Psammodynastes pictus ( Ģnther, 1858b )

Figueroa, Alex, Low, Martyn E. Y. & Lim, Kelvin K. P., 2023, Singapore’s herpetofauna: updated and annotated checklist, history, conservation, and distribution, Zootaxa 5287 (1), pp. 1-378 : 215-217

Psammodynastes pictus ( Ģnther, 1858b) — Native.

Psammodynastes pictus Ģnther, 1858b: 251 , 252. Syntypes (4): BMNH 1946.1.8.54–56, and 1946.1.9.88, by original designation. Type locality: “ Borneo ” and “ India,” the latter in error; later designated as “ Sumatra ” and “ Borneo ” by Boulenger (1896: 174); later designated as “ Sumatra ” by de Haas (1950: 584); later designated as “Borneo” by David & Vogel (1996: 125).

Painted Mock Viper ( Figure 24G )

Singapore records.

Psammodynastes pictus —Sworder, 1923: 67 (Serangoon).— de Haas, 1950: 584.—K.K.P. Lim & L.M. Chou, 1990: 54.—K.K.P. Lim & F.L.K. Lim, 1992: 75, 147.—L.M. Chou et al., 1994: 105.—K.K.P. Lim, 1994b: 218, 331.—P.K.L. Ng et al., 1995: 118.— David & Vogel, 1996: 126.— Manthey & Grossmann, 1997: 379.—R.C.H. Teo & Rajathurai, 1997: 382 (Nee Soon Range [NSSF]).—Chanard et al., 1999: 35.— Iskandar & Colijn, 2001: 77.—K.P. Lim & F.L.K. Lim, 2002: 147.—N. Baker & K.P. Lim, 2008: 113, 161.—R.A. Chong & McGuire, 2008: 112.—K.K.P. Lim et al., 2008: 165, 265.— Das, 2010: 339.—D.C.J. Yeo et al., 2010: 155.—P.K.L. Ng et al., 2011: 390.—N. Baker & K.P. Lim, 2012: 113, 161.— Das, 2012a: 122.—Stuebing et al., 2014: 201.—Wallach et al., 2014: 585.— de Lang, 2017: 301.— Das, 2018: 92.— Asad et al., 2020: 411.— Charlton, 2020: 207.

Psammodynastes pictus (part)—K.K.P. Lim, 1991b: 11–12 (Peirce Reservoir; Upper Seletar Reservoir Park).

Remarks. Psammodynastes pictus was first recorded in Singapore by Sworder (1923) who examined a live, young specimen collected at Serangoon and taken to the Raffles Museum by Chambers. However, three specimens collected by Houscal were entered into the collections at MNHN in 1893. After Sworder (1923), P. pictus was then not reported in the literature until Lim & Chou (1990) included it in their checklist. After a period of not being reported for 68 years ( Table 2 ), Lim (1991b) wrote a note on P. pictus after Chia and Ng collected ZRC.2.3279 at USRP on 29 May 1991. The note also included Sworder’s (1923) specimen (ZRC.2.3280) and ZRC.2.3281 which was collected by Taylor at Peirce Reservoir in February 1956 ( Lim 1991b). Lim (1991b) also mentioned records of P. pictus from an unpublished manuscript by Cross, but upon re-examination the descriptions provided by Cross actually match S. melanocephalus (K.K.P. Lim unpub. data). The only other records include ZRC.2.3488 collected at NSSF in 1994, BPBM 7186 collected by Johnson in 1955 at NSSF, MCZ R-58888 from Seletar Reservoir collected by Hendrickson in 1957, one seen at NSSF on 2 February 2006 ( Fig. 24G ) (N. Baker pers. comm.), and one photographed at NSSF on 5 January 2015 (Y. Cai pers. comm.).

Occurrence. Restricted to CCNR. Rare.

Singapore conservation status. Critically Endangered.

Conservation priority. Highest.

IUCN conservation status. Least Concern [2021].

LKCNHM & NHMUK Museum specimens. Nee Soon Swamp Forest : ZRC.2.3488 (1994); Peirce Reservoir : ZRC.2.3281 (Feb-1956); Seletar Reservoir Park [ USRP] : ZRC.2.3279 (29-May-1991); Serangoon : ZRC.2.3280 (10-Feb-1923) .

Additional Singapore museum specimens. Singapore (no locality): MNHN, NMW; Nee Soon Freshwater Swamp [= NSSF]: BPBM; Seletar Reservoir Jungle: MCZ.

Singapore localities. Nee Soon Swamp Forest—Peirce Reservoir (not specified)—Serangoon (not specified)*— Upper Seletar Reservoir Park.

Family Pareidae Romer, 1956 (2 species)

Pareinae Romer, 1856: 583 (type genus Pareas Wagler, 1830 ).

Genus Asthenodipsas Peters, 1864 (1 species)

Asthenodipsas Peters, 1864: 273 (type species: Asthenodipsas malaccana Peters, 1864 , by monotypy; gender feminine).

Asthenodipsas laevis (H. Boie in F. Boie, 1827)— Native; Indeterminate.

Amblycephalus laevis H. Boie in F. Boie, 1827: 520. Lectotype: RMNH.RENA.986B, designated by Grossman & Tillack (2003: 182) ; paralectotypes (2): RMNH.RENA.986A and C, designated by Grossman & Tillack (2003: 185). Type locality: None stated/traced; later designated as “ Java, Indonesia ” via lectotyope designation.

Smooth Slug-eating Snake ( Figures 24H & 25A )

Singapore records.

Asthenodipsas laevis —F.L.K. Lim, 2009: 463, 464 (Singapore Zoo).—N. Baker & Thomas, 2014: 337, 338 (Old Upper Thomson Road).—M.E.Y. Low & Pocklington, 2019: 286.— Charlton, 2020: 83.

Remarks. In Singapore, A. laevis is known from only two records. The first was of a specimen found in a drain at Singapore Zoo in 1978 (Lim 2009). At that time, the record was never published. Although the specimen was collected and preserved, it is no longer extant. Lim (2009) only published the record after he later rediscovered his notes regarding the record. The second record was made much more recently, when a roadkill specimen was found along OUTR on the morning of 8 January 2014 ( Fig. 24H ) ( Baker & Thomas 2014).Although a bit damaged, the specimen was deposited at LKCNHM for preservation. Baker & Thomas (2014) provided various photographs illustrating certain morphological characters of the species.

Occurrence. Known only from one specimen from Singapore Zoo in 1978 and one specimen from OUTR in 2014. Rare .

Singapore conservation status. Critically Endangered.

Conservation priority. Highest.

IUCN conservation status. Least Concern [2012].

LKCNHM & NHMUK Museum specimens. Old Upper Thomson Road : ZRC.2.7079 (08-Jan-2014) .

Additional Singapore museum specimens. No specimens.

Singapore localities. Old Upper Thomson Road—Singapore Zoo.

Genus Pareas Wagler, 1830 (1 species)

Figures

FIGURE 24. A) Enhydris enhydris, B) Fordonia leucobalia, C) Gerarda prevostiana, D) Homalopsis buccata, E) Phytolopsis punctata, F) Raclitia indica, G) Psammodynastes pictus, and H) Asthenodipsas laevis. Photographs by: Joan Lee [A], Alex Figueroa [B–D], Holly Siow [E], Dennis Nathaniel Chan [F], Nick Baker [G], and Kelvin K.P. Lim [H].

FIGURE 25. A) Asthenodipsas laevis, B) Pareas margaritophorus, C) Malayopython reticulatus, D) Python brongersmai, E) Python brongersmai, F) Argyrophis muelleri, G) Indotyphlops braminus, and H) Ramphotyphlops lineatus. Photographs by: Evan S.H. Quah [A, E], Alex Figueroa [B–C, G], Kelvin K.P. Lim [D, H], and Nick Baker [F].