Stegonotus aplini O’SHEA & RICHARDS, 2021
Can you confirm these amateur observations of Stegonotus aplini?
Stegonotus aplini
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| Higher Taxa | Colubridae, Colubrinae, Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | |
| Synonym | Stegonotus aplini O’SHEA & RICHARDS 2021 |
| Distribution | Papua New Guinea (Gulf Province) Type locality: ca. 12 km NW of Orloli, Purari River basin, Gulf Province, PNG (7.3126°S, 145.1378°E, elevation ca. 20 m |
| Reproduction | |
| Types | Holotype. SAMA R71442 (field number SJR 15138), an adult male, collected by Ken Aplin on 22 June 2016. Paratypes. PNGNM R25322 (field number SJR 15115), an adult male from ca. 6 km N of Orloli, Purari River basin, Gulf Province, PNG (7.3510°S, 145.1900°E, elevation ca. 30 m), collected by Ken Aplin on 11 February 2016; SAMA R71443 (field number SJR 15330), an adult male from ca. 1.6 km NW Muro Mission, Purari River basin, Gulf Province, PNG (7.7890°S, 145.2660°E, elevation ca. 5 m), collected by S. Richards and E. Nagombi on 12 July 2016; AMS R.13302, an adult male from the Kereru Range on the Abede River, Gulf Province, Papua New Guinea (ca. 7.0280°S, 144.4226°E, elevation uncertain) by geologist J. P. de Verteuil, probably in 1947 (collection date unavailable but catalogue entry dated 6 January 1948). |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: A species of Stegonotus that can be diagnosed from all congeners by the following combination of characters: dorsum of body immaculate snow-white anteriorly, with dark speckling that manifests as occasional brown-tipped scales by midbody and increases in frequency and density posteriorly; tail entirely dark brown with light pigment confined to lowest dorsal scale rows; venter and subcaudal scales off-white; head dorsally dark brown, contrasting with white anterior of the body, brown pigment extending posteriorly for 6–20 scales; dorsal scales rows 17-19-15 (75%) or 19-19-15 (25%), ventral scales 229–239, subcaudal scales 83–95, all divided; SL usually nine (75%), occasionally eight (25%), with SL4–SL5 contacting the orbit; and IL nine (75%), or eight (25%) with IL1–IL4 or IL1–IL5 contacting the anterior genials. |
| Comment | |
| Etymology | The species epithet is a patronym to honour Dr. Ken Aplin (1958–2019), in recognition of his immense contributions to New Guinean herpetology, and in gratitude for his friendship and selfless collaboration with the junior author over many years. Ken’s many experiences in Melanesia have added significantly to our knowledge of the region’s vertebrate fauna, both living and fossil, and his recent passing has created a void that will be hard to fill. |
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