Liophidium maintikibo FRANZEN, JONES, RASELIMANANA, NAGY, D’CRUZE, GLAW & VENCES, 2009
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Higher Taxa | Pseudoxyrhophiidae, Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes) |
Subspecies | |
Common Names | |
Synonym | Liophidium maintikibo FRANZEN, JONES, RASELIMANANA, NAGY, D’CRUZE, GLAW & VENCES 2009 Liophidium maintikibo — WALLACH et al. 2014: 386 |
Distribution | W Madagascar (deciduous forest of Kirindy) Type locality: near Kirindy research station (20◦ 03′ S, 44◦ 39′ E), elevation below 100 m, about 60 km north of Morondava (district of Morondava, region of Menabe, Toliara Province), western Madagascar. |
Reproduction | oviparous (not imputed, fide Zimin et al. 2022) |
Types | Holotype: ZSM 2052/2007, collected by Julia Jones on 20 November 2004. |
Diagnosis | Diagnosis: Liophidium maintikibo sp. n. differs from the only Comoran species L. mayottensis by 17 rows of dorsal scales (vs. 19) and from the Malagasy species (which all share 17 rows of dorsal scales) as follows: from L. apperti, L. chabaudi, L. rhodogaster, L. torquatum and L. trilineatum by the lack of a loreal scale and the presence of only seven upper labials, with upper labials 3 + 4 touching the eye (vs. 8 upper labials, 4 +5 touching the eye). Moreover, it differs from the above mentioned species (except L. rhodogaster) by a higher number of ventral scales and by a different dorsal colouration (5 dorsal stripes vs. 0, 1 or 3 stripes; except L. apperti). Additional details (1908 characters) are available for collaborators and contributors. Please contact us for details. |
Comment | This species is related to Liophidium therezieni but differs by a lower number of ventral scales and several details of colouration. Its ventral scales have a large central black patch which is missing from the subcaudals. This predominantly black ventral side is similar to that of another enigmatic Malagasy snake, Pararhadinaea melanogaster. |
Etymology | The species name is used as a noun in apposition and is composed of the Malagasy adjectiv “mainty”, meaning black, and “kibo”, meaning venter. It refers to the large black central markings on the ventral scales of the new species. |
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