Boiga dightoni whitakeri

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Boiga dightoni whitakeri
Adult Whitaker's cat snake Boiga whitakeri from Tirunevlei hills Tamil Nadu Photo NS Achyuthan.jpg
Adult Whitaker's cat snake (Boiga dightoni whitakeri) from Tirunevlei hills Tamil Nadu
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Colubridae
Genus: Boiga
Species:
Subspecies:
B. d. whitakeri
Trinomial name
Boiga dightoni whitakeri
Ganesh, Mallik, Achyuthan, Shanker & Vogel 2021

Boiga dightoni whitakeri, or Whitaker's cat snake, is a subspecies of nocturnal, arboreal, opisthoglyphous snake of the family Colubridae. It is endemic to the Western Ghats of South India, in Kerala and Tamil Nadu states. [1]

Contents

Etymology

Whitaker's cat snake is named after the renowned Indian herpetologist Romulus Whitaker, who is the pioneer of Indian reptile conservation and education.

History of discovery

During a recent study (2021), a Boiga population from the Western Ghats of Tamil Nadu and Kerala was discovered and was found to be closely related to another species the Ceylon cat snake, Boiga ceylonensis endemic to Sri Lanka. [2] Thus it was described as new to science and was named Boiga whitakeri. In 2023, it was considered to be a subspecies of Boiga dightoni.

Type specimens

Holotype BNHS 3597 (ex. CESS 255) an adult male from the type locality Devar Mala. Paratype BNHS 1863 coll. K.G. Adiyodi from "Pullompara" in Ernakulam district, Kerala.

Identification features

A species of Boiga occurring in the Western Ghats, having 19 midbody scale rows; ventrals 235–243; subcaudals 88–98; a creamy brown dorsum with orange transverse streaks; crown with faint markings; ventrolateral pattern composed of small brown dots; phylogenetically delineated as a species, sister to B. ceylonensis of Sri Lanka.

Distribution & natural history

Boiga dightoni whitakeri is a nocturnal, arboreal snake actively seen foraging on bushes and trees at night. This species is endemic to the Western Ghats of South India. It has been recorded in Tamil Nadu and Kerala states, from areas such as Devar Mala, Courtallam, Agasthyamalai and Idukki district, i.e., the erstwhile Eranakulam Province.

Related Research Articles

<i>Boiga</i> Genus of snakes

Boiga is a large genus of rear-fanged, mildly venomous snakes, known commonly as cat-eyed snakes or simply cat snakes, in the family Colubridae. Species of the genus Boiga are native to southeast Asia, India, and Australia, but due to their extremely hardy nature and adaptability, have spread to many other suitable habitats around the world. There are 38 recognized species in the genus. According to the study done by Jiří Smíd regarding Old World cat snakes, the ancestor of the cat snake originated in Africa, from where it diversified and expanded to other countries. Despite this diversity however, the different species have very similar needs in terms of temperature and precipitation.

<i>Ahaetulla dispar</i> Species of reptile

Ahaetulla dispar, the Gunther's vine snake, is a species of tree snake endemic to the Western Ghats. It is primarily restricted to the Shola forests of the Southern Western Ghats where it is found often on high-elevation montane grasslands and the low shrub belts.

<i>Boiga beddomei</i> Species of snake

Boiga beddomei, commonly known as Beddome's cat snake, is a species of rear-fanged snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to the Western Ghats of India, in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa states.

<i>Boiga ceylonensis</i> Species of colubrid snake

Boiga ceylonensis is a species of rear-fanged, mildly venomous, nocturnal, arboreal colubrid snake endemic to Sri Lanka.

Boiga dightoni, commonly known as Dighton's catsnake, the Pirmad cat snake, and the Travancore cat snake, is a species of rear-fanged mildly venomous snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to the Western Ghats of India.

<i>Boiga forsteni</i> Species of snake

Boiga forsteni, also known commonly as Forsten's cat snake, is a species of mildly venomous rear-fanged snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to South Asia.

<i>Boiga nuchalis</i> Species of snake

The collared cat snake is a species of nocturnal, tree-dwelling, rear-fanged colubrid snake endemic to southwestern India.

<i>Lycodon travancoricus</i> Species of snake

Lycodon travancoricus, commonly known as the Travancore wolf snake, is a species of colubrid snake endemic to south India.

<i>Ahaetulla</i> Genus of snakes

Ahaetulla, commonly referred to as Asian vine snakes or Asian whip snakes, is a genus of colubrid snakes distributed throughout tropical Asia. They are considered by some scientists to be mildly venomous and are what is commonly termed as 'rear-fanged' or more appropriately, opisthoglyphous, meaning their enlarged teeth or fangs, intended to aid in venom delivery, are located in the back of the upper jaw, instead of in the front as they are in vipers or cobras. As colubrids, Ahaetulla do not possess a true venom gland or a sophisticated venom delivery system. The Duvernoy's gland of this genus, homologous to the venom gland of true venomous snakes, produces a secretion which, though not well studied, is considered not to be medically significant to humans.

<i>Boiga flaviviridis</i> Species of snake

Boiga flaviviridis, the yellow-green cat snake, is a species of mildly venomous, rear-fanged snake of the family Colubridae, which is found in India. It is a rear fanged, nocturnal, arboreal species of snake that probably feeds on lizards, frogs and small birds. It was first described in 2013.

<i>Proahaetulla</i> Genus of snakes

Proahaetulla is a monotypic genus of snake in the family Colubridae. It contains only one species, the keeled vine snake, which is endemic to the Western Ghats of India. Its natural habitat is montane rainforests of southern Western Ghats.

<i>Xylophis mosaicus</i> Species of snake

Xylophis mosaicus, the Anamalai wood snake, is a species of snake in the family Pareidae. It is endemic to the Western Ghats of India.

<i>Lycodon deccanensis</i> Species of snake

Lycodon deccanensis, the Deccan wolf snake, is a species of nocturnal, non-venomous colubrid snake species endemic to southern India. It was previously mistaken for another related species, Lycodon travancoricus, but later taxonomic studies revealed its distinctiveness.

<i>Ahaetulla borealis</i> Species of tree snake

The northern Western Ghats vine snake is a species of tree snake endemic to the northern Western Ghats of India.

<i>Ahaetulla farnsworthi</i> Species of tree snake

Farnsworth's vine snake is a species of tree snake endemic to the central Western Ghats of India.

<i>Ahaetulla malabarica</i> Species of tree snake

The Malabar vine snake, is a species of tree snake endemic to the southern portion of the central Western Ghats of India.

<i>Ahaetulla isabellina</i> Species of snake

Wall's vine snake is a species of tree snake endemic to the southern Western Ghats of India.

<i>Ahaetulla travancorica</i> Species of Reptilia

The Travancore vine snake, is a species of tree snake endemic to the southern Western Ghats of India.

<i>Ahaetulla oxyrhyncha</i> Species of snake

The Indian vine snake or long-nosed vine snake is a species of diurnal, mildly venomous, arboreal snake distributed in the lowlands of peninsular India.Often mistakenly believed to peck out peoples' eyes, this misconception has led to widespread wanton killing of this species.

<i>Ahaetulla sahyadrensis</i> Species of snake

Ahaetulla sahyadrensis is a species of tree snake endemic to the Western Ghats of India. It is also reported from Bangladesh.

References

  1. Ganesh, S.R.; Malik, A.K.; Achyuthan, N.S.; Shanker, K.; Vogel, G. (2021). "A new species of Boiga (Serpentes: Colubridae) from the Southern Western Ghats of India with a molecular phylogeny and expanded characterisation of related species". Zootaxa. 4981 (3): 453–457. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4981.3.2. PMID   34186711. S2CID   235688650.
  2. Ganesh, S.R.; Achyuthan, N.S.; Chandramouli, S.R.; Vogel, G. (2020). "Taxonomic revision of the Boiga ceylonensis group (Serpentes: Colubridae): re-examination of type specimens, redefinition of nominate taxa and an updated key". Zootaxa. 4779 (3): 301–322. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4779.3.1. PMID   33055775. S2CID   219777884.