Smithophis leptofasciatus MUANSANGA, PURKAYASTHA, HRUAIA, VABEIRYUREILAI, BIAKZUALA, DECEMSON, LALREMSANGA & BOHRA, 2025
Can you confirm these amateur observations of Smithophis leptofasciatus?
Smithophis leptofasciatus
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| Higher Taxa | Colubridae (Natricinae), Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | E: narrow-banded rain snake Mizo: Ruahrul |
| Synonym | Smithophis leptofasciatus MUANSANGA, PURKAYASTHA, HRUAIA, VABEIRYUREILAI, BIAKZUALA, DECEMSON, LALREMSANGA & BOHRA 2025 Smithophis bicolor — GIRI et al. 2019 Smithophis bicolor — DAS et al. 2020 Smithophis bicolor — RUATPUII et al. 2022 Smithophis bicolor — MIRZA et al. 2024 |
| Distribution | India (Mizoram) Type locality: Maubuang Village (23.485089°N, 92.703705°E; alt. 983 m a.s.l.), Aizawl District, Mizoram, India |
| Reproduction | |
| Types | Holotype. MZMU1798, a sub-adult male collected by Lal Muansanga at 20:35 hr on 31 July 2020. Paratype. MZMU2606, adult female collected from Suangpuilawn Village (23.949966°N, 93.036849°E; alt. 1,087 m a.s.l.), Saitual District, Mizoram, India by J.C. Lalmuanawma and H.T. Lalremsanga at 19:45 hr on 09 October 2021. |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: The new species is a small sized natricid snake having a maximum SVL of 329 mm as well as a maximum TaL of 82 mm and can be diagnosed from all its congeners based on a combination of the following characters: (1) 17 smooth dorsal scale rows throughout the body; (2) 195–201 ventrals; (3) 67–78 subcaudals, all of which are paired; (4) anal scale paired; (5) a total of five circumorbital scales surrounding and touching the eye; (6) temporal scales distinctly present; (7) absence of keeled sacral scales in both males and females; (8) dorsum colour pattern is mostly composed of a shiny dark or a black background intermixed with distinct, narrow and creamish-white or yellowish-lime transverse bands that covers a width of only one or two dorsal scales - these narrow bands nearly encircle the body since it either breaks into streaks or becomes irregular in the vertebral region, thereby forming incomplete bands; (9) ventral region in usually yellowish-lime or creamish-white in colouration; (10) underside of the tail is much darker compared to other ventral portions of the body. (Muansanga et al. 2025) Unfortunately we had to temporarily remove additional information as this was scraped by multiple AI companies who sell that data to their customers. These details, e.g. detailed descriptions or comparisons (about 7002 characters) are available for collaborators and contributors. Please contact us for details. |
| Comment | Distribution: for a map see Muansanga et al. 2025: 164 (Fig. 6) |
| Etymology | Named after “leptofasciatus”, a Greek and Latin compound adjective (leptos+fasciatus) in the nominative singular given in masculine, which refers to the “narrow banded” transverse body pattern on the dorsum, a distinct and distinguishing characteristic of the species. |
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