Boiga thackerayi Giri, Deepak, Captain, Pawar & Tillack, 2019

Ganesh, S. R., Achyuthan, N. S., Chandramouli, S. R. & Vogel, Gernot, 2020, Taxonomic revision of the Boiga ceylonensis group (Serpentes: Colubridae): reexamination of type specimens, redefinition of nominate taxa and an updated key, Zootaxa 4779 (3), pp. 301-332 : 318

Boiga thackerayi Giri, Deepak, Captain, Pawar & Tillack, 2019

Taxonomic history. This species was recently described from the Western Ghats. There is no doubt on its validity, however its relationships with other cryptic taxa are not yet resolved and the distribution range of this taxon is not completely known.

Specimens examined. none

Etymology. Eponym honouring Mr. Tejas Thackeray for his taxonomical works in the Western Ghats.

Diagnosis (after Giri et al. 2019). A species of Boiga endemic to Western Ghats, characterised by the following combination of characters: 17–19 midbody scale rows (vs. 21–23 in B. nuchalis , B. dightoni , B. andamanensis ); vertebral scales strongly enlarged (vs. mildly enlarged in B. barnesii ); the presence of 1 preocular (vs. 3 in B. barnesii ); body anteriorly yellowish and posteriorly pale pibnkish (vs. body light brownish, throughout in B. ceylonensis , body light greenish in B. flaviviridis ); ventrolateral region with distinct white and black adjacent blotches (vs. with a series of spots on both tips of each ventral scale in B. ceylonensis ); subcaudals <110 (vs.> 110 in B. beddomei , B. flaviviridis ).

Description of the holotype. See Giri et al. (2019).

Distribution and natural history. The specimens were collected from near Humbarli, in Koyna Hills of northern Western Ghats. The snakes were reported close to a perennial stream in a semievergreen patch of forest. All individuals were observed on trees, close to forest streams, and were seen to be active during the night. One specimen fed on frogs and frog eggs in captivity ( Giri et al. 2019).

Taxonomic comments. Snakes with superficially smilar morphology (see Appendix, as Boiga cf. thackerayi ) to the recently described B. thackerayi were studied both in life and as preserved samples from the Western Ghats south and north of the Palghat Gap. These are provisionally represented here as Boiga cf. thackerayi . The taxonomic status of these individuals is currently under investigation. Molecular studies are underway to evaluate their taxonomic status with respect to B. thackerayi .