Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription or Fee Access

Additional Notes on Morphology and Distributional Records of the Snake Genus Smithophis Giri, Gower, Das, Lalremsanga, Lalronunga, Captain et Deepak, 2019 (Squamata: Serpentes: Natricidae) from North-East India

Rem Ruatpuii, Lal Biakzuala, Vishal Santra, Hmar Tlawmte Lalremsanga

Abstract


Recent publications provided some detailed insight into the genus Smithophis, but a paucity of information still exists on the distributional range, conservation, biology, and life history of the members of this genus from the northeast part of India. In the present study, we present new distribution records of the two sympatric Smithophis species, S. atemporalis and S. bicolor from Mizoram State, north-east India. We also provide an updated morphology and descriptions of hemipenes in both the species based on 32 specimens newly collected during the course of our studies (2008 – 2020). The occurrence of a distinct color forms in S. bicolor is documented.

Keywords


distribution; hemipenis; morphology; north-east India; Smithophis atemporalis; Smithophis bicolor

Full Text:

PDF

References


Anderson J. (1879), «Reptilia and amphibian», in: J. Anderson (eds.), Anatomical and Zoological Researches, Comprising an Account of the Zoological Results of the Two Expeditions to Western Yunnan in 1868 and 1875. Vol. 1B, Quaritch, London, pp. 809 – 810.

Blyth E. (1855) [1854], «Notices and descriptions of various reptiles, new or little known [part 2]», J. Asiat. Soc. Bengal, 23, 287 – 302.

Boulenger G. A. (1893), Catalogue of the snakes in the British Museum, Taylor & Francis, London.

Byers B. A. (1990), «Shell color polymorphism associated with substrate color in the intertidal snail Littorina saxatilis olivi (Prosobranchia, Littorinidae)», Biol. J. Linn. Soc., 40(1), 3 – 10.

Campbell J. A. and Lamar W. W. (2004), The Venomous Reptiles of the Western Hemisphere Vol. 2, Comstock Pub. Associates, Ithaca.

Chinliansiama, Lalremsanga H. T., and Biakzuala L. (2022), «Natural History Notes: Smithophis bicolor, reproduction», Herpetol. Rev., 53(3), 520.

Conroy C. J., Papenfuss T., Parker J., and Hahn N. E. (2009), «Use of tricainemethanesulfonate (MS222) for euthanasia of reptiles», J. Am. Assoc. Lab. Anim. Sci., 48(1), 28 – 32.

Das A., Deepak V., Captain A., Wade E. O., and Gower D. J. (2020), «Description of a new species of Smithophis Giri et al. 2019 (Serpentes: Colubridae: Natricinae) from Arunachal Pradesh, India», Zootaxa, 4860(1), 267 – 283.

Das A. (2010), Systematics and Biogeography of the Snakes of Northeast India. Unpublished PhD Thesis, Utkal University, Orissa.

Das I. (2012), A Naturalist’s Guide to the Snakes of South-east Asia, John Beaufoy Publishing Ltd., Oxford.

Das I. and Das A. (2017), A naturalist’s guide to the reptiles of India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, John Beaufoy Publishing Ltd., Oxford.

Doan T. M. (2003), «Which methods are most effective for surveying rain forest herpetofauna?» J. Herpetol., 37(1), 72 – 81.

Dowling H. G. (1951), «A proposed standard system of counting ventrals in snakes», Br. J. Herpetol., 1, 97 – 99.

Dowling H. G. and Jenner J. V. (1988), «Snakes of Burma: Checklist of reported species and bibliography», Smithsonian Herpetol. Inf. Serv., 76, 1 – 19.

Dowling H. G. and Savage J. M. (1960), «A guide to the snake hemipenis: a survey of basic structure and systematic characteristics», Zoologica, 45(1), 17 – 28.

Farallo V. R. and Forstner M. R. (2012), «Predation and the maintenance of color polymorphism in a habitat specialist squamate», PloS one, 7(1), e30316.

Giri V. B., Gower D. J., Das A., Lalremsanga H. T., Lalronunga S., Captain A., and Deepak V. (2019), «A new genus and species of natricine snake from northeast India», Zootaxa, 4603(2), 241 – 264.

Gray S. M. and McKinnon J. S. (2007), «Linking color polymorphism maintenance and speciation», Trends Ecol. Evol., 22(2), 71 – 79.

Günther A. C. L. G. (1872), «Seventh account of new species of snakes in the collection of the British Museum», Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., 9(49), 13 – 37.

Guo P., Liu Q., Xu Y., Jiang K., Hou M., Ding L., Pyron R. A., and Burbrink F. T. (2012), «Out of Asia: natricine snakes support the Cenozoic Beringian dispersal hypothesis», Mol. Phylogen. Evol., 63(3), 825 – 833.

Hoekstra H. E., Drumm K. E., and Nachman M. W. (2004), «Ecological genetics of adaptive color polymorphism in pocket mice: geographic variation in selected and neutral genes», Evolution, 58(6), 1329 – 1341.

Jackson J. F., Ingram W., and Campbell H. W. (1976), «The dorsal pigmentation pattern of snakes as an antipredator strategy: a multivariate approach», Am. Naturalist, 110(976), 1029 – 1053.

Kikuchi D. W., Seymoure B. M., and Pfennig D. W. (2014), «Mimicry’s palette: widespread use of conserved pigments in the aposematic signals of snakes», Evol. Dev., 16(2), 61 – 67.

Manley P. N., Van Horne B, Roth J. K., Zielinski W. J., McKenzie M. M., Weller T. J., Weckerly F. W., and Vojta C. (2006), Multiple Species Inventory and Monitoring Technical Guide. General Technical Report, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Washington, DC.

Mathew R. (2007), «Reptilia», in: Fauna of Mizoram: Records of the Zoological Survey of India. State Fauna Series, 14, Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata, India, pp. 545 – 577.

McElroy M. T. (2016), «Teasing apart crypsis and aposematism — evidence that disruptive colouration reduces predation on a noxious toad», Biol. J. Linn. Soc., 117(2), 285 – 294.

Muansanga L. and Lalremsanga H. T. (2020), «Feeding behavior of the Mizo Rainsnake, Smithophis atemporalis (Squamata: Natricidae), in Mizoram, India», Reptiles Amphibians, 27, 487 – 488.

Pope C. H. (1935), The Reptiles of China, Turtles, Crocodilians, Snakes, Lizards. Natural History of Central Asia, American Museum of Natural History, New York.

Pough F. H. (1976), «Multiple cryptic effects of cross banded and ringed patterns of snakes», Copeia, 1976(4), 834 – 836.

Remruatpuii, Lalbiakzuala, and Lalremsanga H. T. (2020), «Natural History Notes: Smithophis atemporalis, reproduction and range of elevation», Herpetol. Rev., 51(1), 156 – 157.

Rosenblum E. B. (2006), «Convergent evolution and divergent selection: Lizards at the White Sands ecotone», Am. Naturalist, 167(1), 1 – 15.

Vignieri S. N., Larson J. G., and Hoekstra H. E. (2010), «The selective advantage of crypsis in mice», Evolution, 64(7), 2153 – 2158.

Vogel G., Chen Z., Deepak V., Gower D. J., Shi J., Ding L., and Hou M. (2020), «A new species of the genus Smithophis (Squamata: Serpentes: Natricidae) from southwestern China and northeastern Myanmar», Zootaxa, 4803(1), 51 – 74.

Wallach V., Williams K. L., and Boundy J. (2014), Snakes of the World: A catalogue of Living and Extinct Species, CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group, London.

Wüster W., Allum C. S. E., Bjargardóttir I. B., Bailey K. L., Dawson K. J., Guenioui J., Lewis J., McGurk J., Moore A. G., Niskanen M., and Pollard C. P. (2004), «Do aposematism and Batesian mimicry require bright colours? A test, using European viper markings», Proc. Royal Soc. B, 271(1556), 2495 – 2499.




DOI: https://doi.org/10.30906/1026-2296-2022-29-6-331-340

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


You can subscribe to the print or electronic version of the journal on the site of EastView Company. If you have any questions, please write to the email sales@ivis.ru