Gloydius rubromaculatus SHI, LI & LIU, 2017
Can you confirm these amateur observations of Gloydius rubromaculatus?
Gloydius rubromaculatus
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| Higher Taxa | Viperidae, Crotalinae, Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | E: Red-spotted alpine pit viper, Tongtianhe pit viper Chinese: Hóng Bān Gāo Shān Fù (红斑高山蝮) |
| Synonym | Gloydius rubromaculatus SHI, LI & LIU in SHI et al. 2017 |
| Distribution | China (Qinghai, Tibvet, Sichuan), elevation 3300 to 4770 m Type locality: mid-upper reaches of the Tongtianhe River, Qumarleb, Qinghai Province |
| Reproduction | |
| Types | Holotype: NZMC (originally IOZ, also given as ASIZB) 032317 (Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing) adult male, collected by Jingsong Shi (JS) and Xi’er Chen (XC) on 9 July 2016. Paratypes: NWIPB 790058 (allotype, adult female), IOZ 032318 (adult male), JS1607Y3 (subadult female), NWIPB 790056 (adult female), NWIPB 630064 (adult female), and NWIPB0512 (adult male). Referred specimens: NWIPB 17092:1, from Jyekundo, Qinghai Province; NWIPB 790060-790067, from Zhiduo, Qinghai Province. |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: The above mentioned specimens were identified as the members of Gloydius judging on their small body size, bilateral pits and divided subcaudal scales (Hoge and Romano-Hoge, 1981), while differ from other congeneric species in the following characteristics: 1. two rows of cardinal crossbands on the back, regularly spaced along the body; 2. glossy dorsal scales, compared to matte scales in other members of Gloydius; 3. colubrid-liked dome shaped head in lateral view and oval shaped in dorsal view, compared to flat-shaped head in lateral view and triangular in dorsal view in other Gloydius; 4. irregular small black spots dispersed on the head scales; 5. inconspicuous canthus rostralis; 6. dark brown eyes with black pupils (figs 1 and 2). The new species is distinct from species in the Gloydius blomhoffii complex by having three palatine teeth (versus four palatine teeth); from the species in the Gloydius halysintermedius complex by having 21 rows of midbody dorsal scales (versus 23-rows). Thus, the new species is suggested to belong to the Gloydius strauchi complex. Within the Gloydius strauchi complex, G. rubromaculatus sp. n. is distinct from G. monticola by its 21-rows mid-body scales (versus 19-rows mid-body scales and 6 supralabials); from G. himalayanus by its indistinct canthus rostralis (versus very distinct canthus rostralis); from G. qinlingensis and G. liupanensis by its oval head (versus triangular head), regular crossbands (versus irregular crossbands) and the lack of the white line on each side of body (versus obvious white line); from G. strauchi by its brownish black eyes (versus light brown eyes), and two rows of regular round crossbands (versus four irregular longitudinal strips). |
| Comment | |
| Etymology | The specific name of the new species is made up of the Latin word “rubro” (red) and “maculatus” (spot), indicating cardinal crossbands on the body. |
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