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Issue: Vol. 4263 No. 2: 9 May 2017
Type: Article
Published: 2017-05-09
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4263.2.6
Page range: 318–332
Abstract views: 201
PDF downloaded: 2

Ahaetulla nasuta anomala (Annandale, 1906) (Squamata: Colubridae), resurrected as a valid species with marked sexual dichromatism

Department of Zoology, Government Science College, Chatrapur, Odisha, India- 761020.
Nature, Environment & Wildlife Society (NEWS), Turanga, Angul, Odisha, India- 759123. India.
PG Department of Zoology, North Orissa University, Takatpur, Baripada, Odisha, India-757003.
Wildlife Institute of India, Chandrabani, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India-248001.
Zoological Survey of India, Western Ghats Regional Station, Kozhikode, Kerala, India- 673006.
Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka, India- 560012.
Ahaetulla anomala Bangladesh India morphology phylogeny sexual dichromatism snake taxonomy Reptilia

Abstract

In this paper we resolve the taxonomic confusion related to Ahaetulla nasuta anomala (Annandale, 1906). On the basis of molecular and morphological data, we remove it from the synonymy of Ahaetulla nasuta (Lacépède, 1789) and reinstate it as a valid species—Ahaetulla anomala. This species is sexually dichromatic, males are green and females are brown in colour. Though the brown morph morphologically resembles Ahaetulla pulverulenta (Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1854) there are significant morphological and genetic differences between these two species. Additional information on taxonomy, natural history and distribution of the species is provided.

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