On the Occurrence of Oligodon joynsoni (Smith,1917)(Squamata:Colubridae) in China

On the basis of a different dorsal pattern,and a low number of maxillary teeth,the specimens of Oligodon joynsoni(Smith,1917) from the Nonggang National Nature Reserve,Guangxi,China formerly identified as O. joynsoni by several authors should be referred to the recently described species O. nagao David,Nguyen,Nguyen,Jiang,Chen,Teynié,and Ziegler,2012. Here,we provide the first genuine record of O. joynsoni(Smith,1917) in China based on a male specimen collected from Xishuangbanna,Yunnan,China.

On the Identity and Taxonomic Status of Coluber nuthalli Theobald, 1868, with Redescription of the Type Specimens of Coluber nuthalli and Elaphis yunnanensis Anderson, 1879(Reptilia, Squamata, Colubridae)

The taxaColuber nuthalli Theobald, 1868 andElaphis yunnanensis Anderson, 1879 are compared and re-described, based on the examination of their type material. The morphological similarities of these two taxa revealed them as conspeciifc.Elaphis yunnanensis Anderson is thus declared as a protected name （nomen conservandum） with priority overC. nuthalli Theobald （nomen oblitum）. A lectotype forElaphis yunnanensis is designated and described. The validity ofyunnanensis as subspecies name in combination withOrthriophis taeniurus （Cope） will be discussed. A key to the subspecies ofO. taeniurus is provided.

Toward a Phylogeny of the Kukri Snakes,Genus Oligodon

The South and Southeast Asian snake genus Oligodon, known for its egg-eating feeding behavior, has been a taxonomically and systematically challenging group. This work provides the first phylogenetic hypothesis for the genus. We use approximately 1900 base pairs of mitochondrial DNA sequence data to infer the relationships of these snakes, and we examine congruence between the phylogeny and hemipenial characters. A hypothesis for the position of Oligodon within the Colubridae is also proposed. We discuss the implications of the phylogeny for previous taxonomic groupings, and consider the usefulness of the trees in analysis of behavior and biogeography of this genus.

Catalogue of the Type Specimens of Amphibians and Reptiles in the Herpetological Museum of the Chengdu Institute of Biology,Chinese Academy of Sciences:Ⅲ.Snakes Excluding Viperids (Reptilia,Serpentes)

In China,there are over 180 species of snakes in 57 genera and eight families(excluding the family Viperidae). In the Herpetological Museum of the Chengdu Institute of Biology(CIB),Chinese Academy of Sciences,the snake type specimens represent 11 species in 10 genera and three families(Xenopeltidae,Xenodermatidae and Colubridae). As a series of reports on the type specimens of Amphibia and Reptilia deposited in the Herpetological Museum of CIB,this paper focuses on the serpent families excluding Viperidae in the collections at this Museum.

Reproductive traits of the gray ratsnake Ptyas korros from three geographically distinct populations

Abstract We collected gravid gray rat snakes Ptyas korros from three geographically distinct populations in China, Chenzhou （CZ）, Jiangshan （JS） and Dinghai （DH）, to study geographical variation in female reproductive traits. Egg-laying dates differed among the three populations such that at the most northern latitude egg-laying was latest, and earliest at the most southern latitutde. Clutch size, clutch mass, egg mass, egg shape, within clutch variability in egg sizes and relative clutch mass differed among the three populations, whereas post-oviposition body mass did not. Except for egg-laying date, none of the traits examined varied in a geographically continuous trend. CZ and DH females, although separated by a distance of approximately 1100 km as the crow flies, were similar in nearly all traits examined. JS females were distinguished from CZ and DH females by their higher fecundity （clutch size）, greater reproductive output （clutch mass） and more rounded eggs. Our data do not validate the prediction that larger offspring should be produced in colder localities. The absence of an egg size-number trade-off in each of the three populations presumably suggests that P. korros is among species where eggs are well optimized for size within a population.