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| Trimeresurus lanna Idiiatullina, Nguyen, Pawangkhanant, Suwannapoom, Chanhome, Mirza, David, Vogel & Poyarkov, 2024 |
Abstract
Despite recent progress in our understanding of diversity within the genus Trimeresurus Lacépède, 1804, the subgenus Popeia Malhotra & Thorpe, 2004, distributed across most parts of East and Southeast Asia, remains taxonomically challenging. We applied an integrative taxonomic approach including analyses of morphological data and four mitochondrial genes (12S and 16S rRNA, cytochrome b, and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 4), along with examination of available type material, to address longstanding taxonomic questions in one clade within Popeia, the T. popeiorum group, and reveal a high level of hidden diversity of these snakes in the Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspot. We confirm that T. popeiorum Smith, 1937 sensu stricto is restricted to Northeast India, eastern Nepal, southern Bhutan, southeastern Bangladesh, western Yunnan Province (China), and northern and southwestern Myanmar. We further confirm that the recently described species T. yingjiangensis Chen et al., 2019 is a junior synonym of T. popeiorum. In addition, we discovered that the combination Trimesurus [sic] elegans Gray, 1853 is a valid senior synonym of T. popeiorum and threatens the stability of the latter taxon. Therefore, in order to protect the nomen popeiorum and in accordance with Article 23.9 of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, we regard the taxon Trimesurus elegans as a nomen oblitum and render Trimeresurus popeiorum a nomen protectum. Examination of a larger series of specimens allows us to describe two new cryptic species of Trimeresurus from the Indo-Burma Region. This study brings the total number of species in the subgenus Popeia to six and also suggests that the subspecific taxonomy of the T. sabahi complex requires further investigation. We urge adequate actions regarding the conservation of the newly discovered species and recommend further studies on their toxicology.
Keywords: Asia, Biodiversity, Crotalinae, ICZN, Indochina, molecular phylogeny, morphology, mtDNA, nomen protectum, nomenclature, Popeia, systematics
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| Trimeresurus popeiorum, T. nebularis, and T. phuketensis in life. – Trimeresurus popeiorum: A Buxa Tiger Reserve, West Bengal, India (adult male); B Karimganj, Assam, India (adult female); C Aizawl, Mizoram, India (adult female); D Inn Gyin Taung Mt., Kachin, Myanmar (male); E Yingjiang, Yunnan, China (adult male); T. nebularis: F, G Cameron Highlands, Pahang, Malaysia (adult male and adult female, respectively); T. phuketensis: H Phuket Is., Phuket, Thailand (adult male); I Sri Phang Nga NP, Phang Nga, Thailand (adult male). Photos by: P. Ray (A), R. Gassah (B), G. Vogel (C, E-G), N. A. Poyarkov (D), R. Grassby-Lewis (H), and S. Plongnui (I) |
Trimeresurus popeiorum Smith, 1937
Etymology: The species name is a patronym, in genitive plural, created in honour of Clifford H. Pope (1899–1974) and his wife Sarah H. Pope (1901–1995); see below for a discussion of the correct spelling. We recommend the following common names for this species: “Pō pǔ zhú yè qīng” (坡普竹叶青) (in Chinese), “Pope’s green pitviper” (in English), “Ngu Khiew Hang Mai Thong Khiew Assam” (งูเขียวหางไหม้ท้องเขียวอัสสัม) (in Thai), “Trimérésure vert des Pope” (in French), “Popes Bambusotter” (in German), and “Bambukovaya kufiya Poupov” (in Russian).
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| Trimeresurus lanna sp. nov. in life. Thailand: A Doi Inthanon NP, Chiangmai (mating adult couple); B, C Doi Phu Kha NP, Nan, Thailand; D Doi Suthep-Pui NP., Chiangmai (subadult female); E Doi Luang Mt., Chiang Rai (adult male); F Umphang, Tak (adult male). Laos: G, H Phongsaly (adult male and female, respectively). China: I Mengla, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, China (adult male). Photos by: P. Pawangkhanant (A, D), T. Smith (B, E, F), R. Jaihan (C), T. Calame (G), P. Brakels (H), and J. Ming (I). |
Trimeresurus lanna sp. nov.
Diagnosis: Trimeresurus lanna differs from other members of the subgenus Popeia by the combination of the following morphological characters: (1) dorsal surfaces deep green, without crossbands; (2) in males, a vivid, wide, bicolored ventrolateral stripe, bright and deep red below, white above; in females, ventrolateral stripe thin, pale yellow anteriorly, whitish posteriorly; (3) in males, a conspicuous, bicolored postocular streak, white and thin ventrally, broad and bright red dorsally, covering two or three temporal scales; in females, streak absent or only white; (4) eyes red to deep red in both males and females; (5) 21 (93.3%) or rarely 20 (6.7%) dorsal scales rows at midbody, strongly keeled except those of the first dorsal scale row, always smooth; (6) 145–167 ventral plates (145–167 in males; 157–166 in females); 56–75 paired subcaudal scales with weak sexual dimorphism (59–75 in males, 56–64 in females); (7) first supralabial entirely separated from the nasal scale by a distinct suture; (8) supraoculars relatively narrow, narrower than internasals, separated by 10–13 cephalic scales; (9) internasals never in contact, separated by one or two scales; (10) hemipenes long and forked, reaching at least 25th SC, without spines; (11) 9–14 cephalic scales between the supraoculars in males, 11–13 in females; (12) relative tail length 0.18–0.21 in males, 0.16–0.17 in females.
Etymology: The new species name “lanna” represents a noun in apposition and is given in reference to the Lan Na Kingdom, or “Kingdom of a Million Rice Fields”. The Kingdom of Lan Na, also known as Lannathai, was centered in present-day northern Thailand from the 13th–18th centuries. The territories and cultural influence of the Lan Na Kingdom spread from easternmost Myanmar to northern Laos and southernmost present-day Yunnan of China, a geographic area that matches well the range of the new species. Though eventually the Lan Na Kingdom was united with the Siamese State in the early 19th century, its culture had a profound influence on different parts of northern Indochina.
We suggest the following common names for the new species: “Ngu Khiew Hang Mai Thong Khiew Nua” (งูเขียวหางไหม้ท้องเขียวเหนือ) (in Thai), “Lán nà zhú yè qīng” (蘭納竹叶青) (in Chinese), “Lanna Green Pitviper” (in English), “Trimérésure vert du Lanna” (in French), “Lanna Bambusotter” (in German), and “Chiangmaiskaya bambukovaya kufiya” (in Russian).
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| Trimeresurus tenasserimensis sp. nov. in life. Thailand: A–D Khao Kra Jom Mt, Suan Phueng, Ratchaburi, adult male (A, B), adult female (C), and subadult female (D), respectively; E Khao Laem Mt., Suan Phueng, Ratchaburi (subadult male); F–G Kaeng Krachan NP., Phetchaburi (adult male and adult female, respectively); H Namtok Huai Yang NP, Prachuap Khiri Khan (adult female). Myanmar: I Lampi Marine NP., Mergui, Tanintharyi (adult male). Photos by: P. Pawangkhanant (A–E), R. Jaihan (F), A. Tomaszek (G), T. Smith (H), and P. Brakels (I). |
Trimeresurus tenasserimensis sp. nov.
Diagnosis: Trimeresurus tenasserimensis differs from other members of the subgenus Popeia by the combination of the following morphological characters: (1) dorsal surfaces deep green, with faint dark, interstitial crossbands; (2) in males, a wide, bicolored ventrolateral stripe, bright red ventrally, white dorsally; in females, ventrolateral stripe thin, pale yellow anteriorly, whitish posteriorly; (3) in males, a conspicuous, bicolored postocular streak, white and thin ventrally, broad and bright red dorsally, covering two or three temporal scales; in females, streak absent or only white; (4) eyes red to deep red in both males and females; (5) 21 dorsal scales rows at midbody, strongly keeled except those of the first dorsal scale row, always smooth; (6) 159–176 ventrals (159–170 in males, 154–176 in females); 57–74 subcaudals with slightly overlapping sexual dimorphism (66–74 in males, 57–66 in females), all paired; (7) first supralabial entirely separated from the nasal scale by a distinct suture; (8) supraoculars relatively narrow, narrower than internasals, separated by 9–11 cephalic scales; (9) internasals not in contact, separated by one scale; (10) 10–11 cephalic scales between the supraoculars in both sexes; (11) relative tail length 0.20–0.23 in males, 0.14–0.16 in females.
Etymology: The species name “tenasserimensis” is a modern Latin toponymical adjective in nominative singular, adopting the masculine gender of the genus name Trimeresurus, combining the name of the Tenasserim Mountain Range in western Thailand and southeastern Myanmar, where the new species occurs, and the Latin suffix -ensis (-is, -e), meaning “from”. The species nomen therefore means “from Tenasserim”.
We suggest the following common names for the new species: “Ngu Khiew Hang Mai Thong Khiew Tanao Sri” (งูเขียวหางไหม้ท้องเขียวตะนาวศรี) (in Thai), “Dān nà shā lín zhú yè qīng” (丹那沙林竹叶青) (in Chinese), “Tenasserim green pitviper” (in English), “Tenasserim Bambusotter” (in German), “Trimérésure vert du Tenasserim” (In French) and “Tenasserimskaya bambukovaya kufiya” (in Russian).
Sabira S. Idiiatullina, Tan Van Nguyen, Parinya Pawangkhanant, Chatmongkon Suwannapoom, Lawan Chanhome, Zeeshan A. Mirza, Patrick David, Gernot Vogel and Nikolay A. Poyarkov. 2024. An Integrative Taxonomic Revision of the Trimeresurus popeiorum group of Pitvipers (Reptilia: Serpentes: Viperidae) with Descriptions of Two New Species from the Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspot. Vertebrate Zoology. 74: 303-342. DOI: 10.3897/vz.74.e113347
