Gloydius rickmersi WAGNER, TIUTENKO, BORKIN & SIMONOV, 2015
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Gloydius rickmersi
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| Higher Taxa | Viperidae, Crotalinae, Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | |
| Synonym | Gloydius rickmersi WAGNER, TIUTENKO, BORKIN & SIMONOV 2015 Gloydius rickmersi — KWET 2017 |
| Distribution | Kyrgyzstan Type locality: Kul-Otek at the Sary-Buka Valley in Kyrgyzstan, about 25 km (by air) NE of Daroot-Korgon (Chong-Alai District) near the town Kyzyl-Eshme in direction to the Shuman-Bol pass and the Kichi-Alai River at an elevation of 3000 m [N 39.622132, E 72.284010] |
| Reproduction | |
| Types | Holotype. ZMB 80360 [field no. PW P069], adult female, collected on 4.VIII.2013, at about 19.00 h and purchased by local boys to Philipp Wagner. Paratypes. MHNG 2745.46 (field no. PW P070), two pieces of a subadult female from the same area as the holotype but about 200 m higher in elevation, collected as dead body on 7.VIII.2013 by Philipp Wagner. MHNG 2752.70, roadkilled at Kul-Otek near to one from Kyzyl-Eshme, collected as dead body by Glib Mazepa. MHNG 2752.69, roadkilled at the northern slope of the Alai ridge, Tengizbai River, Kichelay [N39.755, E72.202], 2798 m, collected by Spartak Litvinchuk. ZSM 211/2014, a juvenile male from the same area as the holotype but lower in elevation towards the entrance of the valley to the main Alai valley, collected as dead body on the road on 16.VIII.2013 by Arthur Tiutenko. |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis. A slender, moderately stout small snake of the genus Gloydius, with up to 479 mm total length. Head slender, slightly triangular, with nine symmetrical plates on the upper head, 7 supralabial and 8-9 infralabial scales. Body scales in 20-22 rows around midbody, 143- 156 ventral and 35-45 usually paired subcaudal scales. Cloacal plate not divided. Body, excluding the tail, with 26-29 transverse crossbands, not extending to the sides of the body. Comparisons: The new species is distinct to all other species of the genus in the combination of the following characters: a slightly lower number of scale rows around midbody (20-22 versus mainly 23, sometimes 21); a low number of transverse body cross-bands (26-29 versus above 30 in all taxa beside G. himalayanus and the G. blomhoffii complex), the mean number of ventral scales (150 which is higher than in most of the G. blomhoffi taxa, but distinctly lower than in the G. halys-intermedius complex); and its small size (479 mm total length versus more than 600 mm is most species, apart from G. b. dubitatus, G. b. ussuriensis, G. h. halys and G. h. caucasicus which are about the same maximum total length, and G. monticola and G. strauchi which are smaller). In details, the new species is distinct to taxa of the Gloydius blomhoffi complex generally by the lack of apical scale pits, but as well by having a higher number of ventral scales (mean 150 versus 140.7 in G. b. blomhoffii, 140.1 in G. b. dubitatus, 141.1 in G. b. brevicaudus, and 140.1 in G. b. siniticus; but apart from G. ussuriensis with 151.2); in having a lower number of infralabial scales (mean 8.5 versus 10.4 in G. b. blomhoffii, 10.0 in G. b. du- bitatus, 10.0 in G. b. brevicaudus, 10.1 in G. b. siniticus, and 9.8 in G. ussuriensis); in having a higher or somewhat equal number of cross-bands on the body (mean 27.5 versus 19.9 in G. b. blomhoffii, 29.9 in G. b. dubitatus, 29.9 in G. b. brevicaudus, 30.1 in G. b. siniticus, and 28.7 in G. ussuriensis); and by having a very indistinct coloration of crossbands versus very distinct crossbands in this complex. The new species is distinct to taxa of the Gloydius intermedius complex (according to the concept of Gloyd and Conant, 1990) by the absence of apical scale pits; in having a lower number of scale rows around midbody (mean 21 ver- sus 22.8 in G. intermedius and G. saxatilis); in having a lower number of ventral scales (mean 150 versus 158.5 in G. intermedius and 156.8 in G. saxatilis); and a lower number of body crossbands (mean 27.5 versus 36.9 in G. intermedius and 38.7 in G. saxatilis). Furthermore, the new species is distinct to all taxa of the Gloydius halys complex in having a lower number of scale rows around midbody (20-22 [mean = 21] versus usually 23 rarely 21 or 25), and very narrow indistinct crossbars along the body not extending to the lateral sides (versus distinct cross-bars and extending to the flanks in most taxa) (see table 2). The new species is distinct to G. h. halys by a lower number of ventral scales (143- 156, mean 150 versus 164-178, mean 172); by a lower number of infralabial scales (mean 8.5 versus 10.7); a lower number of body cross- bands (mean 27.5 versus 38.4); and a distinct coloration (body crossbands not extending to the flanks versus extending to the flanks). The new species is distinct to G. h. boehmei by its higher number of subcaudal scales (35-45 ver- sus 35); its lower number of infralabial scales (mean 8.5 versus 11); and a lower number of body crossbands (mean 27.5 versus 41). Apart from the above mentioned characters, the new species is somewhat similar in coloration to G. h. caraganus, but distinct in its lower number of ventral scales (143-156, mean 150 versus 149- 167, mean 158); by its lower number of infralabial scales (mean 8.5 versus 10.8); and by its lower number of body crossbands (mean 27.5 versus 44.4). The new species is distinct to G. h. caucasicus by its slightly lower number of ventral scales (mean 150 versus 157); the lower number of infralabial scales (mean 8.5 versus 11); a lower number of body crossbands (mean 27.5 versus 36.4); a distinct coloration (body crossbands not extending to the flanks versus extending to the flanks); and by the absence of apical scale pits. The new species is distinct to G. h. cognatus by its slightly lower number of ventral scales (mean 150 versus 159); the lower number of infralabial scales (mean 8.5 versus 10.2); a lower number of body cross-bands (mean 27.5 versus 35.9); and a distinct coloration (body crossbands not extending to the flanks versus extending to the flanks). The new species is distinct to G. h. stejnegeri by slightly lower number of ventral scales (mean 150 versus 156); the lower number of infralabial scales (mean 8.5 versus 10.7); a lower number of body crossbands (mean 27.5 versus 31.6); a distinct coloration (body crossbands not ex- tending to the flanks versus extending to the flanks); and by the absence of apical scale pits. |
| Comment | The description of this species was published online on 31 Dec 2015 even though the pdf says “2016”. |
| Etymology | Nearly 50 years after his death, this species is named in honor to Willi Rickmer Rickmers for his contributions to our knowledge about the Alai and Pamir regions and his outstanding work as organizer of the first German-Russian expedition to this area. |
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