Hypnale zara (GRAY, 1849)
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Hypnale zara
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| Higher Taxa | Viperidae, Crotalinae, Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | E: Zara |
| Synonym | Trigonocephalus Zara GRAY 1849: 15 Hypnale zara — MADUWAGE et al. 2009 Hypnale zara — WALLACH et al. 2014: 343 |
| Distribution | Sri Lanka Type locality: see comment |
| Reproduction | ovoviviparous |
| Types | Holotype: BMNH 1946.1.19.96 male, 303 mm SVL, coll. “Mr Argent” |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: Hypnale zara is distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following characters: tip of snout distinctly elevated; 10–19 minute scales form a wart-like protuberance on snout tip (Fig. 6a, b); 18–39 heterogeneous, small scales on internasal-prefrontal region (Fig. 6b); scales around eye 6 (supraocular + 2 postoculars + 2 preoculars + postfoveal) (Fig. 6a); maxillary pit surrounded by 3 scales (lower preocular + postfoveal + second supralabial) (Fig. 6a); 2 postoculars, the upper one small, the lower one reaching postfoveal; no scales between postfoveal and 3rd supralabial (Fig. 6a); lower postocular, 1st lower temporal, 4th and 5th supralabials in contact, no scale between them. Supralabials 7 or 8; lacunal scale absent; 2nd supralabial extends upward to reach loreal; costal scales keeled (Fig. 6g); ventrals 134–157; 34– 51 scales in subcaudal series, divided; hemipenial lobes not spinous (Fig. 6d). Hypnale zara is distinguished from H. hypnale by having the tip of the snout distinctly elevated (vs snout tip not raised); possessing (vs lacking) a wart-like protuberance on the snout tip; having 18–39 (vs 5–15) scales on internasal-prefrontal region; the maxillary pit surrounded by 3 (vs 4–5) scales; and the lacunal scale absent (vs present). It is distinguished from H. nepa by having the tip of the snout distinctly elevated (vs flattened or only slightly raised); 18–39 (vs 12–25) scales on the internasal-prefrontal region; the maxillary pit surrounded by 3 (vs 4–5) scales; no (vs 1–3) scales between postfoveal and 3rd supralabial; lower postocular, 1st lower temporal, 4th and 5th supralabials in contact (vs separated by a rhomboid scale of similar size); lacunal scale absent (vs present); all costal scales keeled (vs mid-dorsal scales smooth); 134–157 (vs122–134) ventrals; and having the hemipenial lobes not spinous (vs with large spines on the proximal two-thirds of their length). Hypnale zara is distinguished from Hypnale sp. ‘amal’ by having the tip of the snout distinctly elevated (vs not elevated); possessing (vs lacking) a wart-like protuberance on the snout tip; having 18–39 (vs 10) scales on internasal-prefrontal region; the maxillary pit surrounded by 3 (vs 4) scales; 7 or 8 (vs 9) supralabials; the lacunal scale absent (vs present); first infralabials on either side separated from each other by a median suture (vs medially fused); and two rows of distinct, bilaterally symmetrical blotches meeting on dorsal midline (vs a distinct purple-brown paravertebral stripe about 3 scales wide extending from neck to level of vent). (Maduwage et al. 2009: 15) Unfortunately we had to temporarily remove additional information as this was scraped by multiple AI companies who sell that data to their customers. These details, e.g. detailed descriptions or comparisons (about 4515 characters) are available for collaborators and contributors. Please contact us for details. |
| Comment | Venomous! The original Type locality was given as “Singapore” which is obviously wrong. |
| Etymology | Unknown. Gray calls the snake “The Zara”, hence the name may be based on a local name. |
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