Hypsiscopus wettsteini (AMARAL, 1929)
Can you confirm these amateur observations of Hypsiscopus wettsteini?
Hypsiscopus wettsteini
We have no photos, try to find some by Google images search: 
| Higher Taxa | Homalopsidae, Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | E: Wettstein’s Mud Snake |
| Synonym | Helicops wettsteini AMARAL 1929 Hypsiscopus wettsteini — DAVID & VOGEL 2024 Hypsiscopus wettsteini — BERNSTEIN et al. 2024 |
| Distribution | Laos (Khammouan), SE China (Hong Kong, Hainan, Fujian, Yunnan), Taiwan, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand. Type locality: see comment |
| Reproduction | |
| Types | Holotype. NMW 18726, adult female; collected by Mr. Garlepp, 1911–1912 Holotype. NCSM 85490 (field number BLS 16458; Fig. 3), adult male, collected in water in a rice paddy near karst forest at 2110 h , Bryan L. Stuart, Niane Sivongxay, Sengvilay Seateun, and Monekham Davanhkham, 11 July 2014. Paratypes. NCSM 85491, 1 female, same data as holotype; NCSM 85493, 1 female, same data as holotype except 17.581748N, 105.232508E, 160 m elev., 15 July 2014; NUOL 00537, 1 female, same data as holotype except 17.582128N, 105.229798E, 166 m elev., 12 July 2014; FMNH 255229, 1 female, Laos, Champasak Province, Mounlapamok District, Dong Khanthung National Protected Area, near Xe Lepou River at Cambodian border, 14.128N, 105.488E, 60 m elev., Bryan L. Stuart, 14 July 1998; FMNH 259222, 1 male, Cambodia, Mondolkiri Province, Pichrada District, Phnom Nam Lyr Wildlife Sanctuary, 12.496948N, 107.492508E, 700 m elev., Bryan L. Stuart, Dara An, and Phalla Suon, 22 June 2000; FMNH 259225, 1 female, FMNH 259226, 1 male, Laos, Vientiane Province, Phou Phanang, 300 m elev., 18.071948N, 102.446118E, Bryan L. Stuart and Troy E. Hansel, 12 September 2000; FMNH 262422–24, 3 females, Thailand, Nong Bua Lamphu Province, Ban Wang Muan, 16.8415198N, 102.5463838E, Daryl R. Karns, John C. Murphy, and Harold K. Voris, 8 July 2003; FMNH 265800, 1 female, Thailand, Nong Khai Province, Se Ga District, Phu Wua Wildlife Sanctuary, road to Chet Si Waterfall, 18.152088N, 103.950868E, 220 m elev., Bryan L. Stuart and Yodchaiy Chuaynkern, 10 September 2004; MVZ 258174, 1 female, Cambodia, Ratanakiri Province, Veunsai District, Virachey National Park, Veal Thom, 14.22038N, 107.010238E, 601 m elev., Bryan L. Stuart, Jodi J. L. Rowley, and Thy Neang, 8 October 2007; MVZ 258175–77, 3 females, Cambodia, Ratanakiri Province, Veunsai District, Virachey National Park, Veal Thom, 14.204228N, 107.013328E, 661 m elev., Bryan L. Stuart, Jodi J. L. Rowley, and Thy Neang, 2 October 2007; NCSM 76557–58, 2 females, Laos, Savannakhet Province, Vilabouli District, Sepon Mining Tenement, Ban Nonsomphou, 16.967068N, 105.813698E, 200 m elev., Ken Aplin, 25 November 2008; NCSM 78627, 1 female, Laos, Bolikhamxay Province, Thaphabhat District, Phou Khao Khouay National Protected Area, Tad Leuk, 18.395018N, 103.071538E, 205 m elev., Bryan L. Stuart, Somphouthone Phimmachak, Sengvilay Seateun, and Niane Sivongxay, 27 May 2011; NCSM 85517, 1 female, Laos, Vientiane Province, Xaythany District, Ban Sivilay, 18.010378N, 102.632168E, 185 m elev., Somphouthone Phimmachak, 20 June 2013; NUOL 00534, 1 male, Savannakhet Province, Vilabouli District, Sepon Mining Tenement, Ban Nonsomphou, 16.974318N, 105.810178E, 218 m elev., Bryan L. Stuart, Sengvilay Seateun, Niane Sivongxay, Derin Henderson, Singthong Sanvixay, and Soupha Khamlounvilayvong, 29 September 2014; ROM 25391, 1 male, Vietnam, Gia Lai Province, Krong Pa District, 13.233688N, 108.726908E, Ilya S. Darevsky and Nikolai L. Orlov, 6 November 1993; ROM 32373–32374, ROM 32376, 3 unsexed specimens, ROM 32378, 1 male, Vietnam, Gia Lai Province, Krong Pa District, 13.233688N, 108.726928E, Robert W. Murphy, Nikolai L. Orlov, Amy Lathrop, and Leslie A. Lowcock, 26 September 1997; ROM 32386, ROM 32391, 2 unsexed specimens, Vietnam, Dac Lac Province, Buon Don District, Yok Don National Park, 12.860518N, 107.766378E, Robert W. Murphy, Amy Lathrop, Raoul H. Bain, and L. Tuey, 31 May 1997. [murphyi] |
| Diagnosis | 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 11375 characters), are available for collaborators and contributors. Please contact us for details. |
| Comment | Distribution: see Bernstein et al. 2022: 562 (Fig. 1) and Bernstein et al. 2024: 41 (Fig. 1) for maps. Synonymy: This species was previously considered to be H. plumbea. Rossman & Scott (1968) synonymized Helicops wettsteini Amaral, 1929 with Enhydris plumbea. David & Vogel 2024 found that wettsteini is a senior synonym of murphyi and synonymized the two. Bernstein et al. 2024 reversed that synonymy by showing that murphyi was indeed valid but applied the name only to a clade within their former definition of murphyi -- the other clade remains valid as wettsteini. Type locality (wettsteini): “San Juan de viñas (1000 ms alt.), base of volcano turialba, central Costa Rica”, now Turrialba volcano, Cartago Province, Costa Rica (in error) |
| Etymology | Named after John C. Murphy, who has dedicated decades of his research career to investigating and describing homalopsid snakes. |
| References |
|
| External links |