Thermophis shangrila PENG, LU, HUANG, GUO & ZHANG, 2014
We have no photos, try to find some by Google images search:
Higher Taxa | Colubridae (Dipsadinae), Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes) |
Subspecies | |
Common Names | E: Shangri-La hot-spring snake Chinese: Xianggelila Wenquanshe |
Synonym | Thermophis shangrila PENG, LU, HUANG, GUO & ZHANG 2014 |
Distribution | China (N Yunnan) Type locality: grassland at the forest edge (see Figure 1 B in PENG et al. 2014) near a hot spring about 500 m in Shangri-La, Northern Yunnan, China |
Reproduction | |
Types | Holotype: HSU (also as HUM) 20120001 (Museum of Huangshan University), adult female, captured at 12:30 on 23 August, 2011, when it was fast moving towards the forest. Paratypes: HUM 20120002, adult male, was captured on the forest path of the opposite hill (see Figure 1 B) at 15: 25, on 20 July, 2012, when it was basking on the path. HUM 20120003, adult female, was captured on the same path at 18:29, on same day, when it was passing through the path. |
Diagnosis | Diagnosis: Thermophis shangrila sp. nov. is distinguished from all other species of Thermophis by number of maxillary teeth and external characters (Table 2). These three individuals all have 15 maxillary teeth, are distinguished from T. baileyi (21–24) and T. zhaoermii (16–17). T. shangrila sp. nov. is morphologically distinguished from similar species T. zhaoermii by several characters: a closer distance between the two eyes (distance between the two eyes/head width is 0.56 in females, 0.58 in male, vs. 0.59–0.61 in females, 0.64–0.73 in males), a wider rostral (rostral width/height is 1.70–2.40 in females, 2.10 in male, vs. 1.00–1.50 in females, 1.72–1.86 in males), and a wider mental (mental width/height is 1.85–2.05 in females, 1.45 in male vs. 1.45–1.77 in females, 1.15–1.30 in males). In females, a slightly longer head (head width/length is 0.62–0.65 vs. 0.68–0.71). In males, a more anterior occurrence of the reduction from 10 (8, 6) to 8 (6, 4) scales in each dorsal row on the tail (30 vs. 34.5–35, 49 vs. 52–61.5, 75 vs. 76.5–77). |
Comment | Synonymy: Hofmann et al. raised some doubt about the validity of this species. Behavior: diurnal Habitat: terrestrial |
Etymology | The specific name refers to the type locality, Shangri-La County, Yunnan, China. |
References |
|
External links |