Hebius nigriventer (WALL, 1925)
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Hebius nigriventer
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| Higher Taxa | Colubridae (Natricinae), Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | |
| Synonym | Natrix nigriventer WALL 1925: 588 Natrix venningi — WALL 1926: 560 (part) (nec Tropidonotus venningi WALL 1910) Natrix venningi — SMITH 1943: 286 (part) Tropidonotus venningi — WERNER 1929: 24 (part) (nec T. venningi WALL 1910) Amphiesma venningi — KOU 1985: 160 (part) (nec T. venningi WALL 1910) Amphiesma venningi — ZHAO & JIANG 1986: 239 (?; identification uncertain) Amphiesma Venrrinig [sic] — KOU & ZHANG 1987: 364 Amphiesma venningi — ZHAO & ADLER 1993: 228 (part) Amphiesma venningi — ZHAO et al. 1998: 89 & 90 (part) Amphiesma venningi — ZHANG 1999: 430 (?) Amphiesma venningi — ZHAO et al. 2000: 205 Amphiesma venningi — ISKANDAR & COLIJN 2001: 98 (mention from China) Amphiesma venningi — HE & ZHOU 2002: 167 (part) Amphiesma venningi — JI 2002: 184 Amphiesma venningi — ZHAO 2006: (Vol. I) 174 (part), (Vol. II) 97: Fig. 59 Amphiesma venningi — DAVID et al. 2007: 54ff (part) Amphiesma venningi — SHARMA 2007: 207 (in part) Amphiesma venningi — YANG & RAO 2008: 268 Amphiesma venningi — LUO et al. 2010: 74 Amphiesma venningi — ZHANG 2011: 277 (?) Amphiesma venningi — WALLACH et al. 2014: 33 (in part) Hebius nigriventer — DAVID et al. 2021: 13 |
| Distribution | Myanmar (Kachin), China (Yunnan) Type locality: “Huton, Bhamo District (30 miles north-east of Bhamo; circa 4,500 feet; Lat. circa 97°33; Long. Circa 24°24”, now Hutung, Bhamo District, Kachin State, Myanmar |
| Reproduction | |
| Types | Holotype. BMNH 1946.1.13.60, adult female; collected by Father Gilhodes, June 1924. |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: A moderately sized species of the genus Hebius characterized by the combination of (1) 17(exceptionally 19)-17-15–17 dorsal scale rows, moderately keeled at midbody, strongly keeled posteriorly but 1st DSR smooth; (2) dorsal scales around the base of the tail strongly keeled; (3) head moderately distinct from the neck; (4) eye size moderate; (5) maxillary teeth 28–33, the last two moderately enlarged; (6) tail long, with a ratio TaL/TL at least equal to 0.29 in females, up to 0.37 in males; (7) VEN 155–168; (8) SC 105–143; (9) 2 prefrontal scales, (10) anterior temporal elongate, rectangular; (11) venter entirely very dark, i.e., blackish–brown or black, sometimes with two, narrow longitudinal paler stripes, at the exception of a middle stripe pale but heavily blotched with dark hues anteriorly, extending on 5–15 ventrals; (12) dorsal colour very dark, dark brown, very dark greyish-brown or blackish-brown; (13) dorsum background either uniform or with a subdued chequered dorsal pattern made of large, diffuse, rectangular darker blotches on 4th–5th and 7th–8th DSR; (14) on each side, a series of large, cream or pale yellowish-brown (bright orange, rusty-red or reddish-brown in life), rectangular blotches, higher than long anteriorly then more elongate, forming a conspicuous, dorsolateral chain of blotches on 5th–6th DSR throughout the length of the body, becoming smaller posteriorly and turning to an irregular stripe posteriorly; (15) a dark postocular streak usually present; and (16) a short, oblique yellowish-brown or yellow-ochre streak (bright orange or rusty-red in life) above the corner of the mouth and a large blotch of the same colour on the side of the neck (David et al. 2021). Additional details (3229 characters) are available for collaborators and contributors. Please contact us for details. |
| Comment | Synonymy: after David et al. 2021 (also see there for references). Bourret 1936: 55 synonymized N. nigriventer with Natrix venningi. David et al. 2021 revalidated it. Figure 59-1 in Zhao 2006: Vol. II: 97 depicts a Hebius bitaeniatus. Illustration: Yang & Rao 2008: 268 (Figure: H. nigriventer), 269 (Table 58: H. nigriventer). Similar species: H. venningi, H. chapaensis. |
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