Review of Systematics on the Asian Snail-eating Snakes
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School of Chemistry and Life Science,Guizhou Normal College; Key Laboratory of biological resources development and utilization, Guizhou province,College of Continuing Education, Guizhou Normal University

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    Abstract:

    Due to highly conserved morphology, the taxonomy of Asian snail-eating snakes remains contentious and has been frequently revised. Based on the references and our research results,this paper summarizes the studies on the classification of Asian snail-eating snakes in morphology and molecular phylogeny, including affirmation of the family,genus and species. This article lists the geographical distribution of each species of Asian snail-eating snakes too,and bring forward the problems of systematics in these snakes. The main points are as follows: ① The Asian snail-eating snakes should be a separate Family instead of a A Subfamily within Colubridae. ②Aplopeltura and Asthenodipsas are valid genera. Pareas carinatus and P. nuchalis are genetically quite divergent from other species of Pareas, also differ from other Pareas in cephalic scalation and distribution pattern. So, Pareas can be divided into two genera in theory; ③ The molecular phylogeny suggests a distant relationship between Pareas chinensis and P. formosensi, and supports the validity of the former species; ④ The integrative taxonomic approach suggests the validity of Asthenodipsas tropidonotus, and describe Asthenodipsas lasgalenensis as the new species. In conclusion, Pareatidae was recognized to comprise three genera and 17 species: Aplopeltura boa;Asthenodipsas laevis; Asthenodipsas malaccanus; Asthenodipsas vertebralis; Asthenodipsas tropidonotus; Asthenodipsas lasgalenensis; Pareas boulengeri; P. carinatus; P. formosensi; P. chinensis; P. hamptoni; P. iwasakii; P. margaritophorus; P. monticola; P. nuchalis; P. stanleyi; P. nigriceps.

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GUO Yu-Hong, ZHANG Qing-Lin. 2015. Review of Systematics on the Asian Snail-eating Snakes. Chinese Journal of Zoology, 50(1): 153-158.

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History
  • Received:March 25,2014
  • Revised:December 17,2014
  • Adopted:December 11,2014
  • Online: January 15,2015
  • Published: