A review of the relationships of Xenochrophis cerasogaster Cantor, 1839 (Serpentes: Colubridae) to its congeners

The original description of Natrix leonardi (currently Rhabdophis leonardi ) by Frank Wall in 1923, based on a specimen from the “Upper Burma Hills,” lacked important morphological details that have complicated the assignment of recently collected material. Furthermore, although the holotype was never lost, its location has been misreported in one important taxonomic reference, leading to further confusion. We report the correct repository of the holotype (Natural History Museum, London), together with its current catalog number. We also describe key features of that specimen that were omitted from the original description, and provide new details on the morphology of the species, including sexual dichromatism unusual for the genus, based upon specimens from southern Sichuan, China. Rhabdophis leonardi is distinguished from its congeners by the following characters: 15 or 17 DSR at midbody and 6 supralabials; distinct annulus around the neck, broad and red in males, and narrow and orange with a black border in females; dorsal ground color light green or olive; some lateral and dorsal scales possessing black edges, the frequency of black edges gradually increasing from anterior to posterior, forming irregular and ill‐defined transverse black bands; eye with prominent green iris; black ventral spots with a red edge, most numerous at midbody but extending halfway down the length of the tail. In southwestern China, this species is frequently found at 1730–2230 m elevation. It has been documented to prey upon anuran amphibians, including toads. A recently published phylogenetic analysis showed this species to be deeply nested with the genus Rhabdophis , as a member of the R. nuchalis Group. That analysis also revealed the existence of two closely related but geographically distinct subclades in the molecular analysis, one of which may represent an unnamed taxon.

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“…conspicillatus belongs to Xenochrophis, as revealed by other recent studies (Deepak et al, 2022;Purkayastha et al, 2018;Takeuchi et al, 2018).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 54%

“…Finally, our molecular results confirm previous findings that earlier concepts of Rhabdophis were not monophyletic. Specifically, R. conspicillatus belongs to Xenochrophis, as revealed by other recent studies (Deepak et al, 2022;Purkayastha et al, 2018;Takeuchi et al, 2018). National Museum of Natural History.…”

Section: Auth O R Comentioning

confidence: 58%

Identity of the holotype and type locality of Rhabdophis leonardi (Wall, 1923) (Colubridae: Natricinae), with notes on the morphology and natural history of the species in southwestern China

Yang

Savitzky

Gower

et al. 2023

Ecology and Evolution

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“…Herpetoreas differs from Hebius in having the presence of diastema before the distinctly enlarged posterior maxillary teeth vs. absent in Hebius. The morphology of dentition has been considered as key diagnosis in the taxonomic history of natricid snake since Malnate [1], and this character is proved to be conservative within a given genus, such as Fowlea [130,131], Rhabdophis (only except for some ecological specialists) [132], and Opisthotropis [125]. Thus, the dentition is considered to be of significant value in distinguishing Herpetoreas from Hebius.…”

Section: Morphological Characters Of the Genera Previously Confused W...mentioning

confidence: 99%

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

et al. 2022

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The taxonomic history of the Amphiesma sensu lato has long been confused, and this complex was recently divided into three genera, i.e., Amphiesma Duméril, Bibron, and Duméril, 1854 sensu stricto, Hebius Thompson, 1913, and Herpetoreas Günther, 1860. Being the least known genus, Herpetoreas is reviewed herein through an integrative taxonomic approach. Our results indicate that specimens previously referred to Hebius parallelus (Boulenger, 1890) from Mêdog, Tibet, China, represent a new species. We describe here this new species and refer it to the genus Herpetoreas; therefore, we remove Hebius parallelus from the Chinese herpetofauna. A diagnostic key to all the species of Herpetoreas is also provided. Furthermore, we re-evaluate the diagnostic characters of the three genera formerly confused with Amphiesma, namely, Amphiesma, Hebius, and Herpetoreas. We provide a key to these three morphologically similar genera. We also emphasize the importance of the maxillary teeth and hemipenial morphology in the generic diagnosis in the family Natricidae.

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First Record of Fowlea Sanctijohannis Boulenger, 1890 (Serpentes: Colubridae) From Uttarakhand state, North India With a Photographic Plate and Comments on its Taxonomic Status

Singh¹,

Puri

Singh³

et al. 2020

Natl. Acad. Sci. Lett.

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A review of the relationships of Xenochrophis cerasogaster Cantor, 1839 (Serpentes: Colubridae) to its congeners

Cited by 12 publications

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Identity of the holotype and type locality of Rhabdophis leonardi (Wall, 1923) (Colubridae: Natricinae), with notes on the morphology and natural history of the species in southwestern China

Identity of the holotype and type locality of Rhabdophis leonardi (Wall, 1923) (Colubridae: Natricinae), with notes on the morphology and natural history of the species in southwestern China

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

First Record of Fowlea Sanctijohannis Boulenger, 1890 (Serpentes: Colubridae) From Uttarakhand state, North India With a Photographic Plate and Comments on its Taxonomic Status

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