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| Lycodon latifasciatus (B–C) L. latifasciatus sp. nov. (D–E) L. fasciatus (G–H) L. gongshan Nguyen, Lee, Jiang, Ding, M.T. Chit, Poyarkov & Vogel, 2025 facebook.com/TanSIFASV |
Abstract
We describe a new species of wolf snake in the genus Lycodon Fitzinger based on eight specimens collected from the Xizang Autonomous Region of southwestern China and the Sagaing Region of northern Myanmar (Burma). The new species, Lycodon latifasciatus sp. nov., was previously confused with Lycodon fasciatus Anderson and Lycodon gongshan Vogel & Luo but differs from each species by having a dorsal color pattern consisting of broad dark brown and orange crossbands and a higher number of subcaudal scales (90–96). Phylogenetic analyses based on mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences (16s ribosomal RNA, cytochrome b, and recombination activation gene 1) recover Lycodon latifasciatus sp. nov. as a well-supported outgroup to a clade containing five species: Lycodon fasciatus, Lycodon gongshan, Lycodon butleri Boulenger, L. cavernicolus Grismer, Quah, Anuar, Muin, Wood & Nor, and L. sidiki Wostl, Hamidy, Kurniawan & Smith. It is further distinguished from all members of that clade by having uncorrected pairwise distances ranging from 6.65–12.94% (based on cytochrome b sequences), and by a lack of haplotype sharing based on nuclear DNA sequences (recombination activation gene 1). A redescription with new molecular and morphological data of L. gongshan is provided, including confirmation of recent records from Sichuan Province, China and a new record from Kachin State, Myanmar.
mt DNA, nu DNA, phylogeny, systematics, Southeast Asia, Lycodon latifasciatus sp. nov., Reptilia
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| The paratype of Lycodon latifasciatus - one of the two specimens we found at Zalon Taung, Sagaing. photo by Parinya Pawangkhanant |
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| Lycodon latifasciatus sp. nov., adult male paratype (ZMMu re-16728) from Ban Mauk District, Sagaing region, Myanmar: (A) general habitus in life; (B) dorsal, (C) ventral, and (D) right lateral views of the head; (e) lateral view of dorsum at midbody showing general pattern of crossbands. Photos by N. A. Poyarkov (A) and P. Pawangkhanant (B–E) |
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| Photographs of live Lycodon latifasciatus sp. nov., L. fasciatus, and L. gongshan. (A–C) L. latifasciatus sp. nov. from Myanmar and China: (A) ZMMU RE-16728 (paratype, adult male) from Ban Mauk District, Sagaing region, Myanmar; (B) ZMMU RE-16729 (immature male), same locality as ZMMU RE-16728; (C) CIB DL.2015.25.52 (paratype, adult male) from Medog County, Xizang Ar, China. (D–F) L. fasciatus specimens from China and India: (D) uncollected specimen (adult, sex unknown) from Dehong, yunnan Province, China; (e) uncollected specimen (adult, sex unknown) from Daweishan Nr, Pingbian County, Yunnan Province; (F) uncollected specimen (adult, sex unknown) from Aizawl, Mizoram State, India. (G–I) L. gongshan in China: (G) uncollected specimen (adult, sex unknown) from Tengchong, Baoshan County, yunnan Province; (H) CIB yN201909286 (adult male) from Lushui, Nuijang County, yunnan; (I) uncollected specimen (adult, sex unknown) from Zayu County, Xizang Ar (iNaturalist obs. 191251388). Photos by N. A. Poyarkov (A), P. Pawangkhanant (B), L. Ding (C, D, g), h. r. gao (E), P. Shinde (F), S. C. Shi (h), and K. ouyang (I). |
Lycodon latifasciatus sp. nov.
Tan Van NGUYEN, Justin L. LEE, Ke JIANG, Li DING, May Thu CHIT, Nikolay A. POYARKOV and Gernot VOGEL. 2025. A New Species of Wolf Snake Lycodon Fitzinger, 1826 from China and Myanmar (Squamata: Colubridae), and New Data on Lycodon gongshan Vogel & Luo, 2011. Zootaxa. 5621(1); 1-51. DOI: doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5621.1.1 [2025-04-14]
