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| Pareas xuelinensis Liu & Rao, 2021 |
Abstract
A new species of Pareas is described from Yunnan Province, China, based on morphological comparisons and molecular data. Genetically, the new species is most closely related to the recently-described Pareas geminatus, for which we present new topotypic findings. The genetic divergence (uncorrected p-distance) of the cytb gene between the new species and congeners ranged from 6.14% to 24.68%. Morphologically, the new species can be distinguished from P. geminatus and all other congeners. Our work brings the total number of species within the genus Pareas to 22.
Keywords: Molecular, morphological, snail-eating snake, taxonomy
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| Figure 3. Holotype (KIZ XL1) of Pareas xuelinensis sp. nov. A dorsal view of the head B lateral view of the head C ventral view of the head D dorsal view of the anterior of body E dorsal view of the middle of body F dorsal view of the posterior of body. |
Pareas xuelinensis sp. nov.
Diagnosis: Single preocular; postocular fused with subocular; loreal not bordering orbit; prefrontal bordering orbit; fourth or fifth infralabial fused with second chin-shield; three chin-shield pairs; dorsal scales in 15 rows throughout; vertebral scales not enlarged; scales not keeled at the anterior part of the body, three rows of mid-dorsal scales keeled at the middle of the body, five rows of mid-dorsal scales keeled at the posterior of body; seven supralabials; seven or eight infralabials; cloaca undivided; ventral scales 182–188; subcaudals 87–93, paired.
Etymology: The specific epithet xuelinensis refers to Xuelin Township, the type locality of the new species.
Distribution: This species is currently known only from the type locality Xuelin Township, Lancang County, Pu’er City, Yunnan Province, China. It is expected to be found in Myanmar.
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| Figure 6. Pareas xuelinensis sp. nov. in life (A) and the habitat of Pareas xuelinensis sp. nov. at the type locality (B). |
Habitat: Both the holotype and paratypes were found on the bushes beside a small road at night, surrounded by forest and farmland, with no river or stream nearby.
Shuo Liu and Dingqi Rao. 2021. A New Species of the Genus Pareas (Squamata, Pareidae) from Yunnan, China. ZooKeys. 1011: 121-138. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1011.59029