Telescopus smidi RIBEIRO-JÚNIOR, KOCH, FLECKS, CAMPBELL, CALVO, SPAWLS, VIDAL & MEIRI, 2025
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Telescopus smidi
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| Higher Taxa | Colubridae, Colubrinae, Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | |
| Synonym | Telescopus smidi RIBEIRO-JÚNIOR, KOCH, FLECKS, CAMPBELL, CALVO, SPAWLS, VIDAL & MEIRI 2025: 59 |
| Distribution | Saudi Arabia Type locality: 45 km SE of Taif, Saudi Arabia (21.00°N, 40.67°E) |
| Reproduction | |
| Types | Holotype: NHM 1978.1319, adult male, collected by J. Gasperetti and W. Dolder on 4 May 1978 (Figs 9, 23A–E). Paratypes (2): NHM 1979.720, adult male, collected at km 79 Bishah-Ajibah road, Al Bahah, Saudi Arabia (19.73°N, 42.11°E) by J. Gasperetti and A. Falk on 28 May 1979 (Fig. 22F); and NHM 1980.87, adult male, collected at Khamis Mushayt, Saudi Arabia (18.30°N, 42.73°E) by W. Büttiker in November 1979 (Fig. 23G). |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: Telescopus smidi is distinguished from all other species of Telescopus by the combination of the following characters: (1) 21 dorsal scales at the anterior body; (2) 21 dorsal scales at midbody; (3) 13 dorsal scales at the posterior body; (4) a single anal scale; (5) two temporals with different sizes (lower temporal larger and/or longer than the upper one); (6) two pairs of chin shields; (7) 222–228 (X = 224.0) ventral scales; (8) 58–63 (X = 60.7) subcaudals; (9) 233–250 (X = 239.0) dorsal scales; (10) parietal scale not contacting lower temporal scale; (11) a single, large dorsal scale bordering the mid-posterior parietal scales, with rounded lateral and posterior margins; (12) absence of paired scales on posterior head, following the scale bordering the mid-posterior portion of parietal scales; (13) posterior border of parietal scales curved (rounded/rhomboid), directed lateroposteriorly; (14) three or four (X = 3.7) rows of gular scales between the first pair of chin shields and preventral scale; (15) 13–15 (X = 13.7) gular scales in a transverse row between the last infralabials; (16) absence of apical pits on dorsal scales distally; (17) dorsal head similar in colour to the dorsal body or slightly lighter (brown or light brown); (18) ventral body cream; (19) dorsal body and flanks almost all homogeneous greyish brown or with large dark brown blotches well delimited by short and relatively narrow light brown diagonal stripes on anterior body, wider and larger on mid and posterior body surfaces; (20) lateral process of palatine present; (21) maxillary nerve foramen in palatine present; (22) palatine–pterygoid articulation overlap joint; (23) medial ridge of parietal present, fused within limits of squamosal; (24) posteriorly directed processes on the supraoccipital present; (25) anterior vidian foramen in border of basisphenoid; (26) 46.8%–67.7% the relative length of dentary; (27) vomer ring complete, with lamina fenestrated; (28) 10–11 + 2 maxillary teeth; (29) enlarged posterior maxillary teeth; (30) 11–12 pterygoid teeth; (31) 17–18 dentary teeth; (32) anterior border of both frontal bones with medial V-shaped indention; and (33) contact between supratemporal–parietal bones. (Ribeiro-Júnior et al. 2025) Unfortunately we had to temporarily remove additional information as this was scraped by multiple AI companies who sell that data to their customers. These details, e.g. detailed descriptions or comparisons (about 16477 characters) are available for collaborators and contributors. Please contact us for details. |
| Comment | Distribution: for a map of localities see Ribeiro-Júnior et al. 2025: 28 (Figure 9). |
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