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Issue: Vol. 4486 No. 1: 26 Sept. 2018
Type: Article
Published: 2018-09-26
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4486.1.2
Page range: 31–56
Abstract views: 191
PDF downloaded: 5

Taxonomic re-evaluation of the monotypic genus Pararhabdophis Bourret, 1934 (Squamata: Colubridae: Natricinae) with discovery of its type species, P. chapaensis, from China

CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, Sichuan, China. Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China Southeast Asia Biodiversity Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yezin, Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History & Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA.
Vietnam National Museum of Nature, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Hanoi, Vietnam. Graduate University of Science and Technology, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Hanoi, Vietnam
Vietnam National Museum of Nature, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Hanoi, Vietnam.
College of Life Sciences and Food Engineering, Yibin University, Yibin, Sichuan, China. E-mail: ybguop@163.com
CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
College of Life Sciences and Food Engineering, Yibin University, Yibin, Sichuan, China.
CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, Sichuan, China. Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China Southeast Asia Biodiversity Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yezin, Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Reptilia Amphiesma Hebius Parahelicops cryptic diversity distribution misidentification new record

Abstract

The Asian monotypic genus Pararhabdophis Bourret, 1934 has long been known from a single holotype of the type species Pararhabdophis chapaensis Bourret, 1934 only. The limited available information hampered the identification of the natricine species. On the basis of eight newly collected specimens of P. chapaensis from the type locality in Sa Pa, Lao Cai Province, Vietnam and from Pingbian, Yunnan Province in southwestern China, the taxonomic position of the genus Pararhabdophis was re-evaluated using both morphological and molecular datasets for the first time. Pararhabdophis chapaensis is nested within the genus Hebius Thompson, 1913 with strong support, and morphologically indistinguishable from the latter genus. As a consequence, we herein synonymize the genus Pararhabdophis with Hebius and discuss about the existing paraphyly of some Hebius species. In addition we report Hebius chapaensis for the first time from China and provide redescription and natural history data of this poorly known species. To facilitate future taxonomic work, an identification key to all known natricine genera from China and Vietnam is also provided.

 

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