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| Ovophis zhaoermii Liu, Hou, Mo, M. Li, B. Li, Luo, Rao & S. Li, 2025 |
Abstract
A new species of Ovophis is described from Yuanyang Guanyinshan Provincial Nature Reserve in southern Yunnan Province, China. The new species can be distinguished from congeneric species by the following combination of characters: ratio of tail length to total length 0.191–0.206, internasals separated by one or two scales, dorsal scales in 22-21-17 rows, ventrals 146–148, subcaudals 57–64, most subcaudals paired and a few unpaired, third supralabial larger than fourth, white spots on dorsal tail continuous. This study further reveals that the species diversity of Ovophis has been seriously underestimated, and there is still a lot of work to be done on the taxonomy of this genus.
Key words: cytochrome b gene, morphology, mountain pitvipers, systematics, taxonomy
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| The holotype (KIZ2024078) of Ovophis zhaoermii sp. nov. in life A general view B dorsal view of the head C left view of the head D right view of the head E dorsal view of the tail. |
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| The paratypes of Ovophis zhaoermii sp. nov. in life A KIZ2024079 B KIZ2024080 C KIZ2023041. |
Ovophis zhaoermii sp. nov.
Diagnosis. Ratio of tail length to total length 0.191–0.206, internasals separated by one or two scales, second supralabial bordering loreal pit, dorsal scales in 22-21-17 rows, ventrals 146–148, subcaudals 57–64, 3–11 subcaudals unpaired and other subcaudals paired, third supralabial larger than fourth, dorsal surface of head unpatterned, dorsal surface of body brownish-black or reddish-brown with rectangular black blotches, series of white spots on dorsal surface of tail continuous, iris off-white with a black mesh pattern.
Etymology. Named after the renowned Chinese herpetologist, Prof. Ermi Zhao (1930–2016). The designation of this specific epithet honors his great contribution to herpetological research in China, especially in snake research. According to the type locality of this species, we suggest the English common name “Guanyinshan mountain pitviper” and the Chinese common name “观音山烙铁头蛇 (Pinyin: guān yīn shān lào tiě tóu shé)”.
Shuo Liu, Mian Hou, Mingzhong Mo, Mei Li, Biao Li, Xiong Luo, Dingqi Rao and Song Li. 2025. A New Species of the Genus Ovophis Burger in Hoge & Romano-Hoge, 1981 (Serpentes, Viperidae) from southern Yunnan, China. ZooKeys. 1230: 287-302. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1230.142967