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Issue: Vol. 4559 No. 2: 20 Feb. 2019
Type: Article
Published: 2019-02-20
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4559.2.3
Page range: 265–280
Abstract views: 138
PDF downloaded: 3

A new species of Aspidura Wagler, 1830 (Squamata: Colubridae: Natricinae) from Knuckles, World Heritage Site, Sri Lanka

Herpetological Foundation of Sri Lanka, 31/5, Alwis Town, Hendala, Wattala, Sri Lanka
Ellangàwa Unity Care for Community and Nature, Hapugoda, Ambathenna, Sri Lanka
Herpetological Foundation of Sri Lanka, 31/5, Alwis Town, Hendala, Wattala, Sri Lanka
Herpetological Foundation of Sri Lanka, 31/5, Alwis Town, Hendala, Wattala, Sri Lanka Institute of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Biotechnology, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka
Reptilia Aspidura ravanai A. trachyprocta central highlands Knuckles Roughside snakes South Asia systematics

Abstract

We describe a new species, Aspidura desilvai sp. nov., closely resembling A. trachyprocta and the last addition to the genus A. ravanai, from Knuckles massif, Matale District, of Sri Lanka. The species represents the ninth species of the genus known from Sri Lanka, and is readily distinguished from all other congeners by its colour pattern, the scale nature in the ischiadic region, and morphometric characteristics specially from its ratio between the snout to eye distance to its eye width. The species is currently known only from the type locality.

 

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