Rhabdophis chrysargos (Schlegel, 1837)

Leviton, Alan E., Siler, Cameron D., Weinell, Jeffrey L. & Brown, Rafe M., 2018, Synopsis of the Snakes of the Philippines, Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 64 (14), pp. 399-568 : 446-447

Rhabdophis chrysargos (Schlegel, 1837)

Speckle-bellied Keelback Snake

Tropidonotus chrysargos Schlegel, 1837b:312 , pl. 12, figs, 6–7.

Natrix chrysarga, Taylor , 12922a:87, pl. 4, fig. 5.

Rhabdophis chrysargos, Wallach, Williams, and Boundy, 2014:622 .

TYPE LOCALITY AND TYPE SPECIMEN (S).— Java, Indonesia, suggested by Schlegel who states, “ne m’ont pas permis d’hésiter à adopter les vues de M.M. Kuhl et Reinwardt qui ont découvert ces Tropidonotes à l’île Java ” (Schlegel. 1837b:312); further restricted to “ Mt. Megamendung , Westjava” (fide Manthey and Grossmann, 1997:387). Lectotype: RMNH 10426 (formerly RMNH 1051 ), designated by Iskandar and Colijin (2001:104) (fide Wallach et al., 2014:622).

PHILIPPINE DISTRIBUTION ( Map 34B [p. 145]).— Balabac, Calamian Ids. (Busuanga, Culion), Palawan.

GENERAL DISTRIBUTION (OTHER THAN PHILIPPINES).— Indonesia (Anambas Archipelago, Bali, Flores, Java, Kalimantan, Mentawai Archipelago, Nias, Simeulue, Sumatra, Ternate, Borneo,), Laos, southern Burma (Myanmar), southern Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia (Malaya and East Malaysia, Pulau Tioman), China (Hainan, Hong Kong)

CONSERVATION STATUS [IUCN].— Least Concern [2016] ver. 3.1.

Rhabdophis lineatus ( Peters, 1861) Photo figure 67 Zigzag-lined Water Snake

Tropidonotus lineatus Peters 1861:686–687 .— Boulenger 1893:262. Natrix lineata, Taylor 1922a:92 , pl. 4, figs. 6–7, pl. 5;.1922c:293. Rhabdophis lineatus, Bauer et al. 1995:75 .— David, Pauwels, Lays, and Lenglet, 2006:219, fig.

13.— Wallach, Williams, and Boundy, 2014:623.— Sanguila, Cobb, Siler, Diesmos Alcala,

and Brown, 2016:99, fig. 73.

TYPE LOCALITY AND TYPE SPECIMEN (S).— Loquilocun , Insel Samar, Philippines. Syntypes (2): ZMB 3976 a–b (fide Wallach et al. [2014:623] but also see additional comments by Wallach et al. [op. cit.] in regard to erroneous recognition of an additional syntype, NMW 23469 , by Tiedemann and Häpul [1980:63; 1994:76]) .

PHILIPPINE DISTRIBUTION (ENDEMIC [ Map 34C {p. 145}]).— Basilan, Biliran, Bohol, Dinagat, Leyte (Prov.: Leyte, Southern Leyte), Mindanao (Prov.: Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Davao del Sur, Misamis Oriental, South Cotabato, Zamboanga del Sur [Zamboanga City]), Samar (Prov.: Eastern Samar, Samar [formerly Western Samar]).

CONSERVATION STATUS [IUCN].— Least Concern [2016] ver. 3.1.

Rhabdophis spilogaster (H. Boie in F. Boie, 1827) Photo figure 68 Boie’s Keelback Snake

Tropidonotus spilogaster H. Boie in Schlegel, 1826:237 (nomen nudum).— H. Boie in F. Boie, 1827:535.— Müller, 1883:286.— Boulenger, 1893:257; 1894:83.

Natrix stolatus, Taylor, 1922a:84 .

Natrix spilogaster, Taylor, 1922a:86 , pl. 4, fig. 1; 1922d:137. Rhabdophis spilogaster, Harding and Welch, 1980:99 .— Ross and Gonzales, 1992:67.— Brown, Ferner, Sison, Gonzales, and Kennedy, 1996:13, fig. 15.— Brown, McGuire, Ferner, Icarangal, Jr., and Kennedy, 2000:190, fig. 33.— McLeod, Siler, Diesmos, Diesmos, Garcia, Arkonceo, Balaquit, Uy, Villaseran, Yarra, and Brown, 2011:188.— Oliveros, Ota, Crombie, and Brown, 2011:16.— Brown, Oliveros, Siler, Fernandez, Welton, Buenavente. Diesmos, and Diesmos, 2012:484. fig. 45.— Devan-Song and Brown, 2012:14, fig. 34.— Brown, Siler, Oliveros, Welton, Rock, Swab, Van Weerd, van Beijnen, Jose, Rodriguez, Jose, and Diesmos, 2013:88, fig. 93.— Wallach, Williams, and Boundy, 2014:624.

TYPE LOCALITY AND TYPE SPECIMEN (S).— Philippines (restricted to Luzon Id. by Wallach et al. [2014:624]). Syntypes (5): RMNH 1048a–b, RMNH 1049a–c (fide Wallach et al. [2014:624]).

PHILIPPINE DISTRIBUTION (ENDEMIC) ( Map 34D [p. 145]).— Babuyan Ids. (Camiguin Norte), Batanes Ids. (Batan), Catanduanes, Lubang, Luzon (Prov.: Aurora, Bataan, Batangas, Bulacan, Camarines Norte, Cavite, Ifugao, Ilocos Norte, Isabela, Laguna, Manila, Mountain, Nueva Vizcaya, Pampanga, Quezon, Rizal, Zambales), Polillo.

CONSERVATION STATUS [IUCN].— Least Concern [2016] ver. 3.1.

Tropidonophis dendrophiops ( Günther, 1883) Photo figure 69 Spotted Water Snake

Tropidonotus dendrophiops Günther 1883:136 .

Tropidonophis dendrophiops Günther 1883:136 .— Malnate and Underwood, 1988:85, figs. 2 [map], 3.— Smith, 1993:99— David, Pauwels, Lays, and Lenglet, 2006:219, fig. 14.— Beukema, 2011a:178, fig. 4.— Brown, Siler, Oliveros, Welton, Rock, Swab, Van Weerd, van Beijnen, Jose, Rodriguez, Jose, and Diesmos, 2013:88, fig. 94.— Wallach, Williams, and Boundy, 2014:735.— Sanguila, Cobb, Siler, Diesmos Alcala, and Brown, 2016:100, fig. 74.— Supsup, Guinto, Redoblado, and Somez, 2017:9, fig. 5g.

Natrix dendrophiops dendrophiops, Taylor, 1922a:95 .

Natrix dendrophiops, Taylor, 1922c:294 .

Macropophis dendrophiops, Malnate, 1960:48 , 52, fig. 1 [map].

TYPE LOCALITY AND TYPE SPECIMEN (S).— Zamboanga, Mindanao Id., Philippines. Holotype: BMNH 1946.1 .15.41 (original number BMNH 82.11.25.13).

PHILIPPINE DISTRIBUTION (ENDEMIC) ( Map 37B [p. 148]).— Basilan, Biliran, Bohol, Camiguin Sur, Dinagat, Leyte, Luzon (Prov.: Cagayan, Isabela), Mindanao (Prov.: Agusan del Sur, Davao, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Misamis Oriental, South Cotabato, Zamboanga del Sur [Zamboanga City]), Samar, Siquijor.

REMARKS.— Malnate and Underwood (1988:85), based largely on body scale characters and dentition, assigned two Philippine species formerly included in the genus Natrix and/or Rhabdophis , to Tropidonophis , i.e., T. dendrophiops , and T. negrosensi s. Although we do not feel comfortable with these assignments and believe that the two nominal species should be reassigned to the now well-established genus Rhabdophis , we hesitate to do so pending a thorough genomic analysis. Also, with respect to the placement of the long enigmatic species “ Natrix barbouri Taylor, 1922 ”, as noted in the Remarks under Rhabdophis barbouri , despite similarities in some features with Tropidonophis , they referred barbouri to Rhabdophis (Malnate and Underwood 1988:195) .

CONSERVATION STATUS [IUCN].— Least Concern [2016] ver. 3.1.