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| Hypsiscopus indonesiensis Hamidy, Zakky, Fitriyana & Endarwin, 2023 |
Abstract
We describe a new species of water snake genus Hypsiscopus that was formerly placed in the genus Enhydris from Towuti Lake, South Sulawesi, based on six specimens collected in 2003 and a specimen collected in 2019. The new species has several significant differences from other species in the genus Hypsiscopus (H. matannensis, H. plumbea, and H. murphyi) in possessing laterally compressed tail, higher number of scale rows in mid body, higher number of ventral scales, lower number of subcaudal scales, and distinct color pattern. The new species is likely distributed only in the Towuti Lake, and has higher level endemicity compared to H. matannensis. Further studies on the population and distribution are needed to evaluate its conservation status.
Keywords: Hypsiscopus, Lake Towuti, new species, Sulawesi, water snakes
Hypsiscopus indonesiensis sp. nov.
Diagnosis. The new species is assigned to the genus Hypsiscopus based on possession of several morphological characters, small body size (SVL <700 mm), internasal(s) do not contact loreal, upper labials 2–3 or 2–4 usually contact with loreal, lower labials 1–5 usually contact the anterior chin shields, relatively short tails (10–17 % of SVL) (Murphy & Voris, 2014) and molecularly nested in the genus Hypsiscopus (Bernstein et al., 2021; Fukuyama et al., 2022). Hypsiscopus indonesiensis sp. nov. is diagnosable from all congeners by having laterally compressed tail, high number of scale rows (24–25 in the neck, 25–27 in the mid body, 20–22 in near the vent), high number of ventral scales (152–159), blotched pattern on the dorsum and mottled pattern on the ventrum.
Distribution. The species was found only from Towuti Lake, South Sulawesi. Although Matano Lake, Towuti Lake, and Mahalona Lake are relatively nearby, Hypsiscopus indonesiensis sp. nov. is only recorded from Towuti Lake.
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| Comparison of dorsal color pattern: A. Hypsiscopus indonesiensis sp. nov., B. Hypsiscopus matannensis, C. Hypsiscopus plumbea. |
Amir Hamidy, Quraisy Zakky, Nurul Fitriyana and Wempi Endarwin. 2023. A New Species of Water Snake Genus Hypsiscopus (Serpentes: Homalopsidae) from Sulawesi, Indonesia. Treubia. 50(1); 21–38. DOI: 10.14203/treubia.v50i1.4511