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| Achalinus nanshanensis H. Li, L.-Q. Zhu, Z.-Q. Zhang & X.-Y. Mo, in Li, Zhu, Xiao, Huang, Wu, Yang, Zhang et Mo, 2024. |
Abstract
A new species of xenodermid snake, Achalinus nanshanensis H. Li, L.-Q. Zhu, Z.-Q. Zhang & X.-Y. Mo, sp. nov., is described based on three specimens collected from Nanshan National Park and Tongdao County of southwest Hunan Province. This new species is genetically distinct amongst its congeners with the mitochondrial COI uncorrected p-distance ranging from 4.4% (in A. yangdatongi) to 17.7% (in A. meiguensis). In addition, this new species can be distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following morphological characters: (1) dorsal scales with 23 or 25 rows throughout and strongly keeled; (2) tail relatively longer so that TaL/ToL = 0.215–0.248; (3) length of suture between internasals significantly longer than that between prefrontals, LSBI/LSBP = 1.66–1.84; (4) single loreal scale present; (5) SPL 6 in number, with the fourth and fifth contacting eye; (6) IFL 6 in number, with the first three touching the first pair of chin shields; (7) TMP is 2-2-4/2-2(3)-4, with the anterior pair elongated and in contact with the eye; (8) ventrals 2 + 147–158; (9) subcaudals 64–77, unpaired; (10) dorsal body brownish black, with a bright yellow neck collar extending to the head and abdomen in the occipital region. The recognition of the new species increases the number of described Achalinus species to 28, of which 21 are found in China.
Key words: Achalinus nanshanensis sp. nov., molecular analyses, morphology, taxonomy
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| The view of Achalinus nanshanensis sp. nov. A HNNU230903 (holotype) B HNNU230902 (paratype) C HNNU230901 (paratype), remaining photos by Le-Qiang Zhu. |
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| General view of Achalinus nanshanensis sp. nov. (HNNU230902) in life. Photo by Le-Qiang Zhu. |
Achalinus nanshanensis H. Li, L.-Q. Zhu, Z.-Q. Zhang & X.-Y. Mo, sp. nov.
Diagnosis: The new species can be distinguished from other members of Achalinus by the following characteristics: (1) dorsal scales with 23 or 25 rows throughout and strongly keeled; (2) tail relatively longer so that TaL/ToL = 0.215–0.248; (3) length of suture between internasals significantly longer than that between prefrontals, LSBI/LSBP = 1.66–1.84; (4) single loreal scale present; (5) SPL 6 in number, with the fourth and fifth contacting eye; (6) IFL 6 in number, with the first three touching the first pair of chin shields; (7) TMP is 2-2-4/2-2(3)-4, with the anterior pair elongated and in contact with the eye; (8) ventrals 2 + 147–158; (9) subcaudals 64–77, unpaired; (10) dorsal body brownish black with a bright-yellow neck collar extending to the head and abdomen in the occipital region.
Etymology: The new species is named for on its type locality [Nanshan National Park]. We suggest the Chinese common name 南山脊蛇 (pin yin: Nán Shān Jǐ Shé) and the English common name Nanshan odd-scaled snake.
Hui Li, Le-Qiang Zhu, Bei Xiao, Jie Huang, Shao-Wu Wu, Li-Xun Yang, Zhi-Qiang Zhang and Xiao-Yang Mo. 2024. A New Species of the Genus Achalinus (Squamata, Xenodermidae) from southwest Hunan Province, China. ZooKeys. 1189: 257-273. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1189.112784