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Calamaria alcalai WEINELL, LEVITON & BROWN, 2020

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Higher TaxaColubridae, Calamariinae, Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes)
Subspecies 
Common NamesE: Alcala's Reed Snake 
SynonymCalamaria alcalai WEINELL, LEVITON & BROWN 2020 
DistributionPhilippines (Occidental Mindoro Province [Mindoro Island])

Type locality: Philippines, Occidental Mindoro Province, Municipality of Sablayan, Barangay Batong Buhay, Sitio Palbong (12.865 ºN, 120.902 ºE), 130 m elevation.  
Reproduction 
TypesHolotype: PNM 9873 (formerly KU 305555; field number ELR 645), adult male, collected by Edmund B. Leo Rico on September 17, 2006.
Paratypes (n=2): KU 335918 (field number RMB 17682), adult male, collected by Wilson Bulalacao, B. Gurubat, R. Reyes, Diego Roldan-Pina, Scott Travers, and J. Zafe at approximately 2400 hrs on July 7, 2013; KU 335919 (field number RMB 17719), adult female, same locality and collectors as first paratype but obtained between 1900–2100 hrs on November 11, 2013. 
DiagnosisDiagnosis: The new species differs from all other southeast Asian species by having the following combination of characters: prefrontal scales large, bordering rostral scale; internasal scales absent; 13 longitudinal rows of dorsal scales throughout length of body; subcaudal scales > 30 pairs (females), > 40 pairs (males); mental scale not in contact with chin shields; preocular scale present; prefrontal scale not in contact with eye. Color pattern in life: dorsal surface of head, body, and tail maroon or light maroon; ventral surface of head and anterior of body yellow; ventral surface of posterior of body and tail pale cream; boundary between dorsal and ventral body coloration on first longitudinal row of dorsal scales light yellow to cream. Color pattern in ethanol: dorsal surface of head, body, and tail uniformly dark brown; ventral surface of head, body, and tail pale yellow or cream. (Weinell et al. 2021).


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CommentSimilar species: Calamaria schlegelii 
EtymologyThe species epithet alcalai is a patronym in the genitive singular, honoring Dr. Angel C. Alcala, for his numerous contributions on the systematics, biogeography, and ecology of amphibians and reptiles of the Philippines—and, in general, for his influential promotion of conservation and sustainable management of the archipelago’s terrestrial and marine biodiversity. 
References
  • Weinell, J. L., Leviton, A. E., & Brown, R. M. 2021. A new species of reed snake, genus Calamaria (Colubridae: Calamariinae), from Mindoro Island, Philippines. Philippine Journal of Systematic Biology, DOI 10.26757/pjsb2020b14006 - get paper here
 
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