A new species of mud snake (Squamata: Homalopsidae: Myrrophis) from southern Vietnam

Abstract Homalopsid snakes of the genus Myrrophis include only two species distributed in southern China and northern Vietnam. Here, we describe a third species from southern Vietnam based on morphological data and nucleotide sequences from the mitochondrial gene cyt b. Myrrophis dakkrongensis sp. n...

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Published inVertebrate zoology Vol. 74; pp. 221 - 233
Main Authors Nguyen, Sang Ngoc, Le, Manh Van, Lathrop, Amy, Vo, Thi-Dieu-Hien, Murphy, Robert W., Che, Jing
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Dresden Pensoft Publishers 11.03.2024
Pensoft
Subjects
Congeners
Ethanol
Jaw
Mitochondrial DNA
Morphology
New species
Zoology
Vietnam
China
Germany
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Summary:Abstract Homalopsid snakes of the genus Myrrophis include only two species distributed in southern China and northern Vietnam. Here, we describe a third species from southern Vietnam based on morphological data and nucleotide sequences from the mitochondrial gene cyt b. Myrrophis dakkrongensis sp. nov. is diagnosed by the following morphological characters: Medium-sized mud snake (largest total length 452 mm); internasal single and distinctly separated from loreals; dorsal scales smooth, in 23 rows at midbody, reduced to 19 or 20 rows before vent; ventrals 133–138; subcaudals 34–42, paired; cloacal plate divided; supralabials 8, fourth entering orbit; second pair of chin-shields small and oblique; maxillary teeth 17 or 18; gland-like tubercles present in the cloacal region; hemipenis short, forked and spinose, reaching 7 th subcaudal; dorsum dark brown to black; and a white or yellow to orange lateroventral stripe present. The new species differs from its congeners by an uncorrected p distance in cyt b sequences of at least 10.5%.
ISSN:1864-5755
2625-8498
DOI:10.3897/vz.74.e116992