Boiga multomaculata (Boie, 1827)

Nguyen, Tan Van, Brakels, Peter, Maury, Nathanael, Sudavanh, Somchit, Pawangkhanant, Parinya, Idiiatullina, Sabira, Lorphengsy, Sengvilay, Inkhavilay, Khamla, Suwannapoom, Chatmongkon & Poyarkov, Nikolay A., 2020, New herpetofaunal observations from Laos based on photo records, Amphibian & Reptile Conservation (e 248) 14 (2), pp. 218-249 : 233

Boiga multomaculata (Boie, 1827)

Many-spotted Cat Snake ( Fig. 7B )

One adult individual of B. multomaculata was observed by P. Brakels on 26 February 2018 in Phou Hin Poun NPA, Nakai District , Khammouan Province (17°42.734’N, 104°57.302’E; elevation 220 m asl) .

Morphological characters of the individual from Khammouan Province agreed well with the descriptions of Smith (1943), Taylor (1965), Ziegler et al. (2010), and Chan-ard et al. (2015). The photographed individual ( Fig. 7B ) agrees with the diagnosis of B. multomaculata in the following characters: body medium-sized with elongate habitus; head distinct from neck; eye moderate in size; pupil vertically oval; nasal undivided; loreal present, not entering the orbit; 1 preocular; 2 postoculars; 2 anterior temporals; 3 posterior temporals; 8 supralabials, 1 st and 2 nd in contact with the nasal, 2 nd in contact with the loreal, 3 rd –5 th entering orbit, 6 th and 7 th largest; dorsal scales smooth; anterior vertebral scales slightly enlarged; ventrals 301; cloacal scale undivided; subcaudals 112, divided. Coloration of dorsal surfaces of head with two dark brown stripes extending from snout to neck; dorsal surfaces of body grayish-brown with two alternating series of large, rounded, dark brown paleedged blotches and two other series of much smaller spots on the sides of the body; eye gray; ventral surface whitish with small to large brown spots.

Ecological notes. The individual was found at ca. 2200 h under a wood log near a village; surrounding habitat was disturbed secondary mixed evergreen dry hill forest.

Distribution. In Laos, this species has been previously recorded from Vientiane and Champasak provinces ( Teynié and David 2010). This is the first record from Khammouan Province. Elsewhere, this species has been reported from Bangladesh, China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia ( Uetz et al. 2020).

Figures

Fig. 7. (A) Boiga cyanea in Phiang District, Xaignabouli Province; (B) B. multomaculata in Nakay District, Khammouan Province; (C) lateral view and (D) ventral view of Dendrelaphis cf. cyanochloris in Xay District, Oudomxai Province; (E) Gonyosoma prasinum in Xay District, Oudomxai Province. Photos by P. Brakels.