Archives
v9i1.221ISSN: 1800-427X (printed)
eISSN: 1800-427X (online)
DOI:10.47605/tapro.v9i1.221
Submitted date: 05 April 2020
Accepted date: 30 April 2020
Published date: 21 May 2020
Pp. 50–58, pls. 19–21.
REDESCRIPTION OF Lycodon travancoricus (BEDDOME, 1870) (REPTILIA : COLUBRIDAE), AN INDIAN ENDEMIC SNAKE, WITH A REVIEW OF ITS GEOGRAPHIC RANGE
S.R. Ganesh, A.A. Thasun Amarasinghe & Gernot Vogel*
*Corresponding author. E-mail: gernot.vogel@t-online.de
Abstract
We redescribe the poorly-known peninsular India endemic colubrid snake Lycodon travancoricus based on its traceable syntype. We elaborate on the geographic range of the species and reveal its distribution in several disjunct hill ranges scattered across its range – the Western Ghats, the Eastern Ghats and the Central Indian Highlands. Discussions about a suggested relegation of its status as a subspecies of the widespread L. aulicus are revisited, in light of new knowledge on the species complex to which it belongs. Our perusal of extralimital records allocated to this species reveals frequent incorrect identification and provenance of specimens. Our results bolster the view that the existing diagnosis is sufficient to distinguish this species from regional congeners supporting its continued recognition as a valid species restricted to peninsular India.
Key words : distribution, Eastern Ghats, identification, Indian peninsula, syntype, Western Ghats
Section Editor: Ivan Ineich
LSID:urn:lsid:zoobank.org
eISSN: 1800-427X (online)
DOI:10.47605/tapro.v9i1.221
Submitted date: 05 April 2020
Accepted date: 30 April 2020
Published date: 21 May 2020
Pp. 50–58, pls. 19–21.
REDESCRIPTION OF Lycodon travancoricus (BEDDOME, 1870) (REPTILIA : COLUBRIDAE), AN INDIAN ENDEMIC SNAKE, WITH A REVIEW OF ITS GEOGRAPHIC RANGE
S.R. Ganesh, A.A. Thasun Amarasinghe & Gernot Vogel*
*Corresponding author. E-mail: gernot.vogel@t-online.de
Abstract
We redescribe the poorly-known peninsular India endemic colubrid snake Lycodon travancoricus based on its traceable syntype. We elaborate on the geographic range of the species and reveal its distribution in several disjunct hill ranges scattered across its range – the Western Ghats, the Eastern Ghats and the Central Indian Highlands. Discussions about a suggested relegation of its status as a subspecies of the widespread L. aulicus are revisited, in light of new knowledge on the species complex to which it belongs. Our perusal of extralimital records allocated to this species reveals frequent incorrect identification and provenance of specimens. Our results bolster the view that the existing diagnosis is sufficient to distinguish this species from regional congeners supporting its continued recognition as a valid species restricted to peninsular India.
Key words : distribution, Eastern Ghats, identification, Indian peninsula, syntype, Western Ghats
Section Editor: Ivan Ineich
LSID:urn:lsid:zoobank.org
v9i1.220ISSN: 1800-427X (printed)
eISSN: 1800-427X (online)
DOI:10.47605/tapro.v9i1.220
Submitted date: 01 December 2019
Accepted date: 11 March 2020
Published date: 21 May 2020
Pp. 39–49, pls. 15–18.
TAXONOMY AND DISTRIBUTION OF Liopeltis calamaria (GÜNTHER, 1858) (REPTILIA : COLUBRIDAE), INCLUDING REDESCRIPTION OF THE SYNTYPES
A.A. Thasun Amarasinghe*, Suranjan Karunarathna, Patrick D. Campbell, S.R. Ganesh & Gernot Vogel
*Corresponding author. E-mail: thasun@rccc.ui.ac.id
Abstract
Liopeltis calamaria, a rare non-venomous colubrid snake of South Asia, is redescribed. Its syntypes and all the available type specimens of its recognized synonyms are examined, including information about the respective populations found across India and Sri Lanka. Our literature compilation and mapping analyses reveal three distinct populations – (I) Sri Lankan (probably also present in some parts of South India as well), (II) Peninsular Indian, and (III) Himalayan / Nepalese, separated by the Palk Strait and the Indo-Gangetic plains respectively.
Key words : India, population variation, reed snake, sexual dimorphism, Sri Lanka, synonyms
Section Editor: Ivan Ineich
LSID:urn:lsid:zoobank.org
eISSN: 1800-427X (online)
DOI:10.47605/tapro.v9i1.220
Submitted date: 01 December 2019
Accepted date: 11 March 2020
Published date: 21 May 2020
Pp. 39–49, pls. 15–18.
TAXONOMY AND DISTRIBUTION OF Liopeltis calamaria (GÜNTHER, 1858) (REPTILIA : COLUBRIDAE), INCLUDING REDESCRIPTION OF THE SYNTYPES
A.A. Thasun Amarasinghe*, Suranjan Karunarathna, Patrick D. Campbell, S.R. Ganesh & Gernot Vogel
*Corresponding author. E-mail: thasun@rccc.ui.ac.id
Abstract
Liopeltis calamaria, a rare non-venomous colubrid snake of South Asia, is redescribed. Its syntypes and all the available type specimens of its recognized synonyms are examined, including information about the respective populations found across India and Sri Lanka. Our literature compilation and mapping analyses reveal three distinct populations – (I) Sri Lankan (probably also present in some parts of South India as well), (II) Peninsular Indian, and (III) Himalayan / Nepalese, separated by the Palk Strait and the Indo-Gangetic plains respectively.
Key words : India, population variation, reed snake, sexual dimorphism, Sri Lanka, synonyms
Section Editor: Ivan Ineich
LSID:urn:lsid:zoobank.org
v9i2.227ISSN: 1800-427X (printed)
eISSN: 1800-427X (online)
DOI:10.47605/tapro.v9i2.227
Published date: 28 November 2020
Pp. 133–135
EDITORIAL: Cladonotus bhaskari: a call for improving ethical standards in taxonomic journals
A.A.Thasun Amarasinghe
Co-editor-in-chief: Taprobanica, the journal of Asian Biodiversity
We are in a period of mass extinctions, when many species of animals, plants and other organisms are disappearing through direct or indirect human activities. Yet, the declining numbers of expert taxonomists represents a barrier to identifying, studying and protecting threatened species. This is especially true in developing countries such as Sri Lanka. How can we enjoy and protect something if we don‘t know it is out there to enjoy and protect? As urgent as the description of newly discovered species is, such descriptions must necessarily take place in the context not only of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN) but also a sound ethical framework including adherence to local laws. Even urgently needed taxonomic research cannot be justified if it breaches ethical guidelines or the laws of the countries in which the organisms of interest originate, as the following cases illustrate.
eISSN: 1800-427X (online)
DOI:10.47605/tapro.v9i2.227
Published date: 28 November 2020
Pp. 133–135
EDITORIAL: Cladonotus bhaskari: a call for improving ethical standards in taxonomic journals
A.A.Thasun Amarasinghe
Co-editor-in-chief: Taprobanica, the journal of Asian Biodiversity
We are in a period of mass extinctions, when many species of animals, plants and other organisms are disappearing through direct or indirect human activities. Yet, the declining numbers of expert taxonomists represents a barrier to identifying, studying and protecting threatened species. This is especially true in developing countries such as Sri Lanka. How can we enjoy and protect something if we don‘t know it is out there to enjoy and protect? As urgent as the description of newly discovered species is, such descriptions must necessarily take place in the context not only of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN) but also a sound ethical framework including adherence to local laws. Even urgently needed taxonomic research cannot be justified if it breaches ethical guidelines or the laws of the countries in which the organisms of interest originate, as the following cases illustrate.
v2i2.35ISSN: 1800-427X (print)
eISSN: 1800-427X (online)
DOI:10.47605/tapro.v2i2.35
Submitted date: 06 March 2011
Accepted date: 22 April 2011
Published date: 30 April 2011
Pp. 105-108.
Utilization of food plant species and abundance of hanuman langurs (Semnopithecus entellus) in Pench Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh, India
Aniruddha Majumder*, Abinash Parida, K. Sankar & Qamar Qureshi
*Corresponding author. E-mail: aniruddha@wii.gov.in
Utilization of food plant species and abundance of hanuman langurs (Semnopithecus entellus) were studied between January 2009 and August 2010 in Pench Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh (78° 55’ to 79° 35' E and 21° 8' to 22° N), India.
Section Editor: Lee Harding
eISSN: 1800-427X (online)
DOI:10.47605/tapro.v2i2.35
Submitted date: 06 March 2011
Accepted date: 22 April 2011
Published date: 30 April 2011
Pp. 105-108.
Utilization of food plant species and abundance of hanuman langurs (Semnopithecus entellus) in Pench Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh, India
Aniruddha Majumder*, Abinash Parida, K. Sankar & Qamar Qureshi
*Corresponding author. E-mail: aniruddha@wii.gov.in
Utilization of food plant species and abundance of hanuman langurs (Semnopithecus entellus) were studied between January 2009 and August 2010 in Pench Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh (78° 55’ to 79° 35' E and 21° 8' to 22° N), India.
Section Editor: Lee Harding
v2i2.34ISSN: 1800-427X (print)
eISSN: 1800-427X (online)
DOI:10.47605/tapro.v2i2.34
Submitted date: 07 October 2010
Accepted date: 22 January 2010
Published date: 30 April 2011
Pp. 104.
Hemidactylus parvimaculatus Deraniyagala, 1953 (Reptilia : Gekkonidae) feeds on Ramanella variegata (Stoliczka, 1872) (Amphibia : Microhylidae) in Sri Lanka
D.M.S. Suranjan Karunarathna & A.A. Thasun Amarasinghe*
*Corresponding author. E-mail: thasun.taprobanica@gmail.com
The gecko genus Hemidactylus comprises seven species/sub-species in Sri Lanka and is thus the second largest gecko genus of the island. Here we record first observation of amphibian predation by H. parvimaculatus in an anthropogenic habitat in Sri Lanka.
Section Editor: Aaron Bauer
eISSN: 1800-427X (online)
DOI:10.47605/tapro.v2i2.34
Submitted date: 07 October 2010
Accepted date: 22 January 2010
Published date: 30 April 2011
Pp. 104.
Hemidactylus parvimaculatus Deraniyagala, 1953 (Reptilia : Gekkonidae) feeds on Ramanella variegata (Stoliczka, 1872) (Amphibia : Microhylidae) in Sri Lanka
D.M.S. Suranjan Karunarathna & A.A. Thasun Amarasinghe*
*Corresponding author. E-mail: thasun.taprobanica@gmail.com
The gecko genus Hemidactylus comprises seven species/sub-species in Sri Lanka and is thus the second largest gecko genus of the island. Here we record first observation of amphibian predation by H. parvimaculatus in an anthropogenic habitat in Sri Lanka.
Section Editor: Aaron Bauer
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