Elaphe xiphodonta QI, SHI, MA, GAO, BU, GRISMER, LI & WANG, 2021
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Elaphe xiphodonta
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| Higher Taxa | Colubridae, Colubrinae, Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | Chinese: “秦皇锦蛇” (Qín Huáng Jǐn Shé) E: Qin Emperor Rat Snake, Blade-teethed Rat Snake |
| Synonym | Elaphe xiphodonta QI, SHI, MA, GAO, BU, GRISMER, LI & WANG 2021 |
| Distribution | China (Shaanxi) Type locality: Ningshaan County, Shaanxi Province, China |
| Reproduction | |
| Types | Holotype: SYS r002534, adult female Paratypes: IVPP OV 2721, juvenile female, collected by Jing-Song Shi |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: Elaphe xiphodonta sp. nov. can be differentiated from its congeners by the combination of the following morphological characters: (1) medium body size, SVL 785 mm in single adult female; (2) dorsal scales in 21-21-17 rows, the medial 11 rows keeled; (3) supralabials seven or eight, third/fourth (right) or fourth/fifth (left) in contact with eye, infralabials 9 or 10; (4) ventral scales 202–204; (5) subcaudals 67–68; (6) loreal single, not in contact with eye, not in contact with internasals; (7) two preoculars (including one subpreocular), two postoculars; (8) two anterior temporals, three posterior temporals; (9) precloacal plate divided; (10) reduced teeth number in maxilla and dentary bones (MT 9+2, DT 12; (11) sharp edges on the posterior or posterolateral surface of the rear MT and DT; (12) top of head yellow, three distinct markings on head and neck; (13) a distinct black labial spot present on supralabials; (14) ground color of dorsum yellow, 46–49 entire (or incomplete) reddish brown blotches with black edges on body and 12–19 similarly colored spots on tail; (15) ventral surface of body yellow with mottled irregular black blotches, a few irregular small red spots dispersed on middle of ventral scales. (Qi et al. 2021). Additional details (3991 characters) are available for collaborators and contributors. Please contact us for details. |
| Comment | Mimicry: Elaphe xiphodonta appears to be a mimic of Protobothrops jerdonii (Qi et al. 2021). |
| Etymology | The specific epithet “xiphodonta” of the new species comes from the Ancient Greek “ξίφοσ (ksίfos, refer to ‘knife’ or ‘blade’)” and “δοντι (dónti, refer to ‘tooth’)”, meaning “blade-shaped teeth”, indicating that the new species has unique blade-shaped MT and DT (Figs 5, 6), which differs from the inconspicuous dental specializations (all teeth are cone-shaped) in its congeners. We suggest the Chinese formal name as “秦皇锦蛇” (Qín Huáng Jǐn Shé), which is derived from Qin Shi Huang (personal name: Ying Zheng or Zhao Zheng; 259 BC–210 BC), the founder of the Qin dynasty and the first emperor of unified China, whose territory including the distribution range of Elaphe xiphodonta sp. nov. |
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