Naja fuxi SHI, VOGEL, CHEN & DING, 2022
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| Higher Taxa | Elapidae, Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | E: Brown Banded Cobra Chinese: 西南眼镜蛇 (Xī Nán Yˇan Jìng Shé) |
| Synonym | Naja fuxi SHI, VOGEL, CHEN & DING in SHI et al. 2022: 18 Naja naja kaouthia — ZHAO et al. 1998 Naja naja kaouthia — YANG & RAO 2008 Naja kaouthia — ZHAO 2003 Naja atra — LIN et al., 2012 (Clade C) Naja kaouthia — HUANG 2021 |
| Distribution | SW China at elevations between 1000–1400 m (SW Sichuan Province, probably W Guangxi, SW Guizhou), NE Myanmar, N Laos, N Thailand, NW Vietnam. Type locality: Panzhihua, Sichuan, China. |
| Reproduction | |
| Types | Holotype: CIB DL2018053147, adult male. Paratypes. (33 specimens) One adult female CIB DL2018081005 collected from Renhe District, Panzhihua, Sichuan Province, China (26.466293° N, 101.740758° E, 1248 m a.s.l.) on 10 August 2018, by Li Ding. One adult female CIB 101318; four adult males CIB 012303, CIB 012295, CIB 012288, CIB 012289; four juvenile females CIB 012290-012292, CIB 012294; and one juvenile male CIB 012293 were collected from Miyi Cunty, Panzhihua City, Sichuan Province in 1985. One adult male CIB 098874 and adult female CIB 098875 were collected from Longhua village, Caocang Town, Miyi Conty, Panzhihua City, Sichuan Province, China (26.5628° N, 102.0402° E, 1373 m a.s.l.) by Yueying Chen and Bo Cai on 19 December 2012. One unknown sex juvenile CIB DL0096 from Yanbian, Panzhihua, Sichuan, China. Six juveniles from Jiangcheng, Pu'er, Yunnan, China, including two females (CIB DL000070, CIB DL YNJC0068), three males (CIB DL000022, CIB DL000239, CIB DL000020) and one unknown sex (CIB DL R428). Two adults (male CIB 012296, female CIB 012297) and three female juveniles (CIB 012298-CIB 012300) from Lushui, Nujiang, Yunnan, China. Two adults from Yunnan, China (male CIB 012302, female CIB 012301) without accurate locality. One male juvenile KIZ 2020090301 from Menglian, Pu'er, Yunnan, China. One male juvenile KIZ 2020091201 from Ximeng, Pu’er, Yunnan, China. Three from Simao,20 of 31 Pu’er, Yunnan, China (male juvenile KIZ 20180801 and KIZ F20180066, male adult KIZ 090071). One male adult CIB 83796 from China without specific locality. |
| Diagnosis | Check OCR in following text, especially “+/-” may be missing. Diagnosis. “(1) body scales smooth, scale rows at anterior body 19-29 (23.8 +/- 3.1, n = 32), mid-body 19-27 (20.9 +/- 1.5, n = 33), posterior body 12-19 (15.3 +/- 2.9, n = 33); (2) ventral 179-205 (195.4 +/- 6.7, n = 33), subcaudals 45-61 (51.4 +/- 9.7, n = 33); (3) total length in adults 690-1366 mm (1039.5 + 207.6 mm, n 15), tail length 110-201 mm (145.9 +/- 27.8 mm, n = 15), tail length/total length 0.128-0.162 (0.141 +/- 0.009, n = 32, including adults and juveniles); (4) small scales between posterior chin shields mostly three (40%) or two (37%), rarely four (13%) or one (10%) (n = 30); (5) dorsum light brown in adults, deep brown or black in juveniles (n = 32); (6) throat pale usually without dark mottling, ventrolateral throat spots distinct, followed by a broad light brown band; (7) hood markings usually a pale oval marking with narrow dark inner and outer border (73%), sometimes irregular residual patterns of a monocle (20%), rarely indistinguishable (7%), no dark side spots in any individual (n = 30); (8) both adults and juveniles with clear regular single narrow buff cross bands with dark fringes on middle, posterior dorsum 3-15 (7.9 +/- 2.7, n = 32) and dorsal tail 1-6 (4.2 +/- 1.1, n: 32); (9) hemipenial spines on distal part well connected at base, forming calculate fold; (10) fangs not modified for spitting, venom discharge orifice relatively large. (Shi et al. 2022) Comparisons. “The new species has long been identified as Naja kaouthia, but it is different from the latter by: (1) regular single narrow crossbands present on middle and posterior parts of the dorsum (3-15, 7.9 +/- 2.7, n = 32), and dorsal surface of tail (1-6, 4.2 +/- 1.1, n = 32) of both adults and juveniles, buff-colored with dark fringes on both edges vs. South Asian populations (n = 39) and Southeast Asian populations (n = 35) without crossbands or with irregular cross bands or multiple light-colored cross bands pairs or densely woven lines; (2) small scales between posterior chin shields usually three (40%) or two (37%), rarely four (13%) or one (10%) (n = 30) vs. mostly one (81%), rarely two (19%) (n = 28); (3) ventrals 179-205 (195.4 +/- 6.7, n = 33) vs. South Asian populations 179-199 (188.7 +/- 5.9, n = 12); Southeast Asian populations 168-186 (177.8 +/- 4.9, n 18). The new species differs from Naja atra by: (1) ventrals 179-205 (195.4 +/- 6.7, n = 33) vs. ventrals 161-175 (170.9 +/- 3.2, n = 29); (2) small scales between posterior chin shields usually three (40%) or two (37%), rarely four (13%) or one (10%) (n = 30) vs. usually one (72%), rarely two (28%), n = 29; (3) dorsum coloration of adults light brown, crossbands on body and tail with dark fringes (n = 32) vs. usually dark, pale cross bands without recognizable fringes (n = 36); (4) hood markings mostly a pale oval marking with narrow dark inner and outer border (73%), some have an irregular residual pattern of a monocle (20%), others indistinguishable (7%), no dark side spots (n = 30) vs. mostly formed by a pale heart-shape (79%) with a dark center and two small lateral dark dots (n = 33); (5) hemipenial spines on distal part well connected at base, forming calculate fold vs. spines on distal part weakly connected at base, arranged in rows. From other cobras from South Asia, the new species differs as follows: from Naja naja by (1) hood markings usually form a complete monocle, in a few specimens incomplete, rarely absent vs. spectacle-shaped; (2) throat pattern distinct, lateral spots encroach on lowest dorsal scale row vs. throat pattern indistinct, lateral spots encroach on second dorsal scale row [14]; (3) regular single narrow crossbands present on middle and posterior parts of the dorsum (3-15, 7.9 +/- 2.7, n = 32), and dorsal surface of tail (1-6, 4.2 +/- 1.1, n = 32) of both adults and juveniles, buff-colored with dark fringes on both edges vs. mostly without regular light-colored crossbands on body (83%), some with brown and yellow densely woven lines on body (17%) (n = 46). The new species differs from Naja oxiana by (1) fewer subcaudal scales 45-61 (51.4 +/- 9.7, n = 33) VS. males 63-71 (68.0 + 2.0); females 57-70 (63.3 narrow crossbands present 2.7); (2) hood markings usually as a distinct pale oval markings with narrow dark inner and outer borders vs. usually indistinct; (3) throat marking distinct, with lateral spots vs. throat marking indistinct, lateral spots absent; (4) crossbands on adults not present on neck vs. present [14]. The new species differs from Naja sagittifera by (1) more ventral scales 179-205 (195.4 +/- 6.7, n = 33) vs. 175-176 (175.40 +/- 0.55, n ?) () for males, 183 for one female); (2) dorsum coloration light brown in adults, dark brown in juveniles, regular narrow crossbands with dark fringes on body and tail of adults as well as juveniles vs. juveniles dark with irregular or shark-fin-like outlines; (3) distribution confirmed in southwestern China and expected in adjacent Indochina vs. restricted to the Andaman Islands. Differences from cobras from southeastern Asia: the new species differs from Naja mandalayensis by (1) hood markings usually a distinct pale oval marking with narrow dark inner and outer border vs. hood markings absent; (2) throat pale, followed by a broad light brown crossband vs. throat dark, followed by two or three dark broad crossbands; (3) fangs not adapted for spitting, venom discharge orifice large vs. adapted for spitting, discharge orifice smaller. The new species differs from Naja philippinensis by (1) hood markings usually a distinct pale oval marking with narrow dark inner and outer border (vs. without any distinctive markings anteriorly); (2) subcaudal scales 51.4 +/- 9.7 (45-61, n = 33) (vs. 38-47); (3) distribution confirmed to southwestern China, expected in adjacent Indochina (vs. endemic to Philippines). The new species differs from Naja samarensis by (1) more ventrals 179-205 (195.4 +/- 6.7, n = 33) vs. 170-179 (174.2 +/- 2.4, n = 19); (2) dorsal scales near vent usually 15 rows vs. 13 rows; (3) dorsum coloration of adults light brown, regular narrow crossbands on body and tail with dark fringes vs. color above brown to black, usually with a trace of a light lateral line on outer two scales rows; (4) throat pale VS. throat and first few ventrals yellowish; (5) distribution confirmed to southwestern China, expected in adjacent Indochina VS. endemic to Philippines. The new species differs from Naja siamensis by (1) more ventral 179-205 (195.4 + 6.7, n= 33) vs. 153-174 (? +/- ?, n= 67); (2) hood markings usually monocellate, a pale oval marking with narrow dark inner and outer border vs. U-, V-, or H-shaped spectacle; (3) dorsum coloration in adults light brown, with single regular buff crossbands with dark fringes on body and tail vs. brightly contrasting black and white pattern in central plain of Thailand, also in Laos; uniformly blackish-brown or black in southeastern and western Thailand. The new species differs from Naja sputatrix by (1) regular narrow crossbands present on body and tail of adults and juveniles with dark fringes vs. never any light dorsal crossbands (except, on rare occasions, a light band behind the hood); (2) throat area pale, lateral spots distinct VS. no clearly defined light throat area, or very dusky and indistinct; lateral spots often missing; (3) adults usually with clear hood markings vs. usually lacking; (4) venom discharge orifice on fang relatively large vs. relatively small. The new species differs from Naja sumatrana by (1) small scales between posterior chin shields usually three (40%) or two (37%), rarely four (13%) or one (10%) (n = 30) Vs. one (78%) or two (22%), (n 9); (2) dorsum coloration of adults light brown VS. color above black or dark brown; (3) regular single narrow crossbands present on middle and posterior parts of the dorsum (3-15, 7.9 +/- 2.7, n = 32), and dorsal surface of tail (1-6, 4.2 +/- 1.1, n = 32) of both adults and juveniles, buff-colored with dark fringes on both edges VS. mostly without light-colored crossbands on body (88%), some juveniles with three to seven narrow light-colored crossbands at posterior body (12%), n = 51; (4) a broad light brown crossband present on after throat VS. venter dark or light but without a distinctive black crossband on anterior portion. (Shi et al. 2022) Description of holotype. “Adult male. Head broad, triangular, widest at middle parietals. Body dimensions: snout-vent length 800 mm; tail length 135 mm, about 14% of total length; head length 30.3 mm (snout to end of parietal suture); maximum head width 19.8 mm, about 65% of head length; maximum head height 12.8 mm, about 42% of head length; distance between eyes 14.2 mm, 47% of head length. (Shi et al. 2022) Body scalation. “Ventral 190, preventrals 2; subcaudals 50, paired, terminating in a spine. Dorsal scales smooth, 20 on neck, 20 at midbody, 15 one head length ahead of vent; elongated, gradually broader toward ventrals; vertebral scales similar to dorsal scales. (Shi et al. 2022) Head scalation. “Scales smooth. Rostral nearly U-shaped, slightly visible in dorsal view. Nasals large, including one prenasal and one postnasal, nostril mainly surrounded by postnasal. External nares moderate, higher than wide, half of vertical diameter of eye. Preocular 1/1, bordering widely with third supralabial, supraocular, prefrontal, and slightly with eye, internasals and postnasals. Loreal scale absent. Internasal paired, widely contact with each other. Prefrontal paired, in shape of right trapezoid, widely contact each other. Frontal moderate, shield-shaped, size similar as prefrontal. Parietals paired, large, largest length about 1.6 times of frontal length, each bordering frontal, supraocular, upper postocular, anterior and posterior temporals, and two small scales on upper side of the head. Eyes rounded; moderate, vertical diameter equals height of fourth supralabial. Postoculars 3/3, similar in size, about half of preocular, the lowest widely in contact with the fourth and fifth supralabial. Temporals 2+3/2+3; lower anterior temporals hexagonal, longer than high; lowest posterior temporal largest, shape irregular. Supralabials 7/7; first two smallest, bordering nasals; third and fourth higher than wide, bordering eye; the seventh longest. Mental triangular in front and ventral view of head. Infralabials 9/9; the first to third in contact with anterior chin shields, the first contact with each other, and anterior edge of anterior chin shields; the fourth contacting both anterior and posterior chin shields; the fifth small and poorly developed, barely seen in ventral view of head, leaving the fourth in broad contact with the sixth; the sixth in contact with posterior chin shields; the seventh to ninth elongated, not contacting chin shields. The two pairs of chin shields form a butterfly shape. A total of three scales separating posterior chin shield, arranged in a "A"-shape; first of them much smaller than gulars behind, contacting both anterior chin shields; posterior two scales elongated, broadly contacting each other. (Shi et al. 2022) Coloration in preservative. “Head pattern: Dorsal head uniformly light brown; lateral head gradually paler on supralabials; ventral head uniformly cream white. Dorsal pattern: Dorsum light brown; six buff crossbands present on middle to posterior body, width about length of one dorsal scale, with faint dark fringes, not bifurcate near ventrals. A brown monocellate marking with dark edges and dark oval core present on the hood, not reaching ventrals. Interstitial skin feebly lighter than dorsal scales. Dorsal tail also light brown with four crossbands similar with those on body (Figure 8A). Ventral pattern (Figure 8B): throat pale, ventral 1st-13th cream white; first ventral crossband covering ventrals 14th-19th, faintly brown, the 19th ventral paler; a small dark patch present on ventrolateral neck at lateral edge of 9th-10th ventral and the first row of dorsal scales; ventral 20th-24th cream; ventral 25th and following uniformly pale brown except several ventrals more paler at position opposing crossbands on dorsum; coloration on middle and posterior venter similar with coloration on the first broad crossband; two small dark patches present on skin between lateral edge of eighth and ninth with first row of dorsal scales. Ventral tail uniformly pale. (Shi et al. 2022) Coloration in life. “Similar to coloration in preservative, generally browner. (Shi et al. 2022) Variation. “(Figures 9 and 10) Body length for adults 578-1165 mm (894 +/- 181 mm, n = 16), total length 690-1366 mm (1040 +/- 208 mm, n= 16). The colorations of dorsum and first ventral crossband of juveniles and hatchlings with body length smaller than 578 mm are generally much darker than in larger specimens (Figure 9A,C,E). Coloration on middle and posterior venter of adults mostly uniformly yellowish-cream (Figure 10B,D), light brown near tail; ventral coloration of juveniles is deep brown or dark (Figure 9F), most individuals or hatchings (76%, 1 = 17) with ambiguous light colored crossbands on middle and posterior ventral surface (Figure 9F). The dorsal head of one female paratype (CIB DL2018081005) is almost pale brown, much lighter than dorsum colorations (Figures 9A and 10A). Hood markings mostly monocellate (76%), some specimens with irregular residual patterns of mon‐ ocle (21%) (Figure 9C), rarely without any pattern (3%, n = 29) (Figure 9C), all specimens checked without dark side spots. Small scales between posterior chin shields usually two (37%) or three (40%), rarely one (10%) or four (13%) (n = 30). The first ventral cross band start from 12th–16th (16.0th ± 4.4, n = 31) ventral.” (Shi et al. 2022) See Ratnarathorn et al. 2023 for an expanded description. |
| Comment | Distribution: For a map see Shi et al. 2022: 3 (Fig. 1). |
| Etymology | The new species is named after Fuxi ( 伏羲), one of the human ancestors in Chinese mythologies, usually depicted in cultural relics as half‐man and half‐snake. The common postures of Fuxi resembles a cobra in reared status; this species is named for the impact that snake had in human culture. The specific nomen is a noun in apposition. |
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