Lycodon ruhstrati abditus n. subsp. has keeled vertebral scales whereas in L. futsingensis all dorsal scales are unkeeled. Another new
Zootaxa, 2007
A new species of the natricine snake genus Amphiesma is described from Central Vietnam and possibly Thailand. Amphiesma leucomystax spec. nov. is distinguished from other species of the Indochinese Region by the combination of a bright, broad white stripe extending below the eye from the tip of the snout to posterior supralabials and the neck, dorsolateral series of aligned, transversally elongated or divided spots, 19 dorsal scale rows at midbody, two first rows of dorsal scale rows smooth, moderately sized eyes, a high number of ventral scales (at least 154), and 1 anterior temporal. Its relationships with other Amphiesma species with 19 dorsal scale rows are discussed. Amphiesma leucomystax spec. nov. seems to be close to A. boulengeri. A key to the species of Amphiesma from the Indochinese Region is provided.
2021
Coluber fasciolatus Shaw, 1802 (today Argyrogena fasciolata auctt.) is the name used for a widespread terrestrial colubrid snake species inhabiting subtropical and tropical dry deciduous/thorn forests of South Asia from Pakistan to India, with unconfirmed records of distribution in Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar and a single doubtful record from the northern tip of Sri Lanka. During the past 200 years, A. fasciolata (common name Banded racer) has been placed in different genera, i.e. Tyria Fitzinger, 1826, Zamenis Wagler, 1830, Coryphodon Duméril, Bibron and Duméril, 1854, and Coluber Linnaeus, 1758 where it primarly remained until the mid 1960s and exceptionally until the year 2011. Three subsequently introduced names, viz. Coluber hebe Daudin, 1803, Coluber curvirostris Cantor, 1839, and Argyrogena rostrata Werner, 1924 were synonymized with C. fasciolatus shortly after its description. Based on a combination of characters including body pattern, external morphology and osteologica...
Zootaxa, 2019
We describe a new species, Aspidura desilvai sp. nov., closely resembling A. trachyprocta and the last addition to the genus A. ravanai, from Knuckles massif, Matale District, of Sri Lanka. The species represents the ninth species of the genus known from Sri Lanka, and is readily distinguished from all other congeners by its colour pattern, the scale nature in the ischiadic region, and morphometric characteristics specially from its ratio between the snout to eye distance to its eye width. The species is currently known only from the type locality.
Check List
Rhadinaea marcellae Taylor, 1949 is known from only 12 specimens. Based on recent fieldwork and research in scientific collections and databases, we report 14 new records of R. marcellae, bringing the total number of verified occurrences up to 26, updating our understanding of this secretive species’ distribution in the tropical and cloud forests of the Sierra Madre Oriental in Mexico. The new records come from the Mexican states of Hidalgo, Puebla, San Luis Potosí and Veracruz. All the newly reported specimens are morphologically concordant with R. marcellae, but exhibit noteworthy variation.
2017
We describe a new species, Aspidura ravanai sp. nov., representing the eighth species of the genus known from Sri Lanka. The new species is readily distinguished from all other congeners by its colour pattern, scalation, and genetic distinctiveness. Our molecular results indicated that Aspidura began diversifying in the Miocene approximately 18 Ma, and A. ravanai sp. nov. diverged from its likely sister lineage A. trachyprocta at least 6.2 Ma. The species is currently known only from the type locality, on the western slopes of Sri Pada Peak in the central highlands of Sri Lanka.