Instances of Aberrant Colors and Patterns Among the Indian Herpetofauna: a Review

Anil Mahabal, Sanjay Thakur

Abstract


A review of reported instances of aberrant colors and patterns in the Indian herpetofauna is presented. A total of 70 instances from Indian States in last more than 120 years have been compiled and analyzed based on published literature and photographs uploaded on web-sites.


Keywords


aberrant colors; patterns; Indian herpetofauna; review

Full Text:

PDF

References


Aengals R., Satish Kumar V. M., and Palot M. J. (2012), Updated Checklist of Indian Reptiles, zsi.gov.in/checklist/Checklist%20of%20Indian%20Reptiles.pdf.

Bartlett R. D. and Bartlett P. P. (2002), Designer Reptiles and Amphibians, Barron’s Educational Series, New York.

Basu D., Srivastava S., and Singh S. P. (2003), «A case of albinism in Kachuga tentoria circumdata (Testudines: Bataguridae)», Hamadryad, 27(2), 254.

Bechtel H. B. (1978), «Color and pattern in snakes (Reptilia, Serpentes)», J. Herpetol., 12, 521 – 532.

Bechtel H. B. (1991), «Inherited color defects. Comparison between human and snakes», Int. J. Dermatol., 30, 243 – 246.

Bechtel H. B. (1995), Reptile and Amphibian Variants: Colurs, Patterns and Scales», Krieger Publishing Co., Melbourne (Florida, USA).

Bechtel H. B. and Bechtel E. (1981), «Albinism in the snake Elaphe obsolete», J. Herpetol., 15, 397 – 402.

Bechtel H. B. and Bechtel E. (1985), «Genetics of colour mutation in the snake, Elaphe obsolete», J. Heredity, 76, 7 – 11.

Bhutkar R. and Mahabal A. (2014), «Cases of albinism in snakes from Maharashtra, India», Reptile Rap, 16, 31 – 35.

Broghammer S. (1999), Albinos Farb- und Zeichnungsvarianten bei Schlangen und anderen Reptilien, Edition Chimaira, Frankfurt am Main.

Capanna E. (1968), «Osservazioni sul semialbinismo degli anfibi», Boll. Zool., 34, 100 – 101.

Capanna E. (1969), «Albinismo parziale in una popolazione insulare di Discoglossus sardus», Tschudi. Boll. Zool., 36, 135 – 141.

Cooper W. E. and Greenberg N. (1992), «Reptilian coloration and behaviour», in: C. Gans and D. Crews (eds.), Biology of the Reptilia, Vol. 18. Physiology. E. Hormones, Brain and Behavior, Univ. of Chicago Press, Chicago.

Chaturvedi N. (2001), «Colours no bar?», Hornbill, July – September, 31.

Cyril Rufus K. (2009), «Record of albino Indian flapshell turtle (Lissemys punctata) from Adyar Wetland, South India», Cobra, 3(2), 10 – 11.

D’Abreu E. A. (1918), «On an undescribed colour variety of the snake (Zaocys mucosus) from the Central Provinces», J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 25(4), 753.

D’Abreu E. A. (1928), «An albino turtle», J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 32(3), 608.

Daniel J. C. (1983), The Book of Indian Reptiles, Bombay Natural History Society, Bombay.

Dave V. (2012), Checkered Keelback, http://www. indianaturewatch.net/displayimage.php?id=310615

Desai A. (2011), Sarp Sandharbh [Point of Reference to Snakes], Prakruti Mitra Mandalh [Soc. for Friends of Nature], Dahod, Gujarat [in Gujarati].

Diego-Rasilla F. J. and Leungo R. M. (2007), «Varios casos de albinismo en Alytes obstetricans (Laurenti, 1768)», Bol. Asoc. Herpetol. Esp., 18, 92.

Dyrkacz S. (1981), «Recent instances of albinism in North American amphibians and reptiles», Soc. Stud. Amph. Rept. Herpetol. Circ., 11, 1 – 31.

Gamble T., Aherns J. L., and Card V. (2006), «Tyrosinase activity in the skin of three strains of albino Gecko (Eublepharis macularius)», Gekko, Spencer, 5(1), 39 – 44.

Ghadekar P. (2011), Albino Sand Boa, http://www. indianaturewatch.net/displayimage.php?id=288486

Gilboa I. and Dowling H. G. (1974), «A bibliography of albinism in amphibians and reptiles, 1849 – 1972», in: Bibliogr. Serv. Herpetol. Inf. Search Syst. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. Publ. Herpetol., 6, 3 – 11.

Gohil K. (1983), «Shukla’s snake service in Bhavnagar», Hamadryad, 8(1), 14 – 15.

Harit D. N. (2012), «Occurrence of melanistic king cobra Ophiophagus hannah (Cantor, 1836) (Reptilia: Elapidae) in Mizoram, North East India», Cobra, 6(2), 24 – 26.

Hoshing V., Thakur S., and Mahabal A. (2013), «Cases of total albinism in green keelback Macropisthodon plumbicolor and common wolf snake Lycodon aulicus (Family: Colubridae)», Reptile Rap, 15, 46 – 47.

Jadhav M. and Mahabal A. (2012), «Sighting of albino common sand boa Gongylophis conicus from Northern Western Ghats, Maharashtra», J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 109(3), 205 – 206.

Jadhav M., Mahabal A., Desai V., and Shrivastav J. (2014), «A case of total albinism in common kukri snake Oligodon arnensis (Colubridae) with an unusual colour pattern», Reptile Rap, 16, 3 – 5.

Katre J. (2008), Young Albino, http://www.indianaturewatch. net/displayimage.php?id=56556

Khaire N. (1997), «Rare baby albino cobra is a charmer», Ind. Express Newspaper, August 8, 1997.

Krecsák L. (2008), «Albinism and leucism in European Viperine: A review», Russ. J. Herpetol., 15(2), 97 – 102.

Kuch U. (1991), «Abnormal coloration in the banded krait, Bungarus fasciatus (Schneider, 1801)», The Snake, 23, 25 – 28.

Kuch U. (1993), «Adderam», The Snake, 25, 65.

Kulkarni P. (2010), Albino Sand Boa, http://www.indianaturewatch.net/displayimage.php?id=163238

Kulkarni P. (2011), Albino Striped Keelback, http://www.indianaturewatch.net/displayimage.php?id=212232

Kumar P. (1988), «The albino cobra», Environ Today, 3(1, 2), 6 – 8.

Lahiri P. K. (1955), «A white python», J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 53, 135 – 136.

Lanza B., Andreone F., Bologna M. A., Corti C., and Razzetti E. (2007), Fauna d’Italia. Vol. XLII. Amphibia, Calderini, Bologna.

Lanza B., Nistri A., and Vanni S. (2009), Anfibi d’Italia. Ministero dell’Ambiente e della Tutela del Territorio e del Mare, ISPRA – Grandi & Grandi Editori, Savignano sul Panaro (MO).

Love K. (1997), «Hypomelanism in colubrids», Vivarium, 9(1), 32 – 36.

Mahapatra R. (2009), Albino Checkered Keelback Snake, http://www.indianaturewatch.net/displayimage.php?id=104953

Mallik S., Mohanty A., and Mohanty A. (2009), «Rescue of an albino common krait (Bungarus caeruleus) at Orissa country side», E-Planet, 7(1), 53.

Murhty T. S. N. (2010), The Reptile Fauna of India, B. R. Publ. Corp., New Delhi.

Nivalkar A., Patil V., Patil M., and Shinde V. (2012), «Report of an albino beaked worm-snake Gryptotyphlops acutus (Duméril and Bibron, 1844)», J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 109(3), 206 – 207.

Roy (2009), A Rare Treat, http://www.indianaturewatch.net/ displayimage.php?id=129071

Sadadiya S. (2011), Albino Kukri Snake, http://www.indianaturewatch.net/displayimage.php?id=241162

Sayyed A. (2009a), Albino Green Keelback, http://www.indianaturewatch.net/displayimage.php?id=115360

Sayyed A. (2009b), Albino Cobra, http://www.indianaturewatch.net/displayimage.php?id=113671

Sayyed A. (2012), «The distribution of albino green keelback (Macropisthodon plumbicolor, Family: Colubridae)», in: Conservation Articles, 23 July, 2012, http://www.indiawilds.com/diary/the-distribution-of-albino-green-keelback

Shivkumar B. (2012), Albino Checkered Keelback, http://www.indianaturewatch.net/displayimage.php?id=338574

Spadola F. and Insacco G. (2010), «Incomplete albinism in Discoglossus pictus (Otth, 1837)», Acta Herpetol., 5(2), 245 – 248.

Vijayaraghavan B. (2003), «White salty’ random harvest», Cobra, 51, 17 – 18.

Vogel G. and Chanhome L. (2006), «On two remarkable colour variants in Bioga dendrophila melanota (Boulenger, 1896) (Serpentes: Colubridae)», Hamadryad, 30(1 – 2), 199 – 203.

Vosjoli De P. (1997), «Cutting edge of herpetoculture», Vivarium, 9(2), 33 – 51 and 73 – 75.

Vyas R. (1987), «A list of the snakes of Bhavnagar District, Gujarat State», J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 84, 227 – 230.

Vyas R. (1989), «Melanistic form of the royal snake (Spalerosophis diadema, Schlegel)», J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 86(1), 112.

Vyas R. (1997), «An albino form of the Indian flapshell turtle (Lissemys punctata)», Hamadryad, 22(1), 62 – 63.

Vyas R. (2009), «Albinism in the common krait, Bungarus caeruleus (Schneider, 1801)», Sauria, 31(4), 57 – 58.

Vyas R. (2012), «Albinism in two Indian colubrine snakes, Oligodon arnensis and Coelognathus helena», Sauria, 34(3), 57 – 61.

Vyas R. (2013), «Notes on an unusual colour morphism in oriental rat snake Ptyas mucosa (Linnaeus, 1758)», Reptile Rap, 15, 43 – 44.

Vyas R., Prajapati V., and Parmar D. (2012), «The case of incomplete albinism in Indian red sand boa Eryx johnii johnii (Russell, 1801) (Reptilia: Serpentes: Boidae)», Russ. J. Herpetol., 19(4), 299 – 302.

Wall F. (1913), «A popular treatise on the common Indian Snakes. Part 19. Coluber helena», J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 22, 22 – 28.

Whitaker R. (1969), «Abnormal colouration in the banded krait, Bungarus fasciatus (Schneider)», J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 66(1), 184 – 185.

Whitaker R. (1971), «Notes of Indian snakes. 1», J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., 68(2), 461 – 463.




DOI: https://doi.org/10.30906/1026-2296-2014-21-2-80-88

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