A new Lycodon (Serpentes: Colubridae) from Northeast India and Myanmar (Burma)

9 Pages·2001·3.5 MB·English

by  Joseph B Slowkinski

PROCEEDINGS OF THE CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
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V/oods HoleOceanographicInstitution
Lib'^ary I
Volume52, No. 20,pp. 397^05, 5 figs. October26, 2001
DEC 3 2001
A New Lycodon (Serpentes: Colubridaejffbm Northeast India
and Myanmar (Burma)
by
Joseph B. Slowinski^SamraatS. Pawar^, Htun Win^,Thin Thin^,Sai Wanna Gyi^,
San Lwin Oo^, and HIaTun^
^DepartmentofHerpetology, CaliforniaAcademyofSciences,
Golden GatePark. San Francisco. California 94118
^CentreforEcologicalResearchandConservation. 3076/5IVCross, Gokulam Park,
Mysore570002. India; Tel: [phone]; [email protected]
^ Natureand Wildlife Conservation Division. ForestDepartment. MinistryofForestry,
BayintnaungRoad, WestGyogone, Insein, Yangon, Myanmar
A new species ofthecolubrid snaltegenusLycodon is described from western Myanmar
andNortheastIndia.Morphologically,thenewspeciesismostsimilartoL. laoensis,butis
distinguishable from it by its brownish black and white dorsal coloration (vs. brownish
blackandyellowinL.laoensis)andtheabsenceofawell-developednapeband(presentin
L.laoensis).ThenewspeciesincreasesthediversityofLycodontofourinMyanmarandto
fivein Northeast India.
Lycodon H. Boie in Fitzinger (1826) is a genus ofsmall colubrid snakes characterized by an
archedmaxillarygenerallywiththreesetsofteethseparatedbytwodiastemata,adorsoventrallycom-
pressed head, and a vertically elliptical pupil (Smith 1943; Taylor 1965; Leviton 1965). Approxi-
mately 25 species occur in Asia (Lanza 1999). Recently, herpetofaunal surveys in Myanmar and
Northeast India(by Slowinski, Htun Win, ThinThin, Sai WannaGyi, San Lwin Go, andHlaTun in
Myanmar; Pawar in Northeast India) yielded specimens ofLycodon from western Myanmar and
Northeast India that represent a new species. Four other species, viz., L. aulicus/capucinus, L.
fasciatus, L. kundui, L. laoensis, and L.jara, occur in Myanmar andNortheast India (Smith 1943;
Dowling and Jenner 1988).
All specimenswere handcollected, euthanized, fixed in 10%bufferedformalin and latertrans-
ferredto70%ethanol. ComparativematerialwasexaminedattheCAS (CaliforniaAcademyofSci-
ences), BMNH (Bombay Museum ofNatural History), and ZSI (Zoological Survey ofIndia). In
addition,informationwascollectedfromprivatecollectionsinIndiaandfieldstationsinvariouspro-
tectedareas inNortheast India.
*Dr.JosephSlowinskidiedinMyanmaronSeptember12,2001,whileleadingabiologicalexpeditiontothe
extremenortheastofthatcountry. Hewillbedeeplymissedbyhisacademiccolleagues,hisstudentsandfriends,
andbyhismanyco-workers in Myanmar.
397
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Species Description
Lycodon zawisp. nov.
Zaw's wolfsnake
—
MaterialExamined. Holotype: CAS 210323 (Fig. 1), a male from AlaungdawKatapha
NationalPark(AKNP)(22°19'N,94°29'E), SagaingDivision,Myanmar,collected 17July, 1999,by
HtunWin,ThinThin,K.Wiseman,J.Lovette,andJ.Vindum.ParatypeS:CAS210223,amalefrom
AKNP(22°19'N,94°24'E),SagaingDivision,Myanmar,collected 1 July, 1999,byJ. Slowinski,K.
Wiseman,J.Lovette,andJ.Vindum;CAS215494,amalefrom AKNP(22°19'N,94°24'E),Sagaing
Division,Myanmar,collected30May,2000,byHtunWin,ThinThin, SanLwinOo,SaiWannaGyi,
andHlaTun;CAS215570,amalefromAKNP(22°19'N,94°29'E),SagaingDivision,Myanmar,col-
lected 12June, 2000, byHtunWin,ThinThin, andSanLwinOo; CAS 215599, amale from AKNP
(22° 9'N, 94°29'E), SagaingDivision, Myanmar,collected 14June,2000,byHtunWin,Thin Thin,
1
andSanLwinOo; CAS 216505,amalefromtheGwaTownship(17°39'N,94°39'E), RakhineState,
Myanmar,collected29November,2000,byJ. Slowinski,HtunWin,andHlaTun.ZSI25346,amale
fromNgengpuiWildlifeSanctuary(NgWS;22°29'N,92°48'E),Mizoram,NortheastIndia,collected
17 April, 1999, by S. Pawar; ZSI 25347, a male from Nongkhyllem Wildlife Sanctuary (NWS;
25°56'N,91°31'E),Meghalaya,NortheastIndia,collected8May,2000,byM. F.Ahmed;ZSI25348,
a female from Garbhanga Reserve Forest (GRF; 26°09'N, 9r33'E), Assam, Northeast India, col-
lected 30March, 1998,by S. Sengupta. AdditionalSpecimens: Twomorespecimens,amalenear
Kaifung (23°39'N, 92°57'E), North Mizoram, Northeast India, and anothermale from Balphakram
TigerReserve(BTR;25°30'N,90°45'E),Meghalaya,NortheastIndia,nothousedinapermanentde-
pository. —
Diagnosis. LycodonzawidiffersfromotherLycodonoftheAsianmainlandbythefollowing
combination ofcharacterstates: 17 dorsal scale rows at mid-body, preocular scale present (Fig. 1),
loreal scale not in contact with intemasal (Fig. 1), anal scale divided, poorly-developed white
crossbandsonabrownishblackdorsum,andwithoutawell-developednapeband(Fig. I). Intermsof
scalecharacteristics,L. zawiissimilartoL. laoensis(Figs. 2^),knownfromNortheastIndia,China,
Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia (Lanza 1999), but differs by its brownish black
and white dorsal coloration (brownish black and yellow in L. laoensis), the poorly-developed light
crossbands (well-developed in L. laoensis), andthe lackofanapeband. Lycodonzawidiffers from
otherMyanmarandNortheast India congeners as follows: from L. aulicus/capucinus (Figs. 2-4) in
lacking anape band, in lacking a sharply definedwhite lip margin, and in having a loreal scale that
doesnotcontacttheintemasalscale;fromL. kunduiinlackinganapeband,having 17mid-bodyscale
rows(15inL. kundui),andinhaving8or9supralabials(7inL. kundui); fromL.fasciatus(Figs.2-4)
in lacking loreal contact with the eye, in lacking well-developed light crossbands, and in having
smooth dorsal scales; fromL.jara (Figs. 2-3) in having lightbands and in havinga loreal scalethat
does notcontactthe intemasal scale. Lycodonzawiresembles L. travancoricus (Westem Ghats and
southern Pakistan) and L. tiwarii (Andaman and Nicobar Islands; Biswas and Sanyal 1965) in
scalation.FromL. travancoricus,L.zawidiffersbyitsdividedanalandweaklydevelopedlightbands
(L. travancoricushaswell-developedyellowbandswhichbiftircateon thesides). Lycodonzawidif-
fersfromL. tiwariiinhavingwhitebandsonadarkdorsum(whitereticulationsonadarkdorsuminL.
tiwarii). —
Description of Holotype (Adult malej. Body dimensions: SVL 395 mm; tail length
85 mm; total length 480 mm. Body scalation: 183 ventrals; 45 subcaudals; 17-17-15 dorsal scale
rows. Headscalation: loreal well separatedfrom intemasal and from theeyeborderbythepreocular
and3rdsupralabial; 8 supralabials, 3rd,4th,and5thtouchingeye; 1 postocular; 2+3 temporals; 9/10
infralabials, 1stto 5th infralabials contactingchin shields.
SLOWINSKI ETAL.: LYCODON(SERPENTES: COLUBRIDAE)
399
Figure 1.Theholotype(CAS210323)ofLycodonzawi.
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emFCihgiunrae,2L.Daourlsiaclusvi(eCwAsSof2hie6a2d7s8)off(rtoomptMoabnodtatloamy)LDyivciosdioonn,zMayu/an(mCaArS,2L.10l3a2o3e)n,siLsyc(oCdAonSflalsicbila^t)ufsr(oCmATSha5i5la1n4d7,)afnrdomLjweasrta-
(CAS 12395)fromAssam,India.
SLOWINSKI ET AL.: LKCODOA^ISERPENTES: COLUBRIDAE)
401
Figure 3. Lateral viewsofheadsof(top tobottom; same snakesas in Fig. 2) Lvcodonzawi, L faxciatus, L. aulicus, L.
laoensis,andL.jara.
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The maxilla (right maxilla examined) is arched and similarin form to that illustrated by Smith
(1943,fig. 88)fori, aulicus.Twodiastemataseparatethemaxillaryteethintothreegroups.Theante-
riorgroup is composed ofthree small teeth followed posteriorly by two enlarged teeth; the middle
group is composedoffive equal teeth; the posteriorgroup is composed oftwo enlargedteeth.
Evertedhemipenisextendingto 8th subcaudal; unforked; distal halfcharacterizedby longitudi-
nal flouncesperpendiculartothe longaxisoforgan;proximal halfoforganwith largespines; sulcus
single, terminating in expanded trough at tip.
Coloration in life (same as in preservative): brownish black dorsally with irregularly shaped
whitetransversebands,thebandswelldevelopedanteriorly(onescalerowinwidth)butfadingposte-
riorly; faint,diffuse lightbandon nape; headdark brown dorsally, fadingto lightbrownon lips; tail
uniformbrowndorsallywithoutwhitebands; ventercreamwith dark lateral comerson eachventral
scale. —
Variation. FourofsixMyanmarspecimenshave8 supralabialsonbothsides,buttwohave
9/8supralabials. All fiveNortheastIndiaspecimenshave9supralabialsonbothsides. Fiveofthesix
Myanmarspecimens have 9 infralabialson both sides, butthe holotype has 9/10. All fiveNortheast
Indiaspecimenshave 1 infralabials.Theholotype,aparatypefromNortheastIndia(ZSI25348),and
twootherspecimens fromNortheastIndiahave2+3 temporalsonbothsides. Anotherparatypefrom
Northeast India (ZSI 25347) has 2+3 temporals on the left and 3+4 on the right. The thirdparatype
fromNortheastIndia(ZSI25346)has2+1 temporalsontheleftand2+2ontheright. Allotherspeci-
mens,fromMyanmar,have +2+3temporals.TheholotypeandtwootherMyanmarspecimens(CAS
I
210223, 1/1 postocular; CAS 216505,2/1 postocular)haveonepostocular; all otherspecimens have
twopostoculars.Ventralsinmalesrangefrom 179to 186intheMyanmarspecimensand 190to 194in
theNortheastIndiaspecimens;thesinglefemalespecimen(ZSI 25348) from Indiahas207ventrals;
subcaudalsinmalesrangefrom45to67intheMyanmarspecimensand70to75intheNortheastIndia
specimens; the single female from India has an incomplete tail.
Thegeneralcolorpattern isidentical inall specimens,exceptforsomewhitebandsonthetail in
several specimens.ThreeNortheastIndiaspecimenshaveafaintspotonthenape. Theventral color-
ationofthefemaleparatype(ZSI25348)consistsoferraticallydistributeddarkpatchesontheventral
scales, not seen in t—he others.
Etymology. The specific name is a patronym in the genitive singular, honoring U Khin
MaungZaw,DirectoroftheMyanmarNatureandWildlifeConservationDivision,whohasprovided
critical assistance to oursurvey ofthe herpet—ofauna ofMyanmar.
DistributionandNaturalHistory. InMyanmar,Lycodonzawiiscurrentlyknownfrom
twolocalitiesinthewest(Fig. 5): fivespecimenscollectedfromAKNPintheSagaingDivision,and
onespecimencollectedfromalocalityonthewesternslopeofthesouthernRakhine(Arakan)Moun-
tains,over470 km southofthefirstlocality. AlaungdawKataphaNational ParkisintheSagaingDi-
vision in west-central Myanmar, approximately 160 km west ofMandalay. This is an area oflow
mountainswithamaximumelevationof1000 m.RainfallatAKNPaverages 1500 mmperyear(Tun
Nyo 1997),andtheparkconsistsofamosaicofdeciduousforesttypes, fromclosedcanopymoistde-
ciduousforesttoindaing,asavannaofstunteddipterocarptrees.ThesingleRakhineYomaspecimen
came fromthe forestsnearGwa in the Rakhine State, approximately 170 km westofYangon (Ran-
mm
goon). Rainfall in the southern Rakhine mountains is quite high, averaging over 5000 peryear
(datafromMyanmargovernment).Owingtothis,thehabitatisquitedifferentfromthatinAKNP.Or-
iginallyevergreenforest(Stamp 1924, 1930),loggingandshiftingcultivationhasreducedmostofthe
forestto extensive bamboo stands (Collins et al. 1991).
InNortheastIndia,L.zawihasbeencollectedatfivelocalities(Fig. 5). All localitiesareinlowto
mid-elevation hill tractsreceivingmedium tohigh precipitation (above 2000 mm peryear); all sites
harbor,orformerlyharbored,lowtomid-elevationmoisttropicalevergreentosemi-evergreenforest.
Fourofthefivelocalities,viz.,NgWS,NWS,BTR,andGRF,areprotected. Asin Myanmar, habitat
SLOWINSKI ETAL.: Z.rCC>DOA^(SERPENTES: COLUBRIDAE) 403
Figure4.Anteriorbodiesof(toptobottom;samesnakesasin Fig.2)Lycodonfasciatus, L. aulicus, andL. laoensis.
alteration dueto slash-and-bum cultivation is amajorproblem forhabitatconservation inNortheast
India(Ramakrishnan 1992).Infact,thespecimen(ZSl25346)frotnNgWSwascaughtwhilefleeinga
burning slash-and-bumplotnearthe sanctuaryboundary.
All evidence suggests thatL. zawiis anocturnal species, apparentlypreferringriparian forests.
Most specimens were found active at night along streams at elevations less than 500 m. Although
thereareextensivetractsofbamboo inNortheastIndia-Myanmar,nospecimenswere foundinbam-
boo habitats.
In both Myanmar localities, as well as most of the localities in Northeast India, L. zawi is
sympatricwithL. aulicusand/orL.fasciatus. All localitiesofL. zawifromNortheastIndiaaresouth
ofthe Brahmaputra river, which is an important biogeographical barrierin that region (Mani 1974;
RipleyandBeehler 990).Despiterecentsurveys(Pawar,unpublisheddata),nospecimenshavebeen
1
obtainednorthoftheBrahmaputrariver,includingtheeasternHimalayas.Iffoundthere,L zawimay
be sympatric with as many as three other species ofLycodon: Ljara, L. aulicus, and L. laoensis.
ThreespecimensofLycodonzawifromMyanmarhadpreyitemsintheiralimentarytracts: CAS
210223 containedthepartiallydigested headofa small skink; CAS 215494containedthereartorso
andtailofasmallskink;CAS215599containedahindlimbandthetailofasmallskink. Ineachcase,
theskinkappearstobeSphenomorphusmaculatus,whichiscommonalongstreamsinMyanmar.One
specimen (ZSI 25346) keptbyPawarin captivityfor28 days fedon geckos{Hemidactylusfrenatus
andH. garnoti).
Discussion
Lycodonzawiseemstobecommonwhereitoccurs.Itsrecentdiscoveryisnotsurprising,because
westernMyanmarandNortheastIndiaremainverypoorlysurveyed.Recentsurveysofthisregionby
theauthorshavebroughtto lightnewrecordsandspeciesfortheregion(Slowinski andWuster2000;
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Lycodon zawi
1999-2000
• Collectionlocality
CaliforniaAcademyofSciences
DepartmentofHerpetology
ICO 200
Figure5. DistributionofLycodonzawiinMyanmarandIndia.
PawarandBiswas2001;PawarandChoudhury2000).Itisalsopossiblethatspecimensofthisspecies
existin local museumsin India,perhapsmisidentifiedas L. aiilicusorL. laoensis, towhich thenew
speciesbearssuperficialresemblance.Ingeneral,L.zawiiseasilydifferentiatedbyitscombinationof
morphology andcolorpattern. It is apparent from the above description thatthere is some variation
both within andbetween Northeast India and Myanmar samples. The apparentdifferences between
the ventral scale counts ofthe Myanmar andNortheast India populations suggests geographic
differentiation.
Additional Material Examined
Lycodon laoensis.—CAS 73679 (Thailand), CAS-SU 8523 (Penang, Malaysia), CAS 15966
(Kerala, India).
—
Lycodon aulicus. CAS 216278 (Mandalay Division, Myanmar), CAS 215387 (Sagaing Divi-
sion, Myanmar), CAS 215396 (Sagaing Division, Myanmar), CAS 215422 (Sagaing Division,
Myanmar).
Lycodonfasciatus.—CAS 55147 (China), CAS 172715 (Chiang Mai Province, Thailand).
Lycodonjara.—CAS 17210 (Orissa, India), CAS-SU 12395 (Assam, India).
Lycodon tiwarii.—ZS\ 2—0849 (no locality available), CAS 20851 (no locality available).
Lycodon travancoricus. CAS-SU 15967 (Kerala, India).
SLOWINSKI ETAL.: LKCODOA'CSERPENTES: COLUBRIDAE) 405
Acknowledgments
Financial support for Slowinski. Htun Win, Thin Thin, Sai Wanna Gyi, San Lwin Oo, and Hla
Tun's field work in Myanmarwas provided by funds from NSF grant DEB-9971861 and from the
California Academy ofSciences. U Uga and U Khin Maung Zaw, past and present directors ofthe
MyanmarNatureandWildlifeConservationDivision,respectively,haveencouragedandassistedour
workinMyanmar. Forassistanceinthefield,wethankJ. Lovett, D. Lin,H. Robeck,J. Vindum,and
K. Wiseman. Forother forms ofassistance, we thank D. Lin. Surveys in Northeast India were sup-
portedbytheWildlifeInstituteofIndia,BombayNaturalHistorySociety,andtheChicagoZoological
Society.WethankS.SenguptaandM. F.AhmedforprovidingspecimensanddatafromNortheastIn-
dia.WealsothanktheForestDepartmentofMizoramforprovidingPawarwiththenecessarypermits,
andtheirinvaluableassistancein thefield. Alan Leviton, D. Lin, andM. Koopreparedthe figures; I.
Das, A. Leviton, andG. Zug read and commented on the manuscript.
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