Hebius igneus DAVID, VOGEL, NGUYEN, ORLOV, PAUWELS, TEYNIÉ & ZIEGLER, 2021
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Hebius igneus
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| Higher Taxa | Colubridae (Natricinae), Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | |
| Synonym | Hebius igneus DAVID, VOGEL, NGUYEN, ORLOV, PAUWELS, TEYNIÉ & ZIEGLER 2021 Tropidonotus modestus – BOURRET 1927 (?) (nec Tropidonotus modestus GÜNTHER 1875) Natrix modesta – BOURRET 1936 (partim) (nec Tropidonotus modestus GÜNTHER 1875) Natrix modesta – BOURRET 1939 Natrix modesta – BOURRET 1939 Natrix modesta – BOURRET 1939 Natrix modesta – TRAN et al. 1981 (?) Amphiesma modesta – DAO 1981 Amphiesma modesta – DAO 1982: 8 (partim) Amphiesma modesta – NGUYEN et al. 1995 Amphiesma modesta – ZHAO et al. 1998 (partim) Amphiesma modesta – ORLOV et al. 2000 Amphiesma modesta – LE et al. 2001 Amphiesma modesta – BAIN & NGUYEN 2004 Amphiesma modesta – HO et al. 2005 Amphiesma modesta – NGUYEN et al. 2005 a Amphiesma modesta – NGUYEN et al. 2005 b Amphiesma modesta – ORLOV 2005 (partim) Amphiesma modestum – ZIEGLER & LE 2006 Amphiesma modestum – NGUYEN et al. 2009 (partim) Amphiesma modestum – ZIEGLER et al. 2007 Natrix modesta modesta – BOURRET 1935 (nec Tropidonotus modestus GÜNTHER 1875) Natrix modesta modesta – BOURRET 1936 (partim) Natrix modesta modesta – BOURRET 1937 Natrix modesta modesta – BOURRET 1939 (partim) Amphiesma deschauenseei – NGUYEN et al. 2009 (partim) (nec Natrix deschauenseei TAYLOR 1934) Amphiesma deschauenseei – BAIN & HURLEY 2011 Amphiesma deschauenseei – GUO et al. 2014 (partim) |
| Distribution | China (Yunnan), Vietnam (Ha Giang, Lao Cai, Tuyen Quang; Vinh Phuc),Thailand (Nan) Type locality: Ban Cai, 21°51’714N, 106°58’063E, elevation: 350–450m, Duc Xuan, Na Hang District, Tuyen Quang Province, Vietnam |
| Reproduction | |
| Types | Holotype: IEBR 2295, adult female. Collected by Truong Quang Nguyen, Kien Van Doan and Cuc Thu Ho, 21 May 2004. Paratypes (n = 8): IEBR, CIB, KIZ |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: A moderately to large sized species of the genus Hebius, defined by the combination of the following characters: (1) 19-19-17 dorsal scale rows, feebly or moderately keeled at midbody, more strongly keeled posteriorly at the exception of the scales of the 1st DSR, all smooth; (2) dorsal scales around the base of the tail strongly keeled; (3) head moderately distinct from the neck; (4) eye rather large; (5) maxillary teeth 29–30, the last two moderately enlarged; (6) tail long, with a ratio TaL/TL at least equal to 0.295; (7) VEN 159–169; (8) SC 115–129; (9) prefrontals 2; (10) one anterior temporal; (11) venter overall dark, i.e., dark brown, blackish-brown or black, with either pale irregular streaks or with several parallel, connected rows of dark blotches separated from each other by a narrow, irregular pale area; (12) dorsal surface and sides dark brown, dark chestnut-brown or blackish-brown, irregularly spotted by the presence of blackish-brown or black scales, darker than the background colour; (13) a dorsolateral series of bright orange, coral or rusty red blotches (yellow in preservative), distinctly enlarged behind the neck and at least on the anterior half of the body, then progressively smaller but always visible; these blotches may be connected and form a distinct dorsolateral line; (14) a dark postocular streak present; and (15) an ochre-yellow or yellowish-brown streak on each side of the neck and nape forming an incomplete collar (David et al. 2021). |
| Comment | Diet: Frogs of the families Megophryidae and Ranidae (DAVID et al. 2021) |
| Etymology | The specific nomen is the Latin adjective igneus (a, um) which means “in fire”. This specific name was coined by analogy to the large bright orange dorsolateral blotches on the forepart of the body. |
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