Homalopsis mereljcoxi MURPHY, VORIS, MURTHY, TRAUB & CUMBERBATCH, 2012
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Homalopsis mereljcoxi
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| Higher Taxa | Homalopsidae, Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | E: Jack’s Water Snake |
| Synonym | Homalopsis mereljcoxi MURPHY, VORIS, MURTHY, TRAUB & CUMBERBATCH 2012 Homalopsis buccata — MORICE 1875: 58 Homalopsis mereljcoxi — GEISSLER 2012 Homalopsis mereljcoxi — MURPHY & VORIS 2014: 24 Homalopsis mereljcoxi — WALLACH et al. 2014: 335 |
| Distribution | Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Type locality: Thailand, Nakhon Ratchasima Province, Wang Nam Khieo, Udon Sap (subdistrict), Ban Badan Reservoir (14°31’04” N, 101°58’25” E). |
| Reproduction | viviparous (not imputed, fide Zimin et al. 2022) |
| Types | Holotype: FMNH 263756, female, collected 16 June 2004 by Daryl R. Karns and John C. Murphy. |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: Homalopsis mereljcoxi has a single loreal contacting upper labials 1–4; 40–47 scale rows at mid- body, reduced to 30 or more posteriorly; two postocular scales plus a postsubocular; 13 (12–14) upper labials; and ventral counts that are usually greater than 165. Homalopsis buccata has 33–40 dorsal scale rows at midbody, reduced to less than 30 posteriorly; one postocular scale plus a postsubocular scale; and a ventral count that is less than 166. Homalopsis hardwickii has a divided loreal contacting upper labials 1–4; 39 scale rows at midbody reduced to 28 posteriorly; one postocular scale and no presubocular scale; 159 ventrals. Homalopsis nigroventralis has upper labials 1–3 contacting the loreal; 35–39 dorsal scale rows at midbody, reduced to less than 30 posteriorly; 10–12 upper labials; 159–167 ventrals; and a reverse color pattern on the venter (dark olive-gray with white spots). Homalopsis semizonata has a divided or fragmented loreal contacting upper labials 1–4 or 1–5; three prefrontals; one postocular and one postsubocular [MURPHY et al. 2012]. |
| Comment | Similar species: has been frequently confused with H. buccata until it was described as separate species by MURPHY et al. 2012. Illustration: Photographs of this snake can be found in: Cox (1991: 223, pl 61), Cox et al. (1998: 42), Lim & Lee (1988: 70), Manthey & Grossmann (1997: 356), and Murphy (2007: 194). Diet: fish |
| Etymology | This new species is named in in honor of Merel “Jack” Cox, for his years of dedication to the study of the snakes of Thailand. |
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