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| Aspidura desilvai
Wickramasinghe, Bandara, Vidanapathirana & Wickramasinghe, 2019
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Abstract
We describe a new species, Aspidura desilvai sp. nov., closely resembling A. trachyprocta and the last addition to the genus A. ravanai, from Knuckles massif, Matale District, of Sri Lanka. The species represents the ninth species of the genus known from Sri Lanka, and is readily distinguished from all other congeners by its colour pattern, the scale nature in the ischiadic region, and morphometric characteristics specially from its ratio between the snout to eye distance to its eye width. The species is currently known only from the type locality.
Keywords: Reptilia, Aspidura ravanai, A. trachyprocta, central highlands, Knuckles, Roughside snakes, South Asia, systematics
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| FIGURE 2. Dorsal aspect of Aspidura desilvai sp. nov., the holotype male (NMSL-NH 2019.01.02) in life. |
Aspidura desilvai sp. nov.
Etymology. The species is named in honor of Pilippu Hewa Don Hemasiri de Silva (Dr. P. H. D. H. de Silva),
a former Director (1965-1981) of the National Museums of Sri Lanka. In recognition of his tireless services to the
country, while in service and through his many publications specially as the author of the book titled “Snake Fauna
of Sri Lanka, with special reference to skull, dentition and venom in snakes”. The species epithet desilvai is a noun in
the genitive case.
Suggested common names. desilvage madilla, and de Silva’s Rough-Side Snake in native Sinhala language
and English language respectively. [මැඩිල්ලන්]
L. J. Mendis Wickramasinghe, Imesh Nuwan Bandara, Dulan Ranga Vidanapathirana and Nethu Wickramasinghe. 2019. A New Species of Aspidura Wagler, 1830 (Squamata: Colubridae: Natricinae) from Knuckles, World Heritage Site, Sri Lanka. Zootaxa. 4559(2); 265–280. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4559.2.3
