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Issue: Vol. 1462 No. 1: 30 Apr. 2007
Type: Articles
Published: 2007-04-30
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.1462.1.2
Page range: 41–60
Abstract views: 45
PDF downloaded: 2

A new species of the natricine snake genus Amphiesma from the Indochinese Region (Squamata: Colubridae: Natricinae)

UMS 602 Taxinomie-collection - Reptiles & Amphibiens, Département Evolution et Systématique, CP 30, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, 57 rue Cuvier, F-75231 Paris Cedex 05, France
Center for Biodiversity and Conservation, and Division of Vertebrate Zoology (Herpetology), American Museum of Natural History Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, New York 10024, USA
Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, Vietnamese Academy of Science and Technology, 18 Hoang Quoc Viet St., Hanoi, Vietnam
Laboratory of Herpetology and Ornithology, Zoological Institute, Academy of Sciences, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia
Society for Southeast Asian Herpetology, Im Sand 3, D-69115 Heidelberg, Germany
Centre for Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, University of Science, Faculty of Biology, Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Zoological Museum, 334 Nguyen Trai Str., Thanh Xuan, Hanoi, Vietnam
AG Zoologischer Garten Köln, Riehler Str. 173, D-50735 Köln, Germany
Squamata Vietnam Indochinese Region Serpentes Natricinae Amphiesma Amphiesma leucomystax spec. nov. morphology taxonomy natural history

Abstract

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.

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