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| Trimeresurus nujiang Liang, Ding, Vogel, Chen & Wu, 2025 |
Abstract
Trimeresurus nujiang sp. nov., a new cryptic species of green pit viper is described from southwestern China, based on specimens collected from Gongshan County, Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, China. Phylogenetic analyses based on DNA sequences of the mitochondrial cyt b, ND4, 12S rRNA and 16S rRNA genes supported the new species as an independent lineage (BPP 1.00/BS 100), closely related to T. stejnegeri and T. yunnanensis. A combination of characters helps delimit the new species from its congeners by: (1) ventrolateral stripe white (above) and dark red (below), present on the first row of dorsal scales in males; ventrolateral stripe faint white present in females; (2) postocular streak absent in both genders; (3) iris golden yellow in both genders; (4) DSR 19 (21/22)–19–15 (13), VEN 164–173, SC 57–68; (5) first upper labial completely separated from the nasal; (6) hemipenes short and spinose, bilobed at 6th/7th plate when unextruded, tips reaching SC 10. The uncorrected genetic distances of mitochondrial gene cyt b between the new species and other congeners range from 0.052 (T. stejnegeri) to 0.156 (T. hageni).
Key Words: Asia, molecular phylogeny, morphology, taxonomy, Trimeresurus nujiang sp. nov., Viridovipera
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| Trimeresurus nujiang sp. nov. in life: A. Holotype, male (DL R353); B. Paratype, female (CIB DL-03-622). Photographed by Li Ding. |
Trimeresurus nujiang sp. nov.
Diagnosis. A species of the genus Trimeresurus has a combination of the following characters: (1) Dorsal body olive drab or grass green, without bands or markings; interstitial skin greyish-black; ventral body yellow green. (2) Tail mostly reddish brown with dark brown tail end. (3) Dorsum of the head has the same color as the body, the upper labials are light green. (4) Moderate body size, with the maximum total length exceeding 804 mm. (5) White (above) and dark red (below) ventrolateral stripe present on the first row of dorsal scales, and the ventrolateral stripe continuous on the tail in males; faint white ventrolateral stripe in females. (6) Postocular streak absent in both sexes. (7) Iris golden-yellow in both sexes in life. (8) First supralabial completely ...
Etymology. The specific name “nujiang” refers to the location of type specimens, the area around the Nujiang River. As common name we suggest “Nujiang green pit-viper” in English and “Nù Jiāng Zhú Yè Qīng (怒江竹叶青)” in Chinese.
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| Comparison of coloration between T. yunnanensis and “T. gumprechti” in females. A, C. T. yunnanensis, collected from the type locality Tengchong, Yunnan Province; B, D. “T. gumprechti”, collected from Loei Province, Thailand. A, C. Photos by Ze-Ning Chen; B, D. Photos by Gernot Vogel. |
Ya-Ting Liang, Li Ding, Gernot Vogel, Ze-Ning Chen, Zheng-Jun Wu. 2025. A New Species of the Genus Trimeresurus Lacépède, 1804 (Reptilia, Squamata, Viperidae) from Southwestern China. Zoosystematics and Evolution. 101(4): 1653-1668. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/zse.101.162424
