Hypsiscopus wettsteini (AMARAL, 1929)
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Hypsiscopus wettsteini
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| Higher Taxa | Homalopsidae, Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | E: Wettstein’s Mud Snake |
| Synonym | Helicops wettsteini AMARAL 1929 Hypsiscopus murphyi BERNSTEIN, VORIS, STUART, PHIMMACHAK, SEATEUN, SIVONGXAY, NEANG, KARNS, ANDREWS, OSTERHAGE, PHIPPS & RUANE 2022 Hypsiscopus wettsteini — DAVID & VOGEL 2024 |
| Distribution | Laos (Khammouan), SE China (Hong Kong, Hainan, Fujian, Yunnan), Taiwan, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand. Type locality: see comment Type locality (murphyi): Laos, Khammouan Province, Gnommalath District, Ban Phak Phoung, 17.581918N, 105.219978E, 167 m elev. |
| 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 | Additional details, e.g. a detailed description or comparisons (11345 characters), are available for collaborators and contributors. Please contact us for details. |
| Comment | Distribution: see Bernstein et al. 2022: 562 (Fig. 1) for a map. 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. 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. |
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