Expanded morphological description of the recently described Lycodon zayuensis (Serpentes: Colubridae)

Abstract

Lycodon is a species-rich genus that currently contains 72 named species. Lycodon zayuensis Jiang, Wang, Jin & Che, 2020, was described from Lower Chayu Town, Chayu County, Tibet, China, based on a single female holotype. During our recent field work, three additional specimens, including two females and one male, were collected and identified as L. zayuensis based on morphological comparison and the cytochrome b mitochondrial gene (1049 bp). Here, we provide an expanded description of this recently described species based on all known specimens. 

Rediscovery of Lycodon gammiei (Blanford, 1878) (Serpentes, Colubridae) in Xizang, China, with comments on its systematic position

“… Lycodon zayuensis Jiang, Wang, Jin & Che, 2020 coexists with L. gammiei in southeastern Xizang, China ( Che et al 2020 ; Lyu et al 2022 ). Both species exhibit similarities in external morphology, including dorsal scales in 17-17-15 rows, eight supralabials, one preocular, and two postoculars.…”

“…However, the two species are genetically divergent (Fig. 2 ), and L. gammiei can be easily distinguished from L. zayuensis by its broader and fewer yellow body cross-bands (30–43 vs 88–93) ( Blanford 1878 ; Lyu et al 2022 ).…”