v15i1.397
Volume 15 | Number 1 | 2026
Major Article
eISSN: 1800-427X (online)
DOI:10.47605/tapro.v15i1.397
Submitted date: 16 August 2025
Accepted date: 31 December 2025
Published date: 14 April 2026
Pp. 12–25, Pls. 4–7.
A NEW FOSSORIAL REED SNAKE (SQUAMATA: CALAMARIIDAE: Calamaria) FROM NORTHEAST INDIA, WITH A NOMENCLATURAL SYNOPSIS OF THE Calamaria pavimentata COMPLEX
Manmath Bharali, Chesime M. Sangma, A.A. Thasun Amarasinghe, Sanath C. Bohra, Pranjal Swargiary, Griksrang C. Marak, Arup K. Hazarika, Madhurima Das,
Bipin M. Asem, Jennifer Lyngdoh, Hmar T. Lalremsanga & Jayaditya Purkayastha
*Corresponding author. E-mail: mail.jayaditya@gmail.com
Abstract
The fossorial reed snakes of the genus Calamaria are morphologically conservative, geographically structured, and frequently misidentified across broad regions, especially where historical names have been applied without explicit synonymy audits. During surveys in the Garo Hills, Meghalaya, Northeast India, we collected a series of Calamaria specimens referable to the “Calamaria pavimentata” concept historically used for the region. We evaluate these specimens using a morphology-first framework complemented by mitochondrial cytochrome b phylogenetic placement. Maximum-likelihood inference recovers the Meghalaya lineage as the strongly supported sister to C. mizoramensis, with an uncorrected p-distance of 6.3%; these mitochondrial values are treated as descriptive support rather than as threshold-based evidence. Morphologically, the Meghalaya lineage is diagnosable by a unique combination of scalation, tail morphology, and coloration, including a short tail that is not gradually tapering, an obtusely pointed tail tip, and a broad median black stripe on the tail venter. To stabilize name usage around the new taxon, we summarize the historical names associated with the C. pavimentata complex, emphasizing type localities and type material where known.
Section Editor: Daniel Jablonski
LSID:urn:lsid:zoobank.org
DOI:10.47605/tapro.v15i1.397
Submitted date: 16 August 2025
Accepted date: 31 December 2025
Published date: 14 April 2026
Pp. 12–25, Pls. 4–7.
A NEW FOSSORIAL REED SNAKE (SQUAMATA: CALAMARIIDAE: Calamaria) FROM NORTHEAST INDIA, WITH A NOMENCLATURAL SYNOPSIS OF THE Calamaria pavimentata COMPLEX
Manmath Bharali, Chesime M. Sangma, A.A. Thasun Amarasinghe, Sanath C. Bohra, Pranjal Swargiary, Griksrang C. Marak, Arup K. Hazarika, Madhurima Das,
Bipin M. Asem, Jennifer Lyngdoh, Hmar T. Lalremsanga & Jayaditya Purkayastha
*Corresponding author. E-mail: mail.jayaditya@gmail.com
Abstract
The fossorial reed snakes of the genus Calamaria are morphologically conservative, geographically structured, and frequently misidentified across broad regions, especially where historical names have been applied without explicit synonymy audits. During surveys in the Garo Hills, Meghalaya, Northeast India, we collected a series of Calamaria specimens referable to the “Calamaria pavimentata” concept historically used for the region. We evaluate these specimens using a morphology-first framework complemented by mitochondrial cytochrome b phylogenetic placement. Maximum-likelihood inference recovers the Meghalaya lineage as the strongly supported sister to C. mizoramensis, with an uncorrected p-distance of 6.3%; these mitochondrial values are treated as descriptive support rather than as threshold-based evidence. Morphologically, the Meghalaya lineage is diagnosable by a unique combination of scalation, tail morphology, and coloration, including a short tail that is not gradually tapering, an obtusely pointed tail tip, and a broad median black stripe on the tail venter. To stabilize name usage around the new taxon, we summarize the historical names associated with the C. pavimentata complex, emphasizing type localities and type material where known.
Section Editor: Daniel Jablonski
LSID:urn:lsid:zoobank.org
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