Rediscovery of Lycodongammiei (Blanford, 1878) (Serpentes, Colubridae) in Xizang, China, with comments on its systematic position

Fu Shu; Bing Lyu; Keji Guo; Tong Zhang; Xiaoqi Mi; Li Li; Yayong Wu; Peng Guo

doi:10.3897/zookeys.1200.117260

Rediscovery of Lycodongammiei (Blanford, 1878) (Serpentes, Colubridae) in Xizang, China, with comments on its systematic position

Zookeys. 2024 May 7:1200:65-74. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.1200.117260. eCollection 2024.

Authors

Fu Shu¹, Bing Lyu², Keji Guo¹, Tong Zhang¹, Xiaoqi Mi³, Li Li², Yayong Wu², Peng Guo²

Affiliations

¹ Central South Academy of Inventory and Planning of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Changsha 410014, China Central South Academy of Inventory and Planning of National Forestry and Grassland Administration Changsha China.
² Faculty of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Engineering, Yibin University, Yibin 644005, China Yibin University Yibin China.
³ College of Agriculture and Forestry Engineering and Planning, Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Conservation and Utilization in the Fanjing Mountain Region, Tongren University, Tongren 554300, Guizhou, China Tongren University Tongren China.

Abstract

Lycodongammiei (Blanford, 1878), a rarely encountered species of Asian snake, is characterized by ambiguous systematics and biology. Based on a sole specimen of L.gammiei rediscovered in southeastern Xizang, China, we conduct a detailed morphological examination and description, and investigate the systematic position of this species. Morphologically, the newly collected specimen is closely aligned with specimens previously described. Mitochondrial DNA-based phylogenetic analyses reveal that L.gammiei constitutes an independent evolutionary lineage, forming a clade with L.fasciatus (Anderson, 1879), L.gongshan Vogel & Luo, 2011, L.butleri Boulenger, 1900, and L.cavernicolus Grismer, Quah, Anuar, Muin, Wood & Nor, 2014. The closest genetic distance between L.gammiei and its congeners was 10.2%. The discovery of L.gammiei in Medog County, China, signifies an eastward expansion of its known geographical distribution.

Keywords: Himalayas; Qinghai-Xizang Plateau; phylogeny; snake.

Fu Shu, Bing Lyu, Keji Guo, Tong Zhang, Xiaoqi Mi, Li Li, Yayong Wu, Peng Guo.