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Oligodon purpurascens (SCHLEGEL, 1837)

IUCN Red List - Oligodon purpurascens - Least Concern, LC

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Higher TaxaColubridae, Colubrinae, Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes)
Subspecies 
Common NamesE: Brown Kukri Snake
G: Purpur-Kukrinatter, Braune-Kukrinatter 
SynonymXenodon purpurascens SCHLEGEL 1837: 90
Xenodon purpurascens — SCHLEGEL 1839
Simotes tri-notatus DUMÉRIL, BIBRON & DUMÉRIL 1854: 631
Simotes albocinctus DUMÉRIL, BIBRON & DUMÉRIL 1854: 633 (nec Coronella albocincta CANTOR 1839)
Calamaria brachyorrhos — MOTLEY & DILLWYN 1855: 49
Simotes purpurascens — BLEEKER 1857
Simotes purpurascens var. C — GÜNTHER 1858
Simotes trinotatus — GÜNTHER 1864
Simotes labuanensis GÜNTHER 1864
Simotes purpurascens var. albocinctus — JAN 1865
Simotes obscurus THEOBALD 1868:42 (fide DAS et al. 1998)
Simotes crassus THEOBALD 1868:42 (fide DAS et al. 1998)
Simotes catenifer STOLICZKA 1873: 121
Simotes dennysi BLANFORD 1881
Simotes affinis FISCHER 1886: 8
Simotes labuanensis — BOULENGER 1885: 389
Simotes labuanensis — BOETTGER 1887
Simotes purpurascens var. labuanensis — BOETTGER 1898
Simotes purpurascens — BOULENGER 1894
Dicraulax purpurascens — COPE 1895
Simotes purpurascens var. trinotata — BOETTGER 1898
Simotes purpurascens var. B — WERNER 1900
Holarchus purpurascens — BARBOUR 1912
Oligodon purpurascens — WALL 1923
Oligodon purpurascens purpurascens — HAAS 1950
Oligodon purpurascens — HAILE 1958
Oligodon purpurascens kangeanicus MERTENS 1959
Oligodon purpurascens — TAYLOR 1965: 770
Oligodon purpurascens — HENDRICKSON 1966: 67
Olygodon [sic] purpurascens — SCHULZ 1988
Oligodon purpurescens — MANTHEY & GROSSMANN 1997: 371
Oligodon purpurascens — COX et al. 1998: 59
Oligodon purpuracens — CHAN-ARD et al. 1999 (in error)
Oligodon purpurascens — INGER & VORIS 2001
Oligodon purpurascens kangeanicus — ISKANDAR & MUMPUNI 2002
Oligodon purpurascens — TILLACK & GÜNTHER 2010
Oligodon purpurascens — WALLACH et al. 2014: 502 
DistributionIndonesia (Nias, Sumatra, Borneo, Java, Kalimantan, Karimata Archipelago, Mentawai Archipelago, Riau Archipelago, We, Natuna islands)
Malaysia (Malaya and East Malaysia), Pulau Pangkor, Pulau Tioman.
Singapore,
Thailand

Type locality: Java  
Reproductionoviparous 
TypesType: BMNH 1946.1.4.20 (and possibly additional specimens). 
DiagnosisDiagnosis: Rostral not distinctly thickened, length of part visible above less than its distance from frontal; scales in 19 rows (21 ); below many ventrals have quadrangular dark spots usually alternating with ventral having no spots; subcaudals numerous, 53-56 in peninsular specimens. There are certain populations of purpurascens worthy of subspecific designation. Several of these have been named, but a revision of the genus will be necessary to bring about a proper understanding of the group as a whole. (Taylor 1965: 770)


Additional details (2383 characters) are available for collaborators and contributors. Please contact us for details. 
CommentSynonymy mostly after TILLACK & GÜNTHER 2010.

Distribution: not in China fide Tillack & Günther 2009 and Malkmus et al. 2002.

Subspecies: the status of kangeanicus is unclear (see also Tillack and Günther, 2009). This species occurs in two distinct phenotypes. One of the two phenotypes is characterized by a highly conspicuous red and banded coloration that suggests mimicry of an aposematic signal (Fig. 1 in DE ROOIJEN et al. 2011 and illustrations in Grismer et al., 2004; Van Rooijen and Van Rooijen, 2007; Tillack and Günther, 2009) whereas the second phenotype exhibits a cryptic brownish dull coloration (illustrations in De Rooijen et sl. 2011, Manthey and Grossmann, 1997; Chan-ard et al., 1999; Stuebing and Inger, 1999; Malkmus et al., 2002; Tillack and Günther, 2009). 
References
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