Smithophis atemporalis GIRI, GOWER, DAS, LALREMSANGA, LALRONUNGA, CAPTAIN & DEEPAK, 2019
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Higher Taxa | Colubridae (Natricinae), Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes) |
Subspecies | |
Common Names | E: Mizo rain snake, Narrow-headed smithophis Mizo: Mizo Ruahrul |
Synonym | Smithophis atemporalis GIRI, GOWER, DAS, LALREMSANGA, LALRONUNGA, CAPTAIN & DEEPAK 2019 Rhabdops bicolor — DAS 2015: 65 Rhabdops bicolor — LALTANPUIA et al. 2008: 119 (part.) Smithophis atemporalis — MAHAMUD et al. 2023 |
Distribution | India (Mizoram), Bangladesh Type locality: Mizoram University Campus, Aizawl, India, (23.76338°N, 93.09916°E, 833 m elevation |
Reproduction | |
Types | Holotype. BNHS 3523 (Figs. 2, 3), male, collected by H.T. Lalremsanga on 10 July 2014. See map in Fig. 4. Paratypes (n = 6). BNHS 3524—BNHS 3527, BNHS 3529, males and BNHS 3528, female, collected from Mizoram University Campus, Aizawl on 14 August 2014 by H.T. Lalremsanga. |
Diagnosis | Diagnosis (genus): Natricine snakes with the following combination of characters: (1) a single (‘fused’ or unpaired) internasal shield and a single prefrontal shield, (2) internasal very broad and not or only slightly tapered anteriorly, (3) smooth, unkeeled dorsal scales, (4) fewer than six pairs of supralabial shields, (5) 17 rows of dorsal scales at midbody, (6) C-shaped, valvular external nares, (7) eyes with rounded or elliptical pupils, and (8) eye diameter substantially smaller than distance between eye and naris. (Giri et al. 2019) Additional details (2060 characters) are available for collaborators and contributors. Please contact us for details. |
Comment | Type species: Smithophis atemporalis GIRI et al. 2019 is the type species of the genus Smithophis GIRI et al. 2019. Key: Vogel et al. 2020 provide a key to the 3 species of Smithophis. |
Etymology | The specific epithet is in reference to the lack of temporal shields, a diagnostic feature of the new species. For nomenclatural purposes, the species epithet is considered a noun in apposition. The genus has been named in honour of Malcolm A. Smith (1875–1958) in recognition of his many contributions to herpetology and especially to the knowledge of Asian snakes. |
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