Platyceps josephi DEEPAK, NARAYANAN, MOHAPATRA, DUTTA, MELVINSELVAN, KHAN, MAHLOW & TILLACK, 2021
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Platyceps josephi
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| Higher Taxa | Colubridae, Colubrinae, Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | Tamil: ஓடுகாலிப்பாம்பு (Odugali Pambu) E: Joseph’s racer |
| Synonym | Platyceps josephi DEEPAK, NARAYANAN, MOHAPATRA, DUTTA, MELVINSELVAN, KHAN, MAHLOW & TILLACK 2021: 276 |
| Distribution | India (Tamil Nadu) Type locality: Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu state, India (8.75442° N, 78.18482° E, 5 m a.s.l) |
| Reproduction | oviparous; clutch size 7–12 eggs (Hutton 1949; Rajendran 1986; Rameshwaran 2008), during the month of March and June and eggs were 40 mm in length (Rameshwaran 2008). Females are reported to lay their eggs in bunds (raised areas surrounding the paddy fields) of paddy fields (Rajendran 1986). |
| Types | Holotype. NCBS AU-732, adult female, collected by Naveen Joseph on 26th February 2017 (Figs 14–16 A and 20 in Deepak et al. 2021). Paratypes. BNHS 3516 and NCBS AU-733, adult females, from Vagaikulam, Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu state, India (8.71634° N, 78.00203° E, 28 m a.s.l.), collected by Naveen Joseph on 28th July 2017 and 3rd November 2017, respectively. ZSI-CZRC-6639, adult male, from Karur, Tamil Nadu state, India (10.97382° N, 78.08949° E, 114 m a.s.l.) collected by Melvin Selvan on 2nd August 2018 and NMW 25465:2, juvenile male, from Salem, Tamil Nadu state, India (11.74178° N, 77. 93888° E, 314 m a.s.l.), collected by Ferdinand Stoliczka and donated to the NMW collection on 11th January 1879. Other specimens: ZSI-CZRC, ZSI-K, NMW. |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: A medium sized (maximum total length 951mm) snake with countersunk lower jaw; dark brownish dorsum; head with irregular white spots, two slanting roughly “∏” shaped white markings with black edges on either side, starting on the back of the head (behind parietals) extending into the body, almost the length of head; 13–18 prominent white bands in the anterior region of the dorsum in both juveniles and adults; 34–48 total bands on the body in both juveniles and adults; 23:21(exceptionally 23):16–18 smooth dorsal scale rows; 189–218 ventrals (males: 192–197; females: 189–216); 76–88 subcaudals (males: 83–88; females: 76–88); cloacal plate divided; tail without bands and underside creamish. Its dentition is characterized by 12–16 maxillary teeth, the last two enlarged and separated by a diastema, 9–11 palatine teeth, 14–15 pterygoid teeth and 15–16 mandibular teeth. Platyceps josephi sp. nov. shows most similarities with its sister taxon P. plinii in regard to pholidosis and colour pattern but can be distinguished from the latter by its lower number of midbody dorsal scale rows (21 vs. 23), its lower mean value of ventral scales (202 vs. 214), its lower mean value of subcaudal scales (82 vs. 87) and its lower mean of the sum of ventral and subcaudal scales (285 vs. 304), the presence of the clearly demarcated two slanting roughly “∏” shaped white markings on the back of head vs. absence of such markings and distinct white bands on the dorsum in both juveniles and adults vs. ontogenetic change, i.e. bands present in juveniles only, but usually absent or faded in adults. Additionally, Platyceps josephi sp. nov. differs from P. plinii in variation of mitochondrial DNA sequences. With pairwise uncorrected p-distances varying 4–5% in cytb & ND4 and 3% in 16S. It is also clear from our thorough verification of distribution that these two species only have a minor range overlap in northeastern Tamil Nadu (Fig. 1 Map). (Deepak et al. 2022) |
| Comment | Distribution: The Area Of Occupancy (AOO) of P. josephi sp. nov. is 72.000 km2 and Extent Of Occupancy (EOO) is 70,698 km2. Even though this is a relatively large area of distribution for a species, our field surveys and records suggest that this species has patchy distribution within its range. (Deepak et al. 2022) Conservation: much of the habitat in these regions where P. josephi sp. nov. is reported are under severe threats like conversion of grasslands to farmlands, widescale monoculture plantations (Eucalyptus sp.) and urbanization. Deepak et al. 2022 suggest that P. josephi sp. nov. should be considered a species in the Vulnerable category according to the IUCN criteria. Platyceps josephi sp. nov. is reported only from one protected area (Megamalai) in its known range. The species faces a number of threats across its distributional range, including habitat destruction, because the grasslands in southern Tamil Nadu are being actively converted into plantations, farmlands and urbanisation. Although there are records from such converted plantations and human settlements, the species’ ability to adapt and its reproductive success is not known. Rocky habitats in Madurai region are also highly affected by the mining activities and road traffic is another important threat to P. josephi sp. nov. (Deepak et al. 2022) Snakebite: Although local envenoming by congeners is reported for P. rhodorachis and P. najadum (Minton 1990; Kuch and Mebs 2002; Weinstein et al. 2011), bites from P. josephi sp. nov. seem to be harmless and without any local symptoms. Rajendran (1986) reported two bite cases, one being himself got bitten while trying to catch an individual in a paddy field and another for an adult male got bitten while harvesting the paddy. No local symptoms were observed after a bite from a later preserved specimen (BNHS 3516, paratype) to one of the authors (NJ) upon handling. (Deepak et al. 2022) Similar species: Juvenile Platyceps josephi sp. nov. can easily be confused with juveniles of Platyceps plinii but may be differentiated by the two slanting roughly “∏” shaped markings on the back of the head. (Deepak et al. 2022) Sympatry: Platyceps josephi sp. nov. is found in sympatry with the Common cobra (Naja naja) and the Common ratsnake, Ptyas mucosa, and can potentially also be confused with these two species. (Deepak et al. 2022) Behavior: Platyceps josephi sp. nov. is a diurnal snake, terrestrial and swift in locomotion. However, there is a report of arboreal behaviour under artificial conditions (Rajendran 1986), but this is not known in the wild. It is an aggressive snake, flattening its head as a mock hood display mimicking a cobra, when agitated and biting freely, but it becomes docile after a few days in captivity (Rajendran, 1986; Hutton, 1949). Similar behaviour was observed during this study for specimens from Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu (NCBS-AU732, NCBS-AU733 and BNHS 3516). (Deepak et al. 2022) |
| Etymology | Named after the late Mr Naveen Joseph. Naveen was a naturalist from Tuticorin, well known for his research on reptiles, particularly snakes in that region. He was a friend of VD, SN, and GM and helped them collect specimens of the new species. |
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