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Issue: Vol. 5569 No. 2: 14 Jan. 2025
Type: Article
Published: 2025-01-14
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5569.2.7
Page range: 345-364
Abstract views: 530
PDF downloaded: 9

Oligodon cicadophagus, a new kukri snake from southern peninsular Thailand (Squamata: Colubridae)

Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences; Rue Vautier 29; B-1000 Brussels; Belgium
Department of Biology; Faculty of Science; Khon Kaen University; Muang; Khon Kaen 40002; Thailand
Ranong Marine Fisheries Research and Development Center; 157 Chaloem Phrakiat Rd.; Paknam; Muang; Ranong 85000; Thailand
Faculty of Science and Technology; Rajamangala University of Technology Srivijaya; 109 M. 2; Tham Yai; Thung Song; Nakhon Si Thammarat 80110; Thailand
Reptilia thai-Malay Peninsula Oligodon cicadophagus sp. nov. taxonomy limestone cave Phuket Mountain range cicada

Abstract

We describe a new kukri snake, Oligodon cicadophagus sp. nov., from the limestone reliefs of the Phuket Mountain Range in Krabi and Phang-Nga provinces in southern peninsular Thailand. A member of the Oligodon cinereus group, it can be distinguished from all other congeneric species by the combination of its maximal known snout-vent length of 537 mm; 11 maxillary teeth; eight supralabials; one preocular and one presubocular; 17-17-15 dorsal scale rows; 159–168 ventrals, and 50 subcaudals in males; a single anal scale; hemipenes bilobed with large broad lobes, no distinct flounced calyces and unforked sulcus spermaticus; dorsal surface of head, body and tail uniformly olive-gray, without nuchal chevron, dorsal stripes, crossbands, blotches or reticulations; and a venter cream anteriorly turning to dark gray posteriorly.

 

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