Banks' Wolf Snake

description

Description of the holotype: Head elongate (HL 15.3 mm), moderately distinct from the neck, longer than wide (HW / HL ratio 0.71), depressed (HH / HL ratio 0.40), narrow anteriorly (IN / IO ratio 0.65); snout elongate (SnL / HL ratio 0.39); nostril lateral, oval shaped, located in the middle of the nasal; eye large (ED / HL ratio 0.17), pupils vertically elliptic; rostral triangular, much broader than high, hardly visible from above; nasal divided into two scales by a vertical ridge along posterior edge of nostril; two square internasals, as wide as long, bordered by two large, subpentagonal prefrontals posteriorly; frontal single, enlarged, pentagonal, narrowed posteriorly; parietals longer than wide, in contact with each other medially, with upper anterior and posterior temporals, paraparietal laterally and four nuchal scales posteriorly; loreal 1 / 1, elongate, entering orbit; supralabials 8 / 8, first and second in contact with nasal, third to fifth entering orbit, sixth largest; infralabials 10 / 10, first pair in broad contact with each other, first to fifth in contact with first pair of chin shields; first and second pairs of chin shields elongate, of the same size and shape

A new species of Lycodon Boie, 1826 (Serpentes: Colubridae) from central Laos

diagnosis

Diagnosis: Lycodon banksi sp. nov is characterized by the following morphological characters: (1) dorsal scales in 17 - 17 - 15 rows, dorsal scales on the anterior 2 / 3 of the body length smooth, the six central dorsal scale rows of the posterior 1 / 3 of the body length feebly keeled; (2) supralabials 8; (3) infralabials 10; (4) loreal entering orbit; (5) cloacal single; (6) ventral scales 241; (7) dorsal surface of body with 87 greyish yellow blotches; (8) ventral surface of body and tail uniformly grey cream.

A new species of Lycodon Boie, 1826 (Serpentes: Colubridae) from central Laos

distribution

Distribution: Lycodon banksi sp. nov. is currently known only from the type locality in the Phou Hin Poun NPA, Khammouane Province, central Laos (Fig. 6).

A new species of Lycodon Boie, 1826 (Serpentes: Colubridae) from central Laos

etymology

Etymology: The name of the species is dedicated to our friend and colleague Chris Banks, International Coordinator, Philippine Crocodile National Recovery Team, Zoos Victoria, Australia, for his outstanding contributions towards amphibian and reptile conservation, in particular of the Philippine Crocodile. We propose the following common names: Banks’ Wolf Snake (English), Banks Wolfszahnnatter (German). Natural history: The holotype was found at 20: 39 h, crawling on a limestone outcrop in the karst forest, approximately 0.3 m above the forest floor, at an elevation of 167 m a. s. l. The humidity at the time of collection was approximately 85 % and the air temperature ranged from 23 to 26 oC (Fig. 7). Another specimen was observed 12.4 km away from the type locality, active on the ground at 23: 30 h, near a limestone cliff in the secondary forest.

A new species of Lycodon Boie, 1826 (Serpentes: Colubridae) from central Laos