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v15i1.397eISSN: 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
v14i1.396eISSN: 1800-427X (online)
DOI:10.47605/tapro.v14i1.396
Submitted date: 16 August 2025
Accepted date: 9 December 2025
Published date: 16 February 2026
Pp. 1–11, Pls. 1–3.
A NEW ENDEMIC FOREST SKINK (SQUAMATA; SCINCIDAE; Sphenomorphus) FROM THE SANDSTONE ECOSYSTEM OF THE KHORAT PLATEAU, THAILAND
L. Lee Grismer, Parinya Pawangkhanant, Mali Naiduangchan, Jesse L. Grismer, Ian Dugdale, Andrew Pierce, Evan S.H. Quah, Chatmongkon Suwannapoom & Nikolay A. Poyarkov
*Corresponding author. E-mail: lgrismer@lasierra.edu
Abstract
A new Forest Skink, belonging to the Sphenomorphus stellatus complex, was discovered in the unique forested sandstone ecosystem of the Khorat Plateau in northeastern Thailand. This new skink was recovered as the sister species to the other Indochinese skinks, S. phuquocensis + S. annamiticus, based on a phylogeny using 1,184 base pairs of 12S and 16S. A multiple factor analysis (MFA) based on a concatenated dataset comprised of size-corrected morphometric, meristic, and color pattern characters revealed this species’ isolated position in morphospace with respect to all other species in the S. stellatus complex. This is the fourth endemic lizard species reported from the Khorat Plateau and adds to a growing list of endemic species across a broad range of taxa. As such, this region desperately needs legal protection and increased field-based systematic research to uncover more unrealized species on this plateau in need of description and protection.
Section Editor: Thasun Amarasinghe
LSID:urn:lsid:zoobank.org
DOI:10.47605/tapro.v14i1.396
Submitted date: 16 August 2025
Accepted date: 9 December 2025
Published date: 16 February 2026
Pp. 1–11, Pls. 1–3.
A NEW ENDEMIC FOREST SKINK (SQUAMATA; SCINCIDAE; Sphenomorphus) FROM THE SANDSTONE ECOSYSTEM OF THE KHORAT PLATEAU, THAILAND
L. Lee Grismer, Parinya Pawangkhanant, Mali Naiduangchan, Jesse L. Grismer, Ian Dugdale, Andrew Pierce, Evan S.H. Quah, Chatmongkon Suwannapoom & Nikolay A. Poyarkov
*Corresponding author. E-mail: lgrismer@lasierra.edu
Abstract
A new Forest Skink, belonging to the Sphenomorphus stellatus complex, was discovered in the unique forested sandstone ecosystem of the Khorat Plateau in northeastern Thailand. This new skink was recovered as the sister species to the other Indochinese skinks, S. phuquocensis + S. annamiticus, based on a phylogeny using 1,184 base pairs of 12S and 16S. A multiple factor analysis (MFA) based on a concatenated dataset comprised of size-corrected morphometric, meristic, and color pattern characters revealed this species’ isolated position in morphospace with respect to all other species in the S. stellatus complex. This is the fourth endemic lizard species reported from the Khorat Plateau and adds to a growing list of endemic species across a broad range of taxa. As such, this region desperately needs legal protection and increased field-based systematic research to uncover more unrealized species on this plateau in need of description and protection.
Section Editor: Thasun Amarasinghe
LSID:urn:lsid:zoobank.org
v14i2.395eISSN: 1800-427X (online)
DOI:10.47605/tapro.v14i2.395
Submitted date: 22 January 2025
Accepted date: 22 June 2025
Published date: 28 November 2025
Pp. 337–342.
Venomous snake distribution in Indonesia from citizen science and museum data
S. Anita*, T. Kodama, A.E.N. Herlambang, S.T. Jusivani, M. Mumpuni, I. Sidik, A. Hamidy, R. Eprilurahman & A. Riyanto
*Corresponding author. E-mail: syah014.brin.go.id
A recent study showed that reliable information about snake demography is needed in Indonesia for mitigating snakebite risk. There are more than 300 known snake species in Indonesia, of which 57 species, or about 19% belong to the Elapidae, and 22 species (about 7%) to the Viperidae. Only a few species of snakes in Indonesia are viewed as medically important species by the World Health Organization. Most of the snakes categorized as medically important are based on their number of snakebites, resulting in high levels of morbidity, disability, or mortality in humans. Another consideration in classifying the medical importance of snakes is how frequently the species encounters large human populations. This highlights the need to better understand venomous snake diversity and distribution, particularly in areas of high human population density.
Section Editor: Patrick David
DOI:10.47605/tapro.v14i2.395
Submitted date: 22 January 2025
Accepted date: 22 June 2025
Published date: 28 November 2025
Pp. 337–342.
Venomous snake distribution in Indonesia from citizen science and museum data
S. Anita*, T. Kodama, A.E.N. Herlambang, S.T. Jusivani, M. Mumpuni, I. Sidik, A. Hamidy, R. Eprilurahman & A. Riyanto
*Corresponding author. E-mail: syah014.brin.go.id
A recent study showed that reliable information about snake demography is needed in Indonesia for mitigating snakebite risk. There are more than 300 known snake species in Indonesia, of which 57 species, or about 19% belong to the Elapidae, and 22 species (about 7%) to the Viperidae. Only a few species of snakes in Indonesia are viewed as medically important species by the World Health Organization. Most of the snakes categorized as medically important are based on their number of snakebites, resulting in high levels of morbidity, disability, or mortality in humans. Another consideration in classifying the medical importance of snakes is how frequently the species encounters large human populations. This highlights the need to better understand venomous snake diversity and distribution, particularly in areas of high human population density.
Section Editor: Patrick David
v14i2.394eISSN: 1800-427X (online)
DOI:10.47605/tapro.v14i2.394
Submitted date: 28 December 2024
Accepted date: 21 April 2025
Published date: 28 November 2025
Pp. 334–336.
White-haired Trachypithecus cristatus on Gunung Kubing, Belitung
S.S. Azyati, D.A. Rahman, Diardi, A. Yuliansyah, A. Darmawan, H.I. Maulahila & P. Rianti
*Corresponding author. E-mail: pujirianti@apps.ipb.ac.id
Leucism differs from albinism because it does not entirely inhibit melanin production but reduces pigmentation in some areas. It is often linked to low genetic diversity caused by geographic isolation and inbreeding. Leucism is a rarely reported phenomenon in primates. Reported cases in Asia include leucistic individuals of Trachypithecus obscurus (dusky leaf monkey) in Langkawi, Malaysia and Semnopithecus vetulus (purple-faced langur) in Sri Lanka. In the near kampung Bilit, Kinabatangan, Sabah, Lhota et al. (2022) report Trachypithecus cristatus (silvery langur) with a specific reduction in pigmentation, leading to uneven off-white patches appearing on different areas of the body. A notable historical report describes a silvery langur with red hair in North Borneo, suggesting that hair colour anomalies have been occurring sporadically across langur populations.
Section Editor: Vincent Nijman
DOI:10.47605/tapro.v14i2.394
Submitted date: 28 December 2024
Accepted date: 21 April 2025
Published date: 28 November 2025
Pp. 334–336.
White-haired Trachypithecus cristatus on Gunung Kubing, Belitung
S.S. Azyati, D.A. Rahman, Diardi, A. Yuliansyah, A. Darmawan, H.I. Maulahila & P. Rianti
*Corresponding author. E-mail: pujirianti@apps.ipb.ac.id
Leucism differs from albinism because it does not entirely inhibit melanin production but reduces pigmentation in some areas. It is often linked to low genetic diversity caused by geographic isolation and inbreeding. Leucism is a rarely reported phenomenon in primates. Reported cases in Asia include leucistic individuals of Trachypithecus obscurus (dusky leaf monkey) in Langkawi, Malaysia and Semnopithecus vetulus (purple-faced langur) in Sri Lanka. In the near kampung Bilit, Kinabatangan, Sabah, Lhota et al. (2022) report Trachypithecus cristatus (silvery langur) with a specific reduction in pigmentation, leading to uneven off-white patches appearing on different areas of the body. A notable historical report describes a silvery langur with red hair in North Borneo, suggesting that hair colour anomalies have been occurring sporadically across langur populations.
Section Editor: Vincent Nijman
v14i2.393eISSN: 1800-427X (online)
DOI:10.47605/tapro.v14i2.393
Submitted date: 29 December 2024
Accepted date: 21 June 2025
Published date: 28 November 2025
Pp. 332–333.
New country record of a planthopper (Pyrops viridirostris) from Bangladesh
A.I. Barkat*, S.T. Ahammad & M. Ahmed
*Corresponding author. E-mail: azizulislambarkat@gmail.com
Bangladesh is home to a vast array of floral and faunal species, showcasing amazing biodiversity, including a wide variety of insects. However, the full extent of this diversity remains largely unexplored. In particular, the planthopper diversity of the country has received minimal scientific attention. Most research on planthoppers has focused primarily on species, considered to be agricultural pests, neglecting the broader ecological roles that many of these insects play. This limited focus has left remarkable gaps in our understanding of the overall planthopper diversity of the country, which could hold untapped ecological and economic value.
Section Editor: Mick Webb
DOI:10.47605/tapro.v14i2.393
Submitted date: 29 December 2024
Accepted date: 21 June 2025
Published date: 28 November 2025
Pp. 332–333.
New country record of a planthopper (Pyrops viridirostris) from Bangladesh
A.I. Barkat*, S.T. Ahammad & M. Ahmed
*Corresponding author. E-mail: azizulislambarkat@gmail.com
Bangladesh is home to a vast array of floral and faunal species, showcasing amazing biodiversity, including a wide variety of insects. However, the full extent of this diversity remains largely unexplored. In particular, the planthopper diversity of the country has received minimal scientific attention. Most research on planthoppers has focused primarily on species, considered to be agricultural pests, neglecting the broader ecological roles that many of these insects play. This limited focus has left remarkable gaps in our understanding of the overall planthopper diversity of the country, which could hold untapped ecological and economic value.
Section Editor: Mick Webb
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