Reclassification of Oligodon ningshaanensis Yuan, 1983 (Ophidia: Colubridae) into a New Genus, Stichophanes gen. nov. with Description on Its Malacophagous Behavior

Abstract

The complete mitochondrial cytb gene and the partial nuclear c-mos gene of Oligodon ningshaanensis Yuan, 1983 were sequenced and used for reconstructing the phylogenetic relationship of this taxon amongst alethinophidian snakes. Its strong affinity to the New World subfamily Dipsadinae and the Old World species Thermophis baileyi was inferred. Hemipenial morphology found by authors conflicts with the original description and its similarity with those of the dipsadid snakes is in accordance with our molecular results. Feeding tests show that O. ningshaanensis is a malacophagous predator, which is another matchless character for this species. This behavior is described and compared with other known slug-and snail-feeding snakes. The discovery of the particular position of our subject indicates that erecting a new genus is necessary accommodate this unique species.

Origin and hidden diversity within the poorly known Galápagos snake radiation (Serpentes: Dipsadidae)

“…The Dipsadidae is the most species-rich snake family and a key element of the vertebrate Neotropical fauna. More recently, the two Asiatic genera Thermophis and Stichophanes were allocated in this mainly New World family (He, Feng, Liu, Guo, & Zhao, 2009;Wang, Messenger, Zhao, & Zhu, 2014). Our tree topology retrieves the two Asiatic genera Thermophis and Stichophanes as successive sister-groups of all the New World dipsadid radiation with strong bootstrap support (83%), supporting their inclusion in the family (Wang et al, 2014).…”

“…More recently, the two Asiatic genera Thermophis and Stichophanes were allocated in this mainly New World family (He, Feng, Liu, Guo, & Zhao, 2009;Wang, Messenger, Zhao, & Zhu, 2014). Our tree topology retrieves the two Asiatic genera Thermophis and Stichophanes as successive sister-groups of all the New World dipsadid radiation with strong bootstrap support (83%), supporting their inclusion in the family (Wang et al, 2014). This larger dipsadid clade is morphologically supported by two putative hemipenial synapomorphies previously thought to be present only in New World Dipsadids (body calyces on the asulcate surface of the lobes and lateral enlarged spines disposed on the sides of the hemipenial body) (Zaher, 1999).…”

Reassessing the systematics of Leptodeira (Serpentes, Dipsadidae) with emphasis in the South American species

“…The snake family Dipsadidae ( sensu Zaher et al, 2009) is one of the largest radiations of squamates, assembling more than 750 species mostly endemic to the Neotropics, with two relictual groups occurring in Asia and North America (Grazziotin et al, 2012; Sun et al, 2011; Wang & Messenger, 2014; Zaher et al, 2018). The Neotropical radiation of dipsadids includes two monophyletic groups, allocated in the subfamilies Dipsadinae and Xenodontinae (Cadle, 1984; Grazziotin et al, 2012; Vidal et al, 2007; Vidal & Hedges, 2002; Zaher et al, 2009, 2014, 2019).…”