FIGURE 1. A female Paratapinophis praemaxillaris (FMNH 271447)
collected from Nan Province, northern Thailand.
ชื่อไทย: งูลายสอลาวเหนือ
ชื่อสามัญ: Angel's Mountain Keelback
ชื่อวิทยาศาสตร์: Paratapinophis praemaxillaris Angel, 1929
ABSTRACT
Paratapinophis praemaxillaris was described by Angel (1929) on the basis of two neonate specimens from Xieng-Khouang in northern Laos. Pope later placed the genus in the synonymy of Opisthotropis Günther, 1872. We collected five adult specimens along the Nan River, in northern Thailand. Here we describe the adults of Angel’s Stream Snake, discuss the
monotypic genus, its distribution, habitat, and diet. Based upon morphology we remove Paratapinophis Angel, 1929 from the synomomy of Opisthotropis. An identification matrix is provided for identifying snakes in the genera Opsithotropis, Parahelicops, and Paratapinophis Bourret, 1934, all have been considered Opisthotropis at one time or another, and we comment on the status of Opisthotropis.
KEY WORDS: Paratapinophis, Opisthotropis, Thailand, China, Laos, stream snakes
FIGURE 4. The microhabitat at the collection included waterfalls (seepage areas),
a gravel and sand bar, and shallow water between the bank and the gravel bar.
FIGURE 2. The map notes the four localities for Paratapinophis praemaxillaris is known from four localities: (1929) the type locality in Xieng-Khouang, Laos; (1981) Doi Saket, Thailand; (1982) Jindong, Yunnan Province, China; and (2007) the Nan River location in Nan Province, Chaloemprakait District, Huia Gon Subdistrict, at the Wang Pian Waterfalls, Thailand.
Murphy, J.C., Chan-ard, T., Mekchai, S., Cota, M. & Voris, H.K. 2008. The Rediscovery of Angel’s Stream Snake, Paratapinophis praemxillaris Angel, 1929 (Reptilia: Serpentes: Natricidae). The Natural History Journal of Chulalongkorn University 8(2): 169-183
