A new mountain pitviper of the genus Ovophis Burger in Hoge & Romano-Hoge, 1981 (Serpentes, Viperidae) from Yunnan, China

• Published in: ZooKeys Vol. 1203; no. 1; pp. 173 - 187
• Main Authors: Qiu, Xian-Chun, Wang, Jin-Ze, Xia, Zu-Yao, Jiang, Zhong-Wen, Zeng, Yan, Wang, Nan, Li, Pi-Peng, Shi, Jing-Song
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers 30.05.2024
• Subjects: Analysis; Asia; China; color; genus; head; Mitochondrial DNA; Morphology; Morphology (Animals); New species; Ovophis; Phylogenetics; Phylogeny; Serpentes; Snakes; species; Systematics; tail; Viperidae; Zoology; United States; China; Yingjiang County; snake; Ovophisjenkinsi sp. nov; taxonomy; Morphology
• ISSN: 1313-2989; 1313-2970; 1313-2970
• DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1203.119218

Based on a molecular phylogenetic analysis and morphological comparison, a new species of mountain pitviper, Ovophis jenkinsi sp. nov. , is described. The new species was collected in Yingjiang County, Yunnan Province, China. It can be distinguished from congeneric species by the following characters: (1) internasals in contact or separated by one small scale; (2) second supralabial entire and bordering the loreal pit; (3) dorsal scales in 23 (25)–21 (23, 25)–19 (17, 21) rows; (4) 134–142 ventrals; (5) 40–52 pairs of subcaudals; (6) third supralabial larger than fourth in all examined specimens of Ovophis jenkinsi sp. nov. ; (7) deep orange-brown or dark brownish-grey markings on dorsal head surface; (8) background color of dorsal surface deep orange-brown or dark brownish-grey; (9) both sides of dorsum display dark brown trapezoidal patches; (10) scattered small white spots on dorsal surface of tail.