A new species of the genus Liopeltis Fitzingerı 1843 from Vietnam (Squamata: Colubridae) Author ı Tan Van Nguyen, Nikolay A. Poyarkov Jr. Author Vogel, Gernot text Journal of Natural History 2019 2019-09-18 53 27 1647 1672 journal article 24016 10.1080/00222933.2019.1656784 9773657e-8372-45b6-b04f-5df047fb3f6b 1464-5262 3670307 Revised key to the genus Liopeltis We want to emphasise that there are surely still more taxa to be described in the genus Liopeltis . In most species of the genus morphological variation is still not well knownı so the key presented below is just a snapshot of our current knowledge of this genus. Neverthelessı differences between Liopeltis pallidonuchalis sp. nov. and all other congeners are large enough to easily recognise this taxon. 1 . Loreal shield present.. ... ... ... ... .... ... .... ... ... ... ... ... ... .... ... ... ... ... ... .... .... ..... ........ 2 Loreal shield missing.. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .... ... .... ... .... ... ... .. 5 2. More than 175 ventrals ... .... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .... ... ... ... ... ....... L. rappi Less than 175 ventrals.. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .... ... .... .... ... .... 3 3. More than 115 subcaudalsı 13 dorsal rows one head length before vent.. ... ... L. stoliczkae Less than 110 subcaudalsı 15 throughout the body.. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .... ... ... .... .... .. 4 4a. 140 172 ventralsı 84 105 subcaudalsı Ratio TaL/TL 0.290 0.340 ı postocular stripe very thickı dark-blackı 3 4 thinner dark stripes on flanks.. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ................................................................................................................................................. L. frenata 4b . 126 138 ventralsı 67 73 subcaudalsı Ratio TaL/TL 0.274 0.288 ı postocular stripe thin and pale.. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .. Liopeltis pallidonuchalis sp. nov . 5 . Less than 100 subcaudals.. ... .... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .... ... .. L. calamaria More than 100 subcaudals.. ... .... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .... ... ... ... ... .... ... ... .. 6 6a. Nasal shield fused to internasalı four brown longitudinal stripes on dorsum.. L. philippina 6b . Nasal shield not fused to internasalı dorsum uniform.. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .... .. L. tricolor