Toxicocalamus atratus KRAUS, KAISER & O'SHEA, 2022
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Toxicocalamus atratus
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| Higher Taxa | Elapidae (Hydrophiinae), Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | E: Black forest snake |
| Synonym | Toxicocalamus atratus KRAUS, KAISER & O'SHEA 2022: 1025 |
| Distribution | Papua New Guinea (Central Highlands of Papua New Guinea and extending as far east as the southern side of the Ekuti Dividing Range, Morobe Province, at elevations of 840–2140 m) Type locality: Kundiawa, 6.02°S, 144.97°E, elevation 1585 m, Chimbu Province, Papua New Guinea |
| Reproduction | |
| Types | Holotype. MCZ R-84144, an adult female collected by Fred Parker on 25 May 1964. Paratypes (n = 90). Papua New Guinea: Chimbu Prov- ince: along Wahgi River, 5.94°S, 144.80°E, elev. 1470 m, CAS 113665, 139564; Karimui, 6.50°S, 144.83°E, elev. 1170 m, CAS 118961–62; Kondiu, 5.98°S, 144.87°E, elev. 1600 m, AMNH R-75336–57; Kundiawa, 6.02°S, 144.97°E, elev. 1585 m, AMNH R-98495, R-98497, CAS 99916, 100069, 113670, 115986, 118948, 118960, 139584, 140043, MCZ R-83218, R-84026, R-111767, R-111788, R-115586, R-116774, R-116788, R-140818, R-145923, NMV 13421, USNM 166280; Kup, 5.95°S, 144.80°E, elev. 1500 m, AMNH R-72780–81; Mintima, 5.98°S, 144.91°E, elev. 1770 m, CAS 103374–75, 113663, 118957–59, MCZ R-116789–90, R-121547–48; Noru, 6.60°S, 144.63°E, elev. 1770 m, AMS R115365; Eastern Highlands Province: Agakamatasa, 6.72°S, 145.62°E, elev. 1720 m, MCZ R-121545; Lida Patrol Post, 6.32°S, 145.40°E, elev. 1800 m, CAS 139575; Lufa, Mt. Michael, 6.33°S, 145.25°E, elev. 1120 m, CAS 113666–67, MCZ R-121546; Nivi Unggai, 6.21°S, 145.31°E, elev. 2030 m, MCZ R-84142, R-116791–92; Hela Province: Bobole, 6.23°S, 142.77°E, elev. 1145 m, AMS R122803, R122806; Halalinja, 6.15°S, 143.37°E, elev. 2140 m, BMNH 1976.92; Nipa, 6.10°S, 143.25°E, elev. 2070 m, UPNG 5811; Jiwaka Province: Banz, 5.78°S, 144.62°E, elev. 1650 m, AMNH R-85743, R-88060; Minj, 5.86°S, 144.87°E, elev. 1560 m, MCZ R-141849; Morobe Province: Kwaplalim, 12–13 km W Menyamya, 7.19°S, 145.97°E, elev. 1490 m, NMW 37670, UCM 51552–53; Southern Highlands Province: Mendi, 6.14°S, 143.66°E, elev. 1750 m, CAS 113664, MCZ R-121543–44; Moro Camp, Lake Kutubu, 6.36°S, 143.23°E, elev. 840 m, SAMA R69950; Western Highlands Province: Igindi, 6.19°S, 144.98°E, elev. 1630 m, AMNH R-98134; Kimil, 5.72°S, 144.53°E, elev. 1700 m, AMNH R-14783; Korn, Mt. Hagen, 5.84°S, 144.31°E, elev. 1630 m, AMNH R-14771, R-14773, R-14785–88. |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: “A large member of the T. loriae Group (male SVL up to 655 mm, female SVL up to 682 mm) with the following unique combination of characters: sexual size dimorphism in SVL present (t71 = 2.5689, p = 0.0062); two scales covering vent; posterior genials usually entirely separated (80%) but may be in anterior contact (20%) with each other; intergenial usually widest posteriorly (89%) or centrally (11%); preocular usually contacting nasal (77%), not contacting internasal; preocular rather short, less than twice as long as deep; postoculars two (one in 26%); posterior temporals two (58%) or three (42%); ventrals sexually dimorphic (t85 = 7.400, p < 0.00001), 177–206 in males, 187–218 in females; subcaudals sexually dimorphic with overlap (t87 = –24.8814, p < 0.00001), 40–47 in males, 26–41 in females; two scales covering vent; yellow nuchal collar and yellow markings on prefrontals present in juveniles, usually absent (but sometimes merely faded) in adults; tail spine paler than remainder of tail; and venter uniformly dark brown or dark brown with the posterior of each ventral paler brown or yellowish brown in adults, giving a banded appearance, black in life; venter yellow with a black spot on lateral margins of each ventral in juveniles.” (Kraus et al. 2022) |
| Comment | |
| Etymology | Named after the Latin adjective meaning “dressed in black,” in recognition of the dark dorsal and ventral colouration of adults of this species. |
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