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Issue: Vol. 5679 No. 4: 15 Aug. 2025
Type: Article
Published: 2025-08-15
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5679.4.7
Page range: 585-599
Abstract views: 45
PDF downloaded: 1

Notes on the type series of the Javan Spitting Cobra, Naja sputatrix Boie, 1827, and designation of a lectotype for Naja tripudians sondaica Schlegel, 1844

Society for Southeast Asian Herpetology; Calle Rio Segura 26; 30600 Archena; Spain
Naturalis Biodiversity Center; Darwinweg 2; 2333 CR Leiden; The Netherlands
Department of Biology; Victor Valley College; 18422 Bear Valley Road; Victorville; California 92395; USA; and Sektion Herpetologie; Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversitätswandels; Museum Koenig; Adenauerallee 127; 53113 Bonn; Germany
School of Environmental and Natural Sciences; Bangor University; Bangor LL57 2UW; UK
Reptilia Coluber Dutch East Indies Elaps lectotype Naja nomenclature natural history collections taxonomy type specimens

Abstract

We discuss how specimens of the Javan Spitting Cobra (Naja sputatrix) were collected by Caspar Reinwardt in 1819 or 1820 and first described by Heinrich Boie in an unpublished manuscript entitled Erpétologie de Java. The species finally attained nomenclatural validity in a publication by Heinrich’s brother Friedrich Boie in 1827. Based on the information presented by F. Boie, we located and examined all specimens in the Naturalis collection (Leiden) that could be part of the N. sputatrix type series and found that none conformed to the description of F. Boie’s types. We also checked collection data of other European museums (Paris, London, Berlin), but could not identify any specimen from the original type series. We conclude that there is currently no name-bearing type to underpin the binomen N. sputatrix and that a neotype would need to be proposed should the taxonomic necessity arise. We also determined that, by his mention of the binomen Coluber castaneus in his discussion of these snakes, F. Boie coined a nomen nudum. During our specimen and literature work, we were also able to ascertain that Elaps fuscus Merrem, 1820 is a senior synonym of Naja sputatrix Boie, 1827, but a nomen oblitum. Lastly, in order to stabilize the nomenclature of Asian spitting cobras, we designate a specimen collected by Reinwardt on Java (RMNH.RENA.1330) as the lectotype for Naja tripudians sondaica Schlegel, 1844.

 

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How to Cite

Denzer, W., Dondorp, E., Kaiser, H. & Wüster, W. (2025) Notes on the type series of the Javan Spitting Cobra, Naja sputatrix Boie, 1827, and designation of a lectotype for Naja tripudians sondaica Schlegel, 1844. Zootaxa, 5679 (4), 585–599. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5679.4.7