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| Trimeresurus yingjiangensis
Chen, Ding, Shi & Zhang
in Chen, Zhang, Shi, et al., 2019.
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Abstract
Species from the Trimeresurus popeiorum complex (Subgenus: Popeia) is a very complex group. T. popeiorum is the only Popeia species known from China. During the past two years, five adult Popeia specimens (4 males, 1 female) were collected from Yingjiang County, Southern Yunnan, China. Molecular, morphological and ecological data show distinct differences from known species, herein we describe these specimens as a new species Trimeresurus yingjiangensis sp. nov. Chen, Ding, Shi and Zhang. Morphologically, the new species distinct from other Popeia species by a combination of following characters: (1) dorsal body olive drab,without cross bands on the scales; (2) a conspicuous bicolor ventrolateral stripe present on each side of males, first row of dorsal scales firebrick with a white ellipse dot on posterior upper part in male, these strips absent in females; (3) eyes firebrick in both gender; (4) suboculars separated from 3rd upper labial by one scale on each side; (5) ventrals 164–168 (n = 5); (6) MSR 21.
Keywords: Popeia; morphology; phylogenetics; geographical isolation; Trimeresurus yingjiangensis sp. nov.
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| Figure 3 Trimeresurus yingjiangensis sp. nov. holotype: DL2017070101. Head of view: A, dorsal; B, ventral; C and D, latera (left and right); E, lateral view of the body (left side); F, hemipenes (photographed by Shengchao SHI). Scale: 5 mm |
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| Figure 1 Trimeresurus yingjiangensis sp. nov. in life: A and B, holotype, male: DL2017070101, photo by Li DING;
C allotype, female: ZLtspynglg-2018-01, photo by Liang ZHANG;
D, paratype, male: DL201070102, has a weak and short post ocular streak, photographed by Li DING.
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Class: Reptilia,
Order: Squamata,
Suborder: Serpentes,
Family: Viperidae
Trimeresurus yingjiangensis sp. nov.
Chen, Ding, Shi and Zhang
Diagnosis. Trimeresurus yingjiangensis sp. nov. is
assigned to Popeia group by hemipenes morphology
(Malhotra and Thorpe, 2004), differ with its congeners
by a combination of following characters: (1) dorsal
body olive drab,without cross bands on the scales; (2)
a conspicuous bicolor ventrolateral stripe present on
each side of males, first row of dorsal scales firebrick
with a white ellipse dot on posterior upper part in male,
these strips absent in females; (3) the eyes firebrick in
both gender; tail red, mottled with green laterally, and
the ventrolateral stripes discontinuous on the tail; (4)
hemipenes long, reaching 23rd to 25th SC, forked opposite
5-6th SC (n = 4), bifurcated near the base and the sulcus
spermaticus split from the apex to basal without spines;
(5) 21 DSR at middle body, moderately keeled; VEN =
164–168 (n = 5), SC = 60–76 (n = 5); Sexual dimorphism,
the female has more ventrals and fewer subcaudals than
males; (6) tail long, with ratios of TaL/TL between 0.199 and 0.219 in male.
Etymology. The specific name yingjiangensis refers
to the location of type specimens, Yingjiang Country,
Yunnan Province, China. The common name is suggested
as “Yingjiang Green Pitviper” in English and “Yíng jiāng
zhú yè qīng ( 盈江竹叶青 )” in Chinese.
Distribution and habitat. Trimeresurus yingjiangensis
sp. nov. was found in Yingjiang Country, Yunnan
Province. At its typical locality, this species prefers to
inhabit in streams about 1 000 meters elevation, and perch
on branches waiting for prey (Figure 5).
Zening Chen, Liang Zhang, Jingsong Shi , Yezhong Tang, Yuhong Guo, Zhaobin Song and Li Ding. 2019. A New Species of the Genus Trimeresurus from Southwest China (Squamata: Viperidae). Asian Herpetological Research. 10(1); 13-23. DOI: 10.16373/j.cnki.ahr.180062
