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| Calamaria synergis sp. nov. Zhang, Xu, Nguyen, Poyarkov, Vogel, Wang & Huang, 2025 [B] C. andersoni Yang & Zheng, 2018; [C] C. yunnanensis Chernov, 1962. Photographs by Tierui Zhang and T.Y. Zhang |
Abstract
A new species of reed snake, Calamaria synergis sp. nov., is described based on two specimens collected from Mountain Jinuo, Jinghong City, Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, China. The new species is distinguished from its congeners by a unique combination of morphological characters, including eight enlarged maxillary teeth; rostral higher than wide; prefrontal shorter than frontal and contacting the first two supralabials; mental not in contact with anterior chin shields; single preocular and postocular; four supralabials, with the 2nd and 3rd contacting the eye; five infralabials; five scales surrounding the paraparietal; ventrals 161–166; subcaudals 20–23, paired; dorsal scales reduced to six rows at the tail base and further to four rows near the terminal subcaudals; tail relatively short (6.6–9.2% of total length), abruptly tapering at the tip; dorsum blackish-brown with a distinct pale nuchal ring; two outermost dorsal scale rows pale khaki with upper margins darkened; ventral surface uniform pale khaki. Phylogenetic analysis of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene places the new species as sister to C. andersoni and C. yunnanensis, from which it differs by an uncorrected p-distance of 8.7% and 7.9%, respectively. Calamaria synergis sp. nov. is currently known only from tropical evergreen forests of Xishuangbanna at elevations around 1,050 m asl. We propose its conservation status as Data Deficient (DD) following the IUCN Red List categories.
Key words: Calamaria synergis sp. nov., morphology, Mountain Jinuo, phylogenetics, taxonomy
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| Calamaria synergis sp. nov. in preservative, holotype (ANU ZR24046, adult male). A. Dorsal view of body; B. Ventral view of body; C. Dorsal view of head; D. Ventral view of head; E. Right lateral view of head; F. Left lateral view of head. Photographs by Tierui Zhang. |
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| In situ photographs of Calamaria synergis sp. nov. and its congeners in life. A. Calamaria synergis sp. nov. (ANU ZR24046); B. C. andersoni (ANU ZR25022); C. C. yunnanensis (QHU R2024054). Photographs by Tierui Zhang (A, B) and T.Y. Zhang (C). |
Calamaria synergis sp. nov.
Diagnosis. Calamaria synergis sp. nov. can be distinguished from all other congeners by the following combination of morphological characters: eight enlarged maxillary teeth; rostral higher than wide; prefrontal shorter than frontal and contacting the first two supralabials; mental not in contact with anterior chin shields; single preocular and postocular; four supralabials, with the 2nd and 3rd contacting the eye; five infralabials; five scales surrounding the paraparietal; ventrals 161–166; subcaudals 20–23, paired; dorsal scales reduced to six rows at the tail base and further to four rows near the terminal subcaudals; tail relatively short (6.6–9.2% of total length), abruptly tapering at the tip; dorsum blackish-brown with a distinct pale nuchal ring; two outermost dorsal scale rows pale khaki with upper margins darkened; ventral surface uniform pale khaki.
Etymology. The specific name synergis is a Latin noun given in the apposition, derived from the Greek synergos (συνεργός), meaning “working together”. It emphasises that the resolution of the taxonomic status of the new species is the outcome of coordinated international scientific cooperation. The name is given in reference to both the collaborative effort involved in describing this new species and the broader need for joint action to address the complex taxonomic problems within the genus Calamaria in the future.
We suggest the following common names: “Mountain Jinuo reed snake” (English), “基诺两头蛇” (Chinese), “Rắn mai gầm hiệp lực” (Vietnamese), and “Цзинхунская карликовая змея” (Tszinhunskaya karlikovaya zmeya, Russian).
Tierui Zhang, Yuhao Xu, Tan Van Nguyen, Nikolay A. Poyarkov, Gernot Vogel, Xinge Wang and Song Huang. 2025. A New Species of the Genus Calamaria H. Boie in F. Boie, 1827 (Squamata, Calamariidae) from Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province, China. ZooKeys. 1253: 255-275. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1253.161412
