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| Trimeresurus cryptographicus Pawangkhanant, Idiiatullina, Nguyen, Ruangsuwan, Matsukoji, David, Suwannapoom & Poyarkov, 2025 Photographs by R. Bilgin, P. Pawangkhanant and G. Vogel. |
Abstract
We describe a new species of green pitviper from the northern part of Central Thailand based on morphological and molecular (2406 bp from cyt b, ND4, and 16S rRNA mitochondrial DNA genes fragments) lines of evidence. Trimeresurus cryptographicus sp. nov. is distinguished from its congeners by the combination of the following morphological characters: small size, maximum known SVL of 523 mm; dorsal scales in 23(22)-21-15 rows, moderately keeled except the outermost rows; ventral scales 171–178; subcaudal scales 57–73, all paired; iris golden yellow in both sexes; body uniformly bright grass-green with indistinct serrated dark transverse markings in adults (499–523 mm SVL) but neonates and juveniles (231–245 mm SVL) have prominent irregular, serrated dark grey crossbands on a light green dorsum; suborbital stripe bluish-white and thin in male, absent in females; ventrolateral stripe, white, distinct, present on the first two dorsal scale rows in both sexes; throat, chin, and lower labials pale blue; ventral surfaces greenish-yellow; tail light brick-red mottled with dark spots, ventral side of the tail with white markings. While the new species differs from the morphologically similar species Trimeresurus macrops by a notable divergence in mitochondrial DNA sequences, it is more closely related to T. kuiburi (p = 1.7% for cytochrome b, p = 1.6% for 16S rRNA, and p = 1.8% for ND4 gene fragments). The new species is currently known only from low elevation in tropical limestone forest of Phitsanulok Province, in the northern part of central Thailand (ca. 100 m a.s.l.). This discovery further underlines the importance of limestone massifs of Indochina as local centres of herpetofaunal diversity and endemism.
Reptilia, Trimeresurus cryptographicus sp. nov., limestone, morphology, molecular phylogeny, systematics
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| The holotype of Trimeresurus cryptographicus sp. nov. in preservative (ZMMU Re-17934, adult female). A dorsolateral and B ventral view of body; C head in dorsal, D in ventral, E in lateral right, and F in lateral left aspects. Scale bar equals 1 cm. Photographs by S. S. Idiiatullina. |
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| Habitat of Trimeresurus cryptographicus sp. nov. A microhabitat of the new species in Tham Kang Kao Cave, Phitsanulok, Thailand; B adult female, holotype (ZMMU Re-17934), in life in situ. Photographs by P. Pawangkhanant. |
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| Trimeresurus cryptographicus sp. nov. in life from the type locality–Tham Kang Kao Cave, Phitsanulok, Thailand. A-B neonates, sex unkown, released; C-D juvenile male, released; E adult male, paratype (RIM-00056); F adult female, paratype (RIM-00055). Photographs by R. Bilgin (A-D), P. Pawangkhanant (E), and G. Vogel (F). |
Subfamily Crotalinae Oppel, 1811
Genus Trimeresurus lacépède, 1804
Trimeresurus cryptographicus sp. nov.
Etymology. the species name “cryptographicus” is a latin adjective in the nominative singular, masculine gender, derived from the classical greek adjective kryptos (κρυπτός), “cryptos”, meaning “hidden”, and from the past participle of the verb graphein (γράφειν), meaning “to write” or “to draw”. we coined this greek word, in latinized form, by allusion to the strong dorsal pattern present in juvenile specimens, which disappears and becomes barely visible in adult individuals like some cryptography text. Furthermore, this pitviper is a good example of cryptic and elusive species itself.
Etymology. the species name “cryptographicus” is a latin adjective in the nominative singular, masculine gender, derived from the classical greek adjective kryptos (κρυπτός), “cryptos”, meaning “hidden”, and from the past participle of the verb graphein (γράφειν), meaning “to write” or “to draw”. we coined this greek word, in latinized form, by allusion to the strong dorsal pattern present in juvenile specimens, which disappears and becomes barely visible in adult individuals like some cryptography text. Furthermore, this pitviper is a good example of cryptic and elusive species itself.
We suggest the following common names for the new species: “Ngu Khiew Hang MaiTa To Si Jang” (งูเขียวหางไหม้ตาโตสีจาง, in thai), “Cryptic Green Pitviper” (in english), and “Kripticheskayabambukovaya kufiya” (Криптическая бамбуковая куфия, in Russian).
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| A. An everted right hemipenis of Trimeresurus cryptographicus sp. nov. (RIM-00106) B. Everted hemipenes of T. kuiburi (RIM-00107). |
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| All known species of the Trimeresurus macrops-kanburiensis complexes, in life: Trimeresurus cryptographicus sp. nov. from Tham Kang Kao Cave, Phitsanulok, Thailand (A); T. cardamomensis from Khao Soidao WS., Chanthaburi, Thailand (B); T. cyanolabris from Phuoc Binh NP., Ninh Thuan, Vietnam (C); T. erythrochloris from Khlong Hat, Sakeo, Thailand (D); T. macrops from Tha Luang, Lop Buri, Thailand (E), T. rubeus from Cat Tien NP., Dong Nai, Vietnam (F), T. ciliaris from Wang Prachan, Satun, Thailand (G); T. honsonensis from Hon Son Is., Kien Giang, Vietnam (H); T. kanburiensis from Sai Yok NP., Kanchanaburi, Thailand (I); T. kraensis from Tham Sanook Cave, Chumphon, Thailand (J); T. kuiburi from Sam Roi Yot, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Thailand (K); T. venustus from Khao Luang NP., Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand (L). Photographs by P. Pawangkhanant (A), A. Kaosung (B, E, I, J), N. A. Poyarkov (C, K), T. Smith (D), G. Vogel (F, G), L.P. Tran (H), R. Jaihan (L). |
Parinya PAWANGKHANANT, Sabira S. IDIIATULLINA, Tan Van NGUYEN, Thiti RUANGSUWAN, Tomoya MATSUKOJI, Patrick DAVID, Chatmongkon SUWANNAPOOM and Nikolay A. POYARKOV. 2025. A snake can change its finery: A New cryptic Species of the Trimeresurus kanburiensis complex (Reptilia: Serpentes: Viperidae) from central Thailand with an unusual ontogenetic color change. Zootaxa. 5621(5); 514-546. DOI: doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5621.5.2 [2025-04-22]
