On further specimens of Dussumier’s Mud Snake Dieurostus dussumierii (Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1854) with notes on its taxonomy, type material, and natural history (Reptilia: Serpentes: Homalopsidae)-Reference-Cited by-同舟云学术

On further specimens of Dussumier’s Mud Snake Dieurostus dussumierii (Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1854) with notes on its taxonomy, type material, and natural history (Reptilia: Serpentes: Homalopsidae)

Published:2024-08-19 Issue:2 Volume:5496 Page:261-272
ISSN:1175-5334
Container-title:Zootaxa
language:
Short-container-title:Zootaxa

Author:

SOUZA HUGO FRANCISCO DE^ORCID,PAVUKANDY UMESH^ORCID,GANESH S.R.^ORCID

Abstract

We present new findings on Dussumier’s Mud Snake Dieurostus dussumierii based on recent fieldwork conducted in and around Vembanad Lake (Kumarakom) in Kerala, Southwest India. We describe a series of 10 voucher specimens, eight females and two males, ranging from juveniles (207 mm) to adults (835 mm). We report new data on microhabitat associations, fossorial haunts, sympatric aquatic snakes (Fowlea cf. piscator, Cerberus rynchops), and intraspecific morphological variations in this species. We also illustrate and describe an overlooked, historical, non-type specimen of this species collected over a century ago. This work assembles the largest dataset of preserved voucher specimens used to characterize D. dussumierii, since its description 170 years ago.

Publisher

Magnolia Press

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