Boiga philippina ( Peters, 1867 )

Leviton, Alan E., Siler, Cameron D., Weinell, Jeffrey L. & Brown, Rafe M., 2018, Synopsis of the Snakes of the Philippines A Synthesis of Data from Biodiversity Repositories, Field Studies, and the Literature, Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences (Oxford, England) 64 (14), pp. 399-568 : 431-432

Boiga philippina ( Peters, 1867)

Photo figure 35

Luzon Cat Snake

Dipsas philippina W. Peters, 1867:27 .

Dipsadomorphus philippinus, Boulenger, 1896:77 .

Boiga philippina, Griffin, 1911:263 .— Taylor, 1922a:206.— Leviton, 1970a:312.— Oliveros, Ota, Crombie, and Brown, 2011:14, fig. 7B.— Devan-Song and Brown, 2012:12, fig. 26.— Brown, Siler, Oliveros, Welton, Rock, Swab, van Weerd, van Beijnen, Rodriguez, Jose, and Diesmos, 2013:74, fig. 77.— Wallach, Williams, and Boundy, 2014:104.

TYPE LOCALITY AND TYPE SPECIMEN (S).— Ylaces (= Ilocos Prov.), Luzon Id., Philippines. Holotype: NMW 23401 .

PHILIPPINE DISTRIBUTION (ENDEMIC) ( Map 5A [p. 116]).— Babuyan Ids. (Babuyan Claro), Luzon (Prov.: Cagayan, Camarines Sur, Isabela, Ilocos, Laguna, Zambales).

REMARKS.— Although Leviton (1970:312) speculated that this species could be conspecific with B. angulata , recent phylogenetic studies (J. Weinell, pers. obser.) seem to rule out the possibilty of a close relationship between the two species. Furthermore, although Vogel (2015:13) suggested that B. philippina belongs to the B. drapiezii complex, his comments do not appear to be based on any new accompanying data.

CONSERVATION STATUS [IUCN].— Least Concern [2016] ver. 3.1. The confusion surrounding the identity and distribution of this species suggests it should be classified as “Data Defficient” until field and taxonomic studies clarify its staus.