Brachyorrhos

Murphy, John C., Mumpuni, Lang, Ruud de, Gower, David J. & Sanders, Kate L., 2012, The Moluccan Short-Tailed Snakes Of The Genus Brachyorrhos Kuhl (Squamata: Serpentes: Homalopsidae), And The Status Of Calamophis Meyer, Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 60 (2), pp. 501-514 : 511

Brachyorrhos and Calamophis

1a. A single internasal scale; one postocular scale; dorsal scale rows reduced to 17 anterior to vent (West Papua, Yapen Island ), a broad ventral stripe composed of large dark spots on each ventral scale; a thick tail that tapers little ............ Calamophis jobiensis

1b. Internasal scale divided; two postoculars; dorsal scales rows not reduced, they number 19 anterior to vent; rostral as tall as wide; ventral stripe usually absent, if present it is relatively narrow. ................................................................................... 2

2a. Preocular present; tallest upper labial 6; males 159–173 v, females 171–178 v; mostly uniform brown above, cream or yellowish below (Seram, Ambon, Pulau Bisa). ........ B. albus

2b. No preocular; tallest upper labial 3 or 5. .............................. 3

3a. Upper labials 3 + 4 in orbit; tallest upper labial 5; mid ventral stripe present, usually less than 75% of the width of ventrals (fades in preserved material); a light coloured band crosses the back of the head in neonates and juveniles; (Buru) males 177–193 ventrals, females 187–195 ventrals. ......................... ....................................................................... B. gastrotaenius

3b. Six or 7 upper labials, of which 3 or 6 (rarely 5) tallest. .... 4

4a. Tallest upper labial is three and it enters the orbit; uniform brown grey above, light cream below168–177 ventrals in males; 176–182 ventrals in females; ( Ternate) 4 th (or 3 + 4) ............. ................................................................................. B. raffrayi

4b. Tallest upper labial is 6 (rarely 5); 4 upper labials enter the orbit (rarely 3); uniform dark grey, almost black above, light coloured venter; 177–182 ventrals in females (Halmahera) ... ............................................................................... B. wallacei

Table 4 compares the four species of Brachyorrhos for external morphological characteristics.