Lycodon ophiophagus VOGEL, DAVID, PAUWELS, SUMONTHA, NORVAL, HENDRIX, VU & ZIEGLER, 2009
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Higher Taxa | Colubridae, Colubrinae, Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes) |
Subspecies | |
Common Names | Thai: Ngoo plongchanuan kin ngoo English: Snake-eater Wolf Snake French: Lycodon ophiophage German: Schlangenfressende Wolfszahnnatter Dutch: Slangenetende Wolfslang |
Synonym | Lycodon ophiophagus VOGEL, DAVID, PAUWELS, SUMONTHA, NORVAL, HENDRIX, VU & ZIEGLER 2009 Lycodon ophiophagus — WALLACH et al. 2014: 395 |
Distribution | S Thailand (Chumphon [Phatoh District], Ranong (Muang District), and Phang-Nga [Khao Lak-Lamru National Park], just south of the Isthmus of Kra) Type locality: Lamru Waterfall, Khao Lak-Lamru National Park, Phang-Nga Province, southern Thailand |
Reproduction | oviparous. |
Types | Holotype: QSMI 0596 (adult female; tail dissected). Collected by Montri Sumontha on 30 December 2002. |
Diagnosis | Diagnosis: A species of the genus Lycodon, characterized by: (1) a loreal not touching the orbit; (2) 17 dorsal scale rows at the forepart of the body and at midbody; (3) upper and vertebral dorsal row smooth; (4) about 212 ventrals in males and about 211 in females; (5) about 90 Sc in males and about 87 in females; (6) relative tail length of about 0.201 in males and about 0.228 in females; (7) 20-21 white bands on a dark body; (8) the first band starting at VEN 25-28; (9) maxillary teeth: 6-7 teeth (posterior ones much enlarged) + a wide gap + 2-3 small teeth + a small gap + three enlarged teeth. This species can be recognized by its ventral scale count (lower than in L. ruhstrati ruhstrati, Lycodon ruhstrati abditus n. subsp., L. paucifasciatus, L. multifasciatus but higher than in L. futsingensis), its subcaudal scale count (lower than in L. ruhstrati ruhstrati, Lycodon ruhstrati abditus n. subsp., L. multifasciatus, but higher than in L. futsingensis), by the first band, which starts more posteriorly than in the other species, and by the posterior teeth which are larger than in the other species treated here. For a detailed comparisons with other species of Lycodon see discussion in Vogel et al. 2009. |
Comment | |
Etymology | The specific name is derived from the classical Greek Ophis, a snake, and Phagein, to eat, by allusion to the known diet of this species. |
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