A new species of the snake genus Hebius Thompson from Northeast India (Squamata: Natricidae)

Abstract

A new species of the family Natricidae Bonaparte is described from a single specimen obtained in Arunachal State, northeastern India. On the basis of its external morphology and of its dentition on the upper maxilla, i.e. 24 + 3 distinctly enlarged teeth separated by a short diastema, it is referred to the genus Hebius Thompson. Hebius lacrima spec. nov. is distinguished from other species of the genera Hebius, Amphiesma Duméril, Bibron & Duméril and Herpetoreas Günther, by the combination of an elongate body, 19 dorsal scale rows at midbody, a distinctive broad, white band on the supralabials interrupted by a dark blotch below the eye, absence of dorsolateral stripes replaced by series of transversally elliptical or divided dorsolateral spots, a cream venter with lateral dark blotches, and scales of the first dorsal scale row entirely smooth. The interrupted, broad, lateral stripe of the head differentiates Hebius lacrima spec. nov. from all other species of the genera Hebius and Herpetoreas inhabiting the Indo-Himalayan and Indochinese Regions. This new species is compared in detail with other Asian species of Natricidae having 19 dorsal scale rows.

Taxonomic Review of the Genus Herpetoreas (Serpentes: Natricidae), with the Description of a New Species from Tibet, China

“…Particularly, the generic allocation of a newly described species, namely, Hebius lacrima Purkayastha and David, 2019, needs to be further ascertained. Hebius lacrima agrees with the diagnosis of Herpetoreas in having "24 gradually enlarged maxillary teeth, followed, with a diastema, by 3 distinctly enlarged posterior teeth", a major difference from the genus Hebius [113] (Table 4; Figure 13B). The morphological differences provided by Purkayastha et al [113] also cannot distinguish it from Herpetoreas when one takes all present members of the latter genus into account, including (1) ventrals scales counts 147 in Heb.…”

A new ancient lineage of ablepharine skinks (Sauria: Scincidae) from eastern Himalayas with notes on origin and systematics of the group

“…described in the present work represents the fifth new reptile species discovered and described from a single rapid survey (see Bhosale, Gowande & Mirza, 2019 ; Bhosale et al, 2020 ; Mirza et al, 2020 , 2021 ). Additionally four species of snakes were described from other areas in Arunachal Pradesh just in the last 2 years ( Captain et al, 2019 ; Purkayastha & David, 2019 ; Das et al, 2020 ). Further intensified survey efforts are required to document the reptilian fauna of the region and to elaborate the corresponding conservation measures.…”

A new species of fossorial natricid snakes of the genus Trachischium Günther, 1858 (Serpentes: Natricidae) from the Himalayas of northeastern India

“…As a description of the new species of Trachischium, a keelback [25] and a pit viper [26], coupled with the existing ophidian diversity [4,5,27] only highlight the need for dedicated surveys across Arunachal Pradesh. Anthropogenic pressures like road widening, construction or dams and hydropower plants threaten the forests and biodiversity across Arunachal Pradesh.…”