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| Lycodon neomaculatus Nguyen, Lee, Pauwels, Kennedy-Gold, Poyarkov, David & Vogel, 2024 |
Abstract
The Malayan banded wolf snake, Lycodon subcinctus (F. Boie, 1827) has a complicated taxonomic and nomenclatural history. For almost a century, the combination Anoplophallus maculatus Cope, 1895 has been applied to populations of L. subcinctus from southern China, with various authors recognizing the taxon maculatus as a subspecies (i.e., Lycodon subcinctus maculatus) or junior synonym. A recent study that proposed the elevation of Chinese L. subcinctus to species rank (as Lycodon “maculatus”) prompted us to re-investigate several nomenclatural issues relevant to Anoplophallus maculatus that have not been fully addressed in the literature. We show that Anoplophallus maculatus was not described as a new species, and actually refers to Megalops maculatus Hallowell, 1861, a Neotropical snake currently known as Leptodeira maculata (Dipsadinae). As a consequence, populations of L. subcinctus recently recognized as Lycodon “maculatus”, have no valid binomen applied to them. To resolve this issue, we provide a new species name for populations of L. subcinctus from China and include a morphological description based on specimens collected across all of mainland Southeast Asia. The new species, Lycodon neomaculatus sp. nov., occurs well outside of southern China, and inhabits Indochina (Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam) and eastern Myanmar. Lycodon neomaculatus sp. nov. is distinguished from both L. sealei and L. subcinctus by subtle differences in adult dorsal color pattern and body scalation. The distributions of L. neomaculatus sp. nov. and L. subcinctus sensu stricto appear to be allopatric, and the Isthmus of Kra region in peninsular Thailand may act as a biogeographic filter separating the two species.
Reptilia, cytochrome b, nomenclature, phylogeny, systematics, Southeast Asia, Lycodon subcinctus complex
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| Lycodon neomaculatus sp. nov. in preservative—specimen CAS 235846 (paratype, adult male) A—general dorsal view; B—general ventral view; C—dorsal view of the head; D—Ventral view of the head; e—Lateral view of the head, right side; F—Ventral view of the tail with the everted hemipenes. Photos by J.L. Lee. |
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| Lycodon neomaculatus sp. nov. in preservative—MCZ R-175968 (holotype, adult male) A—general dorsal view; B—general ventral view; C—Lateral view of the head, right side; D—Lateral view of the head, left side; e—Dorsal view of the head; F—Ventral view of the tail with the everted hemipenes. Images not to scale. Photos by M. Gage and J. Martinez. |
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| Differences in dorsal body band coloration in preservative between Lycodon neomaculatus sp. nov. (A, B) and L. subcinctus (C, D). A—FMNH 180149 from Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand; B—CAS 229729 from Tanintharyi, Myanmar; C—FMNH 229855 from Selangor, Malaysia; D—FMNH 183772 from Selangor, Malaysia. Images not to scale. Photos by J.L. Lee. |
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| Lycodon neomaculatus sp. nov. in life (not collected, sex not determined): A, B-Hong Kong, China (adult, subadult; respectively); C—Qiongzhong, Hainan, China (adult); D—Xishuangbanna, yunnan, China; e—Pu Mat NP, Nghe An, Vietnam; F—Ma Da Nr, Dong Nai, Vietnam (adult); G—Cat Tien NP, Dong Nai, Vietnam (subadult); H—Loc Bac, Lam Dong, Vietnam (adult); I—Phuoc Binh NP, Ninh Thuan, Vietnam (adult); J—Hinhurp, Vientiane, Laos (subadult); K—Kompong Seila, Seihanuk, Cambodia (adult); L—Chai Prakarn, Chiang Mai, Thailand (subadult); M—Mae Yom NP, Phrae, Thailand (adult); N—Wang Nam Khiao, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand (adult); —Kaeng Krachan NP, Phetchaburi, Thailand (subadult). Photos by: A. Tomaszek (A, B); C.X. Liao (C); Z.H. Ma (D); P.S. Hamilton (e); H.X.N. Nguyen (F); A.M. Bragin (g, I); N.A. Poyarkov (H); T. Calame (J); T. Samnang (K); A. Kaosung (L); R. grassby Lewis (M, N); A. Pierce (O). |
Lycodon neomaculatus sp. nov.
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| Lycodon subcinctus in life (not collected, sex not determined): A—Kathu, Phuket, Thailand (adult); B—Hala Bala WS, Narathiwat, Thailand (subadult); C—Khao Phanom Bencha NP, Krabi, Thailand (subadult); D—Khao Sok NP, Surat Thani, Thailand (adult); e—Baling, Kedah, Malaysia (adult); F—Fraser’s Hill, Pahang, Malaysia (subadult); G—West Malaysia (adult); H—upper Seletar reservoir, Singapore (adult); I—Padang, west Sumatra, Indonesia (adult); J—Bekasi, Java, Indonesia (adult); K—Jembrana, Bali, Indonesia (adult); L—Alor, east Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia (subadult). Photos by: A. Tomaszek (A, K); R. grassby-Lewis (B); R. Jaihan (C, D), P. Pawangkhanant (e, I); G. Vogel (g), Rr. Kittrell (F); R. Tann (H); A.R. Mudzakir (J); C. Trainor (L). |
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| Lycodon sealei in life (not collected, sex not determined): A—Puerto Princesca, Palawan, Philippines (adult); B—Taytay, Palawan, Philippines (subadult); C—Balabac, Palawan, Philippines (adult); D ranau, Sabah, Malaysia (subadult); e—Marudi, Sarawak, Malaysia (subadult); F—Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia (subadult); g Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia (adult); H—Petra Jaya, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia (adult); I—West Kotawaringin, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia (adult). Photos by: R. Grassby-Lewis (A); A. Sonlee (B); C. Supsup (C); R. Monday (D); C.C. Lee (E, H); S. Lee (F); L. Platania (G); H. Kurniawan (I) |
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| FIGURE 12. Distribution ranges of Lycodon neomaculatus sp. nov. Numbers indicate various localities where the species have been recorded (see Appendix Table S6 for the details of localities). FIGURE 11. Distribution ranges of Lycodon sealei, L. subcinctus, and L. cf. subcinctus (Nicobar Island). Notes: numbers indicate different localities where the species have been recorded (see Appendix Table S5 for the details of localities) |
งูปล้องฉนวนบ้านเหนือ Lycodon neomaculatus พบในจีน พม่า ลาว เวียดนาม กัมพูชา และไทย ส่วนงูปล้องฉนวนบ้าน งูปล้องฉนวนบ้านใต้ Lycodon subcinctus พบตั้งแต่คอคอดกระลงไป คาบสมุทรมลายู สุมาตราถึงเกาะชวา
Tan Van Nguyen, Justin L. Lee, Olivier S. G. Pauwels, Stevie R. Kennedy-Gold, Nikolay A. Poyarkov, Patrick David and Gernot Vogel. 2024. The Nomenclatural Status of “Anoplophallus maculatus” Cope, 1895, its consequences on the Systematics of Lycodon subcinctus auctorum, and the Description of A New Species (Squamata: Colubridae). Zootaxa. 5519(4); 487-537. DOI: doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5519.4.2
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