The natricid snake genus Herpetoreas Günther,1860,is predominantly distributed throughout the southern Himalayan region.Over the past decade,intensive field investigations and taxonomic studies have led to the su...The natricid snake genus Herpetoreas Günther,1860,is predominantly distributed throughout the southern Himalayan region.Over the past decade,intensive field investigations and taxonomic studies have led to the successful discovery and description of four cryptic species within this group.Nevertheless,data suggest that species diversity remains significantly underestimated and that the systematic position of certain members still requires clarification.Five new specimens initially identified as Herpetoreas were collected during field work on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau.Comprehensive molecular phylogenetic analyses and morphological comparisons confirmed that two specimens represented a cryptic species,while the remaining three were identified as the rare H.sieboldii Günther,1860.In addition to the significant genetic divergence,the new species exhibits diagnostic morphological characteristics that distinguish it from its congeners:(1)preoculars 2;(2)postoculars 2;(3)temporals 1+2 or 1+1+2;(4)dorsal scale rows 19-19-17,all keeled except the outer one,dorsal scale reduction from 19 to 17 rows at 109^(th)-111^(th)VS;(5)ventrals 215219;(6)cloacal plate divided;(7)subcaudals 89-90,paired;(8)reduction of tail dorsal scales from 8 to 6 rows at position 35-36 SC,and from 6 to 4 at 74 SC;(9)tail segments with 4 supracaudal scale rows constitutes 0.38%-0.42%of those with 6 rows;(10)a wide dark stripe extending from the posterior eye to the upper corner of the mouth;(11)dorsum brick-brown in life,speckled with short dark stripes;(12)body and tail venter immaculate,each shield decorated with dark spots on the lateral edges.The systematics of H.sieboldii and H.platyceps are also discussed based on molecular data.展开更多
基金supported by the Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research(STEP)Program(2024QZKK0200)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC 32370486).
文摘The natricid snake genus Herpetoreas Günther,1860,is predominantly distributed throughout the southern Himalayan region.Over the past decade,intensive field investigations and taxonomic studies have led to the successful discovery and description of four cryptic species within this group.Nevertheless,data suggest that species diversity remains significantly underestimated and that the systematic position of certain members still requires clarification.Five new specimens initially identified as Herpetoreas were collected during field work on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau.Comprehensive molecular phylogenetic analyses and morphological comparisons confirmed that two specimens represented a cryptic species,while the remaining three were identified as the rare H.sieboldii Günther,1860.In addition to the significant genetic divergence,the new species exhibits diagnostic morphological characteristics that distinguish it from its congeners:(1)preoculars 2;(2)postoculars 2;(3)temporals 1+2 or 1+1+2;(4)dorsal scale rows 19-19-17,all keeled except the outer one,dorsal scale reduction from 19 to 17 rows at 109^(th)-111^(th)VS;(5)ventrals 215219;(6)cloacal plate divided;(7)subcaudals 89-90,paired;(8)reduction of tail dorsal scales from 8 to 6 rows at position 35-36 SC,and from 6 to 4 at 74 SC;(9)tail segments with 4 supracaudal scale rows constitutes 0.38%-0.42%of those with 6 rows;(10)a wide dark stripe extending from the posterior eye to the upper corner of the mouth;(11)dorsum brick-brown in life,speckled with short dark stripes;(12)body and tail venter immaculate,each shield decorated with dark spots on the lateral edges.The systematics of H.sieboldii and H.platyceps are also discussed based on molecular data.
