Gua Wang Burma Wolf Snake

description

Description of holotype (Figs. 3 – 5). Head flattened anteriorly, distinct from the neck; snout elongate; nostril oval, large, in the middle of the nasal; eye large, with a vertically elliptic pupil; rostral triangular, hardly visible from above; nasal vertically divided by a furrow along posterior margin of nostril; two square internasals, in wide, medial contact, and in contact with two large, subrectangular prefrontals posteriorly; single, azygous, subpentagonal frontal, longer than wide; two large, elongate parietals, contacted laterally by upper anteriror and posterior temporals and a larger paraparietal; 1 / 1 wide, triangular supraocular; 1 / 1 small preocular, located above the posterior portion of loreal; 2 / 2 postoculars of similar size; 1 / 1 narrow, elongate loreal entering orbit, in contact with second, third, and fourth supralabials ventrally, the prefrontal and preocular dorsally, the nasal anteriorly; 9 / 10 supralabials all higher than wide except last scale in the series; first and second supralabials in contact with nasal; fourth, fifth, and sixth supralabials entering orbit; seventh supralabial largest; upper row of two (long anterior and short posterior) tempo

A diminutive new species of cave-dwelling Wolf Snake (Colubridae: Lycodon Boie, 1826) from Peninsular Malaysia

diagnosis

Diagnosis. Lycodon cavernicolus sp. nov. is separated from all other species of the L. ruhstrati and L. fasciatus groups by having the combination of an elongate loreal scale that enters the orbit; 245 (male) and 232 (female) ventral scales; 113 (male) and 92 (female) paired subcaudal scales; a single precloacal plate; nine or 10 supralabials; 10 or 11 infralabials; a maximum total length of 508 mm for the single female; relative tail length 0.25 – 0.27; venter immaculate as juveniles and with dark edging on the posterior margins of the ventral scales in adults; and bands in juveniles that are white (Tables 2,3).

A diminutive new species of cave-dwelling Wolf Snake (Colubridae: Lycodon Boie, 1826) from Peninsular Malaysia

etymology

Etymology. The specific epithet “ cavernicolus ” is an adjective derived from the Latin caverna meaning “ cave ” and the Latin cola meaning “ dweller of ” and refers to this species being a cave-dweller. Natural history. Both the holotype and paratype were found deep within Gua Wang Burma cave approximately 200 m from the cave entrance (Fig. 6). Both specimens were found at approximately 1100 hrs. The holotype was observed scaling a vertical wall approximately 2 m above the ground while exploring nooks and crevices. She was gravid but expelled two eggs soon after capture. The paratype was found crawling over a slanting cave wall approximately 3 m above the ground in a more exposed area. Other species of amphibians and reptiles observed in the cave or near the cave entrance were the bufonid Phrynoides aspera, the gekkonids Cnemaspis biocellata, Cyrtodactylus astrum, and C. macrotuberculatus and the colubrid Othriophis taeniurus ridleyi. The gravid holotype indicates that the reproductive season of Lycodon cavernicolus sp. nov. extends through March. The only potential food source we found deep within cave is Cyrtodactylus astrum (juvelies) which are also known to occur on the cave w

A diminutive new species of cave-dwelling Wolf Snake (Colubridae: Lycodon Boie, 1826) from Peninsular Malaysia

materials_examined

Holotype. Adult female (LSUHC 9985) collected on 12 March 2011 by Evan S. H. Quah and Shahrul Anuar M. S. from Gua Wang Burma, Perlis State Park, Perlis, Peninsular Malaysia (6 ° 41.594 N 100 ° 11.400 E at 175 m in elevation). Paratype. Juvenile male (LSUHC 10500) has the same data as the holotype except for being collected on 23 May 2010.

A diminutive new species of cave-dwelling Wolf Snake (Colubridae: Lycodon Boie, 1826) from Peninsular Malaysia