Terrific Bronzeback

description

Figs. 14, 15. Description. A species of the Dendrelaphis caudolineatus group, characterized by the combination of 1) a reduced pattern of black longitudinal stripes, stripes along the entire length of the body, 6 stripes at midbody; 2) a pale ventrolateral stripe along the entire length of the body; 3) a black postocular stripe which extends onto the neck where it becomes one the upper longitudinal stripe that borders the pale ventrolateral line; 4) 170 – 175 ventrals (males), 174 – 181 ventrals (females); 5) 94 – 102 subcaudals; 6) relative tail-length 0.245 – 0.260 (males), 0.255 – 0.265 (females); 7) 6 – 7 temporal scales on each side; 8) 9 – 11 infralabials on each side; 9) 4 – 5 scales touching the posterior borders of the parietal scales; 10) maximum total length males 97.5 cm, females 116.0 cm.

A revision of the taxonomy of Dendrelaphis caudolineatus (Gray, 1834) (Serpentes: Colubridae)

description

Sexual dimorphism. On average, males have 172 ventral scales whereas females have 178 ventral scales (F = 9.6; df = 1; p = 0.03). In addition, females grow larger than males (see description).

A revision of the taxonomy of Dendrelaphis caudolineatus (Gray, 1834) (Serpentes: Colubridae)

distribution

Distribution. Dendrelaphis terrificus is endemic to Sulawesi. Specimens included in this study originated from Manado and Gorontalo, both locations situated on the northern arm of Sulawesi, and “ North Sulawesi ”. These localities are in agreement with the distribution given by De Lang & Vogel (2005), who provided six localities, all situated on the northern arm. Wanger et al. (2011) carried out a survey in Central Sulawesi but did not document D. terrificus. However, the species has meanwhile been recorded in other parts of Sulawesi (Koch, pers. comm.).

A revision of the taxonomy of Dendrelaphis caudolineatus (Gray, 1834) (Serpentes: Colubridae)

materials_examined

Description of the lectotype. ZMB 7416, juvenile from Gorontalo, Sulawesi, collected by A. B. Meyer; SVL 23.0 cm; TAIL 7.7 cm; 172 ventral scales; 94 subcaudal scales; anal shield divided; dorsal scales in 13 - 13 - 11 rows; 9 supralabials, supralabials 5,6 touch eye; 9 infralalabials, infralabials 6 and 7 touch first sublabial; infralabials 1 – 5 touch first chinshield, infralabials 5,6 touch second chinshield; 2 postoculars; temporal formula 2: 2: 2 / 2: 2: 2; vertebral scales not enlarged; eye-diameter 3.1 mm / 3.0 mm; eye-nostril distance 2.5 mm / 2.6 mm; snout-width 2.8 mm; posterior edge of parietal scales touched by 4 scales; head-length 13.5 mm; ground-color olive-brown; supralabials, chin and throat yellow; venter yellowish; pronounced black temporal stripe covers nearly all of temporal region, extends onto neck, runs along whole body as black stripe; 4 black stripes anteriorly (including extensions of temporal stripes), 6 black stripes posteriorly; lower two black stripes enclose pale ventrolateral line that covers upper half of first dorsal row and lower half of second dorsal row; black stripe on underside of tail.

A revision of the taxonomy of Dendrelaphis caudolineatus (Gray, 1834) (Serpentes: Colubridae)